Nearly half of all new retail businesses in Canada are franchised businesses, and Canada is now considered a leader in the franchising industry. Now is, therefore, an opportune time to consider expansion by penetrating the Canadian franchise market.There is a lot to learn about successful franchising in Canada, whether you are a franchisor expanding into Canada for the first time, or are a seasoned international franchisor. There are a lot of business and legal issues to consider, including cultural challenges, disclosure compliance, anti-trust laws, and intellectual property protection. Franchisors operating in Canada are subject to both federal and provincial law, so it would be prudent to consult with a Franchise Attorney before setting up your franchise.

Licensing, franchise & distribution, intellectual property, multi-level marketing, general corporate commercial law, and transporting franchise systems into and from Canada are some of the fields of law related to franchising. Most franchise attorneys are able to provide a complete range of legal services related to franchising, including document preparation, analysis, and advice.

Because a franchise lawyer is a specialist in his field, he is able to offer the best possible service to his clients. A good franchise lawyer will be able to meet various clients’ legal needs, whether the client is a startup franchise system that needs help with documents to sell franchises, a mature franchise system looking to move into Canada, or a prospective franchisee wanting help with the review of franchising documents provided by a franchisor. What would be even better is a franchise attorney who is also a businessman with experience in franchising, as he would know exactly what it takes to purchase, sell, and develop a franchise; he would be able to give his clients first-hand advice, whether they want to turn an idea into a full-blown franchise system or wish to purchase a single franchise, or maybe even enter into a multi-unit development agreement.

Intellectual property is a vital consideration when starting any kind of business, and not just a franchise business. Trademarking and protecting intellectual property play an important role in protecting creative works and ideas from infringement anywhere in the world. A franchise attorney can dispense invaluable advice on copyrights, industrial design, and patent issues. A franchise attorney who is also a registered Canadian trademark agent can also protect his client’s business by properly registering and managing the business’s trademarks.