2026 Top Franchise Lawyers You Should Know: Leonard Vines — UB Greensfelder LLP

Franchise Legal Player: Leonard Vines
Firm: UB Greensfelder LLP

Leonard Vines has built a reputation as a trusted advisor to franchise brands navigating growth, compliance and long-term risk. With experience representing national, regional and local franchisors and distributors, Vines brings a practical, business-minded approach to franchise law. His work focuses on helping brands scale responsibly while protecting both the franchisor and franchisee experience.

1851 Franchise connected with Vines to discuss what franchisors often overlook, where legal risk hides during expansion and the lessons that continue to shape his advisory philosophy.

1851: What originally drew you to franchise law, and what has kept you engaged in the space over time?

Leonard Vines: Shortly after the FTC issued the original Franchise Rule, one franchisor client asked for advice on franchising, and another asked me to review what was then called the “Basic Disclosure Document” before purchasing a franchise. That led me to attend the first ABA Forum on Franchising in Chicago, and from that point forward, I became increasingly involved in the field.

1851: As franchising continues to evolve, what legal issue do you see brands most often underestimating today?

Vines: Franchisors can underestimate the importance of consulting with franchisees and getting them to accept and embrace system changes. With the challenges of increased competition and game-changing technological advances, franchisees are often reluctant to incur the substantial expense of making important system changes. Therefore, the franchisor should be able to justify the reasons for the changes and demonstrate why they should benefit the franchisees in the long run.

1851: In your experience, where do emerging franchisors tend to get tripped up from a compliance or documentation standpoint?

Vines: Franchisors who are deterred by the compliance demands are often those who aren’t ready to franchise. Those who are prepared recognize that the legal framework is part of building a solid, sustainable franchise system.

1851: How should franchisors be thinking about risk management as they scale into new markets or add new unit growth strategies?

Vines: Franchisors should be highly selective when granting franchises. Awarding a franchise without careful vetting in order to generate fees or keep their business afloat is a big mistake. Although it’s often difficult to predict who will be a good franchisee, the franchisor should look for early warning signs, such as a candidate who wants to do things his or her own way. The wrong or uncooperative franchisee can harm the system, drain resources and cause untold aggravation. Many franchisors regret that they approved some franchisees, especially in the early stages of its franchise activities.

1851: What distinguishes your approach or philosophy when working with franchise clients?

Vines: I am candid with my clients and am not shy about telling them when their concept might not be “franchiseable” or that they aren’t yet ready to take on the challenges of franchising.  Successful franchising requires the right timing, infrastructure, and commitment, and part of my role is helping clients assess whether those elements are in place.

1851: Looking back, what lesson from your legal career has had the greatest impact on how you advise clients today?

Vines: Although my practice now mostly focuses on representing franchisors, I previously represented many franchisees and franchisee associations. That experience gave me invaluable insight into maintaining a strong, collaborative relationship between a franchisor and its franchisees and giving franchisees reasons to remain loyal to the brand. I am an advocate of early resolution of disputes with franchisees. Franchisors should avoid jumping directly into litigation, which can damage relationships and drain resources. When problems arise, franchisors should work to address issues quickly and constructively. If a franchisee ultimately isn’t the right fit for the system, it’s best to find a solution that allows the franchisee to exit gracefully.

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