Growing a Franchise
1851 Franchise’s annual roundup of the top legal players in the industry is back. Meet Leonard Vines and hear his insights on legal issues in the franchise space.
Legal Player: Leonard Vines
Firm: UB Greensfelder LLP
Leonard Vines’ journey into franchise law started with a spark of curiosity. Early in his career, a restaurant client interested in franchising paid for him to attend the very first American Bar Association Forum on Franchising in Chicago. Although that client ultimately did not pursue franchising, the event left a lasting impression. A few years later, another client decided to franchise its business and quickly grew to 16 locations. At the time, few attorneys in his city were practicing franchise law since the FTC Rule was still relatively new, which positioned Vines as a pioneer. He began writing about the subject, contributing articles to a local business journal and authoring a chapter on franchise law for Rabkin & Johnson Current Legal Forms.
Today, as of counsel at UB Greensfelder LLP, Vines continues to bring decades of expertise to franchisors nationwide, offering guidance rooted in both legal precision and client-centered service.
1851 Franchise reached out to Vines to learn how franchisors can protect their brand and avoid legal mistakes. Check out his insights below.
1851 Franchise: How did you fall into franchising?
Leonard Vines: A restaurant client was interested in franchising and paid for me to attend the very first ABA Forum on Franchising in Chicago. Although the client did not franchise, the forum sparked my interest in the topic. A few years later, a client wanted to franchise its business, which grew to about 16 franchises in a short period of time. At the time, no one in my city was doing franchise work since the FTC Rule was quite new. I then submitted some articles to a local business journal and wrote a chapter on franchise law for Rabkin & Johnson Current Legal Forms.
1851: What do you see as the most important things franchisors should do to protect their brand?
Vines: Protect their trademark and monitor franchisees for compliance with the franchise agreement and operations manual.
1851: How important is the information in Item 19?
Vines: Item 19 is perhaps the most important information in the FDD because this is the information franchisees want more than anything else. Also, if not prepared properly, it can expose the franchisor to great risk.
1851: What is the single largest legal mistake brands make?
Vines: Choosing the wrong franchisees and trying to expand too quickly.
1851: How does UB Greensfelder stand out as a franchise law firm?
Vines: We have several nationally recognized franchise attorneys. We all collaborate and keep up to date on new developments. We are extremely responsive and do not hesitate to respond to clients after hours and any time they need our help.
1851: What is the best business advice you have received in your career?
Vines: Put yourself in the shoes of your clients and be responsive. Show your clients that you truly care about them and their business and act like you are their partner. Recognize that sometimes even those matters which seem small or relatively insignificant are still very important to the client and cannot be ignored.
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