Franchise Legal Players: Ronald K. Gardner of Dady & Gardner, P.A.
1851 Interviews the Highest Profile Attorneys in Franchising for the 2018 Franchise Legal Player Awards
Name: Ronald K. Gardner
Firm: Dady & Gardner, P.A.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-gardner-632a5412/
About Your Firm: Dady & Gardner, P.A., limits its practice to helping franchisees and dealers preserve and enhance the value of their businesses as effectively and efficiently as possible. The firm, consisting entirely of franchisee lawyers, practices nationwide and delivers the highest quality representation available. Dady & Gardner’s franchisee attorneys have represented a wide array of clients, from quick-service restaurant franchisees to farm and industrial equipment distributors, and have successfully resolved disputes against more than 350 different franchise and supply systems.
Website: www.dadygardner.com
What makes your firm stand out as a resource for the franchise industry?
Dady & Gardner, P.A. has been ranked as the top franchisee lawyer firm in America by essentially every publication with such a ranking, including Chambers USA 2017 ranking our named partners, J. Michael Dady and Ronald K. Gardner, as two of the four best franchisee lawyers in America. These recognitions are the result of the nine dedicated lawyers at Dady & Gardner having more than 150 years of combined experience in doing nothing but representing franchisees, dealers, and distributors.
What is the No. 1 thing a franchisor/franchisee should look for when identifying the right franchise attorney?
The attorney’s experience with franchising is the most important thing. You do not want an attorney who needs to learn the field of law and reinvent the wheel at every turn. Select someone with years of experience in franchising who can provide you with the benefit of everything he or she has learned over the years.
When it comes to your work, what makes you happiest?
I enjoy meeting with people and helping them achieve business and personal success. I also enjoy the opportunity to address large groups of people and give them the benefit of my expertise.
What are your top concerns for the franchise industry in the next year?
I am always concerned when franchisors begin to take steps that benefit the franchisor’s bottom line but hurt the franchisee’s bottom line. Deep discounting, for example, may increase overall revenues and increase royalties to the franchisor, but a franchisee needs to sell its products at a fair and reasonable price in order to make a profit. It is always a concern when franchisors impose “top down” rules (like discounting or expensive remodel requirements) without regard to the franchisee’s ability to earn a fair return on his or her investment.
What are you most optimistic about in the franchise industry in the next year?
Many franchisors are beginning to see the wisdom of engaging in discussions and collaborating with their franchisee associations. This allows franchisors to take the best ideas, not just from their own limited number of employees, but also from dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of independent business people who are operating their franchised businesses. When I see more franchisors interacting with their franchisee associations, it makes me more optimistic for franchising in the next year.