Spadea Lignana Franchise Attorneys

1851 Franchise: Tell us about the history and founding of the brand.Tom Spadea: I was introduced to franchising when I was a small independent business owner myself. I started to do some business broker deals on the side and then became a franchise broker in the early 2000s.&nbsp; I subsequently joined Rita’s Italian Ice as a sales person, eventually working my way up to the head of franchise development and real estate. While at Rita’s, I enrolled in law school at night. Around the same time, my best friend Josh was looking to switch from his career on Wall Street and enrolled in law school as well. We eventually started brainstorming and talking about starting a franchise law firm.While at Rita’s, I got involved with the International Franchise Association (IFA) and earned my CFE (Certified Franchise Executive). After I left Rita’s, in my final year of law school, I did some consulting and franchise development work for a number of emerging brands, some of whom are still clients today. I finished up my law degree in the aftermath of the 2008 market crash and started practicing law independently as they weren’t really giving out many law jobs to a 38-year old first year associate. Josh and I then teamed up and mostly worked with franchisee clients negotiating retail leases, Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) reviews, and other transactional work for anyone who would pay our fee. We eventually started building our team and getting our name out as a law firm with deep franchise and entrepreneurial experience. I think I have been to every national IFA convention since 2006.&nbsp;The attorneys Josh and I recruited brought not just deep legal experience and expertise, but business experience and most importantly franchise experience.&nbsp; That organic assembly of an elite team who are more than just lawyers is really the essence of our brand. We learned a lot from a longtime friendly competitor in the industry, Harold Kestenbaum, who has launched hundreds of brands through his 40 plus year career. Harold has always been a sort of mentor to Josh and I as we built our practice.&nbsp; We sat next to each other in many trade shows and built a nice relationship over the years. When the opportunity came about to team up with Harold and acquire his practice last year we jumped at the opportunity. That doubled the firm, and we now represent over 250 franchisors — most of which are emerging brands. Currently, the firm is over two dozen attorneys, paralegals and supporting cast that care and support our clients on the myriad of legal issues that arise in the day to day struggle of growth for franchisors.Most of our clients have come from word-of-mouth referrals, we’ve never really done any traditional marketing. To me, that shows how meaningful our relationships are with clients and that we have some very dedicated and loyal fans of how we operate our firm.1851: What are the brand’s key differentiators that make it stand out in the industry?Spadea: There’s a lot of friction in the attorney-client relationship, and much of that is derived from financial issues. That’s why we keep things simple with our billing; we’re different in that we charge a flat monthly fee subscription for virtually unlimited legal support.&nbsp;We’re always focused on the business goals of our entrepreneur clients. When Josh and I were first getting started, we took whatever we could get and quickly realized representing big fortune 500 like companies wasn’t for us. We want to work with gritty entrepreneurs and give them the tools to be successful — help them help themselves and avoid obstacles and mishaps. We want to be the trusted voice in the ear of our franchisors. We don’t just look at the current state of regulations when building FDDs; we’re thinking about the audience, the potential franchisees, and the personality and goals of the founder. Most people become franchisors to hit it really big. Becoming a franchisor is more like buying a lottery ticket with huge upside then just trying to eke out steady cash flow to support your family.&nbsp;&nbsp;It’s a long-term game and it's hard work — and we always play the long game. If you want to double or triple your business, don’t bother with franchising. Open a few more corporate locations and earn a comfortable lifestyle and pay for your kid’s college.&nbsp; But if you are looking for generational wealth and a way to pay for your grandkid’s college, then franchising is a path worth taking. It is exciting to see clients multiply their net worth by 50 or 100 times in less than a decade.&nbsp; It doesn’t happen every time, but it does happen. I personally believe franchising is the best path to take if that is your goal.&nbsp;There are many entrepreneurs who don’t want to spend the money to deal with lawyers, but when we take away the hourly fee and the six-minute increment billing, we’re able to be a long term partner. We’ve also developed a simple software solution for franchisors to disclose the FDD, understand their state registrations and to get franchise agreements executed. To put it simply, the system allows franchisors to easily know where they can sell and where they can’t. We do it all at a flat monthly fee to stay aligned with our clients.&nbsp; The more efficient we are the more we both win. Ten years from now when the franchisor seeks a private equity exit, we will have already built the deal room that is the envy of the industry.&nbsp; Because we start with the end in mind, every franchise agreement, FDD receipt, state regulator correspondence, etc is all in one place organized and ready to be put under the microscope.