As franchisors grow their system, protecting the integrity and value of their brand becomes increasingly complex. This session will explore critical legal and operational strategies necessary to safeguard your brand, offering a blueprint for growth.

Key topics:

• Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation:
  • Understanding the evolving landscape of non-competition covenants and nonsolicitation provisions under common law, provincial statutes, and the federal Competition Act.
  • Practical strategies for crafting non-competition agreements, including ensuring key individuals sign as principals of the franchisee, not merely as employees.
  • Updating franchise agreements to enhance the enforceability of non-solicitation provisions. 
  • Approaches to maintaining robust non-disclosure obligations for key franchisee managers.
• Employment and Immigration Law:
  • Navigating employment law to ensure compliance and protect the brand.
  • Understanding immigration law to manage the workforce effectively, especially in an expanding franchise system.
• Trademark and Brand Protection:
  • Hot topics in franchise trademark and intellectual property protection.
  • Key insights on current legal issues and critical recent decisions concerning the protection of trademarks and intellectual property by franchisors. • Considerations for registering trademarks internationally and strategies for protecting your brand in a growing franchise system

Learning Objectives

1. Understand non-competition and non-solicitation provisions under evolving legal frameworks.
2. Navigate employment and immigration laws to ensure compliance and brand protection.
3. Learn strategies for trademark registration and international brand protection