Mediation is by far the most effective and least costly method of resolving a franchise dispute but, not surprisingly, success is dependent on appointing the right mediator. In a mediation, the mediator is neutral and non-judgemental. He or she works with each...

The ability to be in control is central to the concept of franchising. Franchisees are independently minded individuals who wish to have a greater level of control over their working lives than they would have as an employee. Franchisors regard the ability to...

The short answer is; sooner rather than later. The reason for this is that generally, the longer a dispute remains unresolved, the more the parties become entrenched and determined to defend their positions. It is not long before solicitors are consulted, and legal...

If a franchisee cannot settle a dispute with his or her franchisor by dialogue and negotiation, the first thing that they should do is to refer to the franchise agreement and see if there is a ‘dispute resolution’ clause. Most franchise agreements contain one. This...

Franchise agreements almost universally contain a clause that calls for disputes to be resolved by negotiation, failing which the parties will mediate. Only if that also fails should litigation be commenced. This is entirely sensible because mediation is far less...

Let’s start by accepting that not all franchisors act ethically and not all franchisees follow the franchise model and work hard to support and grow the brand. But this blog isn’t about bad franchises, it is about those that are successful for both the franchisor...

Almost universally, franchise agreements contain a ‘dispute resolution’ clause. This will usually set out a three-stage process; starting with a face-to-face meeting between the franchisee and the franchisor. If that fails, the second stage is mediation and if that...

Introduction This essay will address the question in three stages. Firstly, by identifying the pros and cons of imposing mandatory mediation. Secondly, by analysing the effectiveness of mediation in jurisdictions where it has been made mandatory. Finally, by...

Most franchise agreements contain an obligation to initially use mediation to settle a dispute between the franchisee and the franchisor. Only if that fails should litigation be commenced. The reason for this is that mediation is much quicker and far less expensive...

As franchising is a specialist area, it is unlikely that the purchaser of a franchisor will come from outside the industry. Conversely, there are a number of multi-brand franchisors who are at times highly acquisitive. Also, where the sale is by a national master...