&nbsp;Our clients like that at the end of the day, we’re business people as well who have been in the trenches. I’ve paid my mortgage by selling franchises, not many franchise lawyers, if any can really say that. We love our clients, and most importantly we understand them.1851: What are the milestones in the brand’s history that have led to its success?Spadea: We’ve grown slow and steady organically. When we launched the mapping software three years ago, it was a big moment. It got us thinking about a subscription type program and how we could be closer to our clients. It was a significant capital investment, and continues to be, but it enables us to manage a very important process for our clients without taking much time or resources away from our team. It may have started as a side project, but it became a main differentiator. The idea actually came to me on election night 2016 — when I saw a graphic of all of the states displayed each as the same size. A lightbulb went off in my head, I grabbed a pad of paper and started taking notes on how it would be a great way for franchisors to show where they could sell and where they couldn’t. There are a lot of good franchise specific software platforms, but they are managed by franchise sales and are only as good as the info entered. Franchisors are leaving it up to the franchise sales team, and as a recovering development person myself, I know they won’t always get it right because they don't have the proper support or incentives to make that the most important thing they think about. I thought if we showed maps that were either red or green in terms of current registrations, it would be a simple way to inject our expertise into the process, reduce errors and not add time to the sale.&nbsp;&nbsp;We manage the map internally, so an attorney is responsible for where a client can and cannot sell. It started as a simple spreadsheet, but we worked with a software programmer to turn it into a web-based platform. Now, if the candidate clicks on the state, we link through Docusign to send the candidate the right FDD and to capture the signed receipt page. That doesn't just separate us from other law firms, if differentiates us from a lot of the IT systems in franchising as well. We become the compliance team for our franchisors without charging them hourly. Our franchisor clients seem to really appreciate having us embedded in the process ensuring they can run fast and we will manage the guard rails.&nbsp;It is so important for clients to know they can pick up the phone at any time and call us for strategic advice, to let us know what is happening in their business or just to catch up without worrying about it showing up on the bill. We focus a lot on internal transparency and proactive communication.&nbsp; Our clients know we work hard to prioritize their needs as their success is our success. We have an incentive to be efficient and effective — if our clients grow, we grow. I am very proud of our long-term client relationships. It’s all about serving our clients and not being just another law firm, that many times are just a bunch of lawyers trying to maximize the hours they can bill on their time sheets.&nbsp;1851: What do your ideal clients/franchise brands look like?Our ideal client is a franchisor with less than 100 units. It is a hard industry and takes a lot of work to do it right. It takes a few years to get a concept off the ground, and once they start to understand franchising and what it really takes to win, they’re perfect for us. Some of the franchisors who hire us, believe it or not, have never used a lawyer in setting up their system.&nbsp; There are a lot of unscrupulous consultants in the industry that claim to be able to launch brands for a low price using old and imperfect templates without the need for the client to hire a lawyer. It usually ends in disaster as there is a lot more that goes into starting a franchise system then just pumping out an FDD. But it happens and we have to be empathetic that our clients are gritty and just trying to do the best they can to build a business.&nbsp; We have fixed many of these brands that made early missteps and quite frankly they have turned out to be some of our best and most loyal clients.&nbsp;&nbsp;Others may have been with a law firm that is too large and cumbersome and charged them for every email, call and interaction.&nbsp; Those law firms are not structured to play the long game or be patient with emerging brands. Those firms don’t take a small client seriously who won’t generate thousands and thousands of dollars in legal fees every month.&nbsp; They treat them as a nuisance and act as if they are doing them a favor by representing them.&nbsp; It’s perfect for us, because not only do we not look at it that way on so many levels, we roll out the red carpet for those emerging brands as a perfect fit for who we want to represent.&nbsp;We will take the time to come up with a reasonable budget that works for the client and for us and create a workable and practical plan based on what the client really needs. Our job is to bring to life the passion and vision of the brand and to protect our client from the many risks inherent in the selling of franchises and in growing a brand through the wonderful adventure of franchising. When the client gets ready to harvest what they have built, we will be very proud to have played our part and to have put them in the best position to cleanly transfer all that they have built to the next owner.

