Franchise Legal Players: Lane Fisher of FisherZucker, LLC

Name: Lane Fisher

Firm:  FisherZucker, LLC

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/2644864/

About Your Firm:   FisherZucker is a law firm with a national practice dedicated almost exclusively to franchising and business licensing matters, with offices in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Our lawyers have extensive experience in pre-litigation counseling, mediation, litigation and arbitration and regularly litigate cases nationwide. We have an active merger and acquisition practice including conducting due diligence for private equity firms.  We also advise clients on franchise development, regulatory compliance, corporate formation/governance and trademark licensing and protection matters. Our experienced attorneys are well versed in multi-unit franchising, international franchising and complicated disclosure issues.

Website: www.fisherzucker.com

What makes your firm stand out as a resource for the franchise industry?  Today, unit economics is the single largest driver of unit growth, and multi-unit franchise ownership.  We help franchisors translate their successful business model into a digestible speak, identifying the most compelling silos of profitability in Item 19.   We also assist in identifying a compelling multi-unit model to market.  We match opportunities to resources, to help an emerging or reemerging franchisor identify and secure the right talent.

What is the No. 1 thing a franchisor/franchisee should look for when identifying the right franchise attorney? 

Experience, along with expertise and results.  

When it comes to your work, what makes you happiest? 

I enjoy helping franchisors identify their highly efficient models, and creating an Item 19 that is the catalyst of growth. 

What are your top concerns for the franchise industry in the next year? 

Regulation.  There are still irresponsible franchisors who get the attention of regulators, and bring unnecessary attention to the business model.     Unions have a great deal of power in the democratic party and as Republicans lose seats, and control of potentially the House and Senate, Unions will likely drive labor issues, like joint employment to serve their own selfish political ends.  Lastly, if you believe that business operates in 10 yearcycles, and our last downturn was in 2008, history suggests that we are do for an “adjustment” in the near future.

What are you most optimistic about in the franchise industry in the next year? 

There is still a lot of liquidity in franchising available to capitalize emerging concepts with strong unit economics.   Capital appears to be available for franchisees.  With big boxes vacating traditional real estate, Landlords will likely continue to create more experiential retail environments, to lure the retail consumer.