Q&A with Spadea Lignana's Founding Partner Tom Spadea

1851 Franchise

https://www.youtube.com/embed/tWGEl0x6VpU

Spadea sits down with 1851 Franchise to explain what makes the franchise law firm stand out.

This brand page has been paid for by SPADEA LIGNANA FRANCHISE ATTORNEYS. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

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<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-gingold-a5653159/">Alex</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-gingold-a8b65028">Amanda Gingold’s</a> journey into entrepreneurship began with humble roots. The married couple turned a chance encounter with an online ad for donut-making equipment into a franchising empire, co-founding&nbsp;<a href="https://donutnvfranchise.com/">DonutNV</a>, a mobile donut-making business that now touts nearly 150 trucks across the country.&nbsp;Burned out by their careers in vending/amusement and luxury retail management respectively, the Gingolds spotted a Craigslist ad for used donut-making equipment that came with a kiosk. It planted a seed. And the&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/growth-club/donutnv-franchise-opportunity">DonutNV</a> dream was born. Shortly thereafter, once timing allowed, that dream became a reality.&nbsp;“One Tuesday, Amanda called me and said, ‘I just got fired.’ I said, ‘So, we’re doing donuts?’ And she agreed,” Alex said of the formative moment. “We bought the equipment the following weekend, got the lease and, after overcoming legal hurdles and permitting issues, opened Memorial Day weekend 2014. Lines wrapped around the kiosk. And we ran out of donuts that first day — our only day ever running out!”Within two months of Amanda’s job loss, the Gingolds turned that kiosk into their first Cinnimini Donuts location at a mall in Philadelphia. In 2017, they rebranded as DonutNV, broadened the menu and began laying the groundwork for a scalable operation, franchising by 2019. The Gingolds were ahead of the then still-to-come food truck craze and today operate nearly 150 mobile donut-making trucks across the country, supporting franchisees following their unexpected pivot from business owners to franchisors.&nbsp;Building their business organically without private equity or investors, the DonutNV story functions as a relatable franchising success story. Growing through a commitment to both franchisees and community has allowed DonutNV to scale with a franchisee-first mindset as the business eyes a 2026 goal of international expansion.&nbsp;<h2>Growth Through Innovation and Community</h2>DonutNV’s growth has been about more than just delicious donuts. The Gingolds explored mobile opportunities early, first with mobile trailers and eventually food trucks, capitalizing on the built-in customer base of outlet malls as part of a strategic expansion into high-traffic areas.The menu evolved alongside the brand. By 2017, the Gingolds had added seven freshly squeezed lemonade flavors — even as some competitors began to cut costs with concentrated juices — and a variety of toppings to their vanilla cake mini-donut base.&nbsp;As part of the growth, the Gingolds were able to partner with franchisees to make a difference at the local level, an increasingly impactful element of their approach to franchising.“Customers requested us at weddings, corporate events and festivals. Our relationship with Simon Premium Outlets grew. We opened more trailers and later a truck, including locations in Florida and Pennsylvania,” Alex said. “And we partnered with [Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame wide receiver] Donald Driver for the ‘Donut Smackdown’ fundraiser for the Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, raising $167,000. That event will go national next year.”<h2>Laying the Franchising Foundation</h2>Responsible scaling with a focus on franchisees remains a priority. As DonutNV’s popularity rose, the Gingolds became acutely aware that the growth they hoped for would require strong legal expertise. By the time DonutNV had signed its first franchisee in 2019, the mobile franchise had already built the infrastructure necessary to deliver franchisee support via a dependable system predicated on strong operations, training and logistics, giving owners confidence and stability during a tumultuous period.&nbsp;In the spring of 2025, DonutNV hired&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spadealaw.com/">Spadea Lignana</a> franchise attorneys to help them with their next stage of growth.&nbsp;“I always said one day I’d hire&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-spadea-a696256">Tom Spadea</a> as my attorney,” Alex said. “He was part of our rebrand in 2017 into 2018, before we franchised, when we rebranded from&nbsp;Cinnimini to DonutNV. He had helped me through trademark issues before and he saved me a lot of money. So, I always said one day when I could afford Tom as my attorney, he's going to be my attorney. And that day came a couple years later.”<h2>The In-House Difference</h2>Franchising, the Gingolds quickly learned, requires careful selection and ongoing support.When franchisees began having issues with a trailer manufacturer that was slow to address warranty issues, the Gingolds stepped in behind the scenes to fix a timely, critical issue for franchisees — a clear example of the couple’s hands-on approach to their role as franchisors.Streamlining operations, DonutNV soon began to place a premium on further infrastructure improvements, bringing manufacturing of the donut mix in-house via a new facility in Georgia that combines the corporate office with a training facility and logistics center. The move enables closer oversight of quality than outsourcing and helps minimize the impact of fluctuating tariffs, ultimately lowering overhead.&nbsp;DonutNV further supports franchisees with a flat royalty model, enabling owners to retain a greater portion of the overall profits.&nbsp;“COVID delayed some expansion. But we focused on supporting our initial franchisees and refining processes: trailer manufacturing, donut mix production, logistics and scaling. By mid-2022, we grew from 14 franchises to 40 and then nearly 100 by the end of 2023. We currently operate 147 open locations,” Alex said. “The right franchisee is key. Many assume buying a franchise is simple, but having committed, capable operators is critical. We focus on supporting them, not micromanaging.”<h2>A Sweet Future</h2>With its commitment to community and franchisees — and great donuts — DonutNV has scaled responsibly. Bringing together manufacturing, management and logistics under one roof has helped lower overhead, delivering even greater benefits to franchisees under the flat royalty model.From Craigslist to a thriving franchise in just about a decade, the DonutNV story is one of organic growth and success in franchising. Partnering with&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/supplier/spadea-lignana-franchise-attorneys">Spadea Lignana</a> helped fuel early growth; the Gingolds are capitalizing on that experience to roll out an aggressive expansion plan for 2026 and beyond.&nbsp;“We’re approaching 150 open units with a goal of 500-plus. So, looking ahead to 2026, we aim for international expansion, starting in the Bahamas,” Alex said. “Our goal remains making the world a sweeter place, delivering memorable experiences and supporting our franchisees.”For more information on Spadea Lignana, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spadealaw.com/">https://www.spadealaw.com/</a>.For more information on DonutNV, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://donutnvfranchise.com/">https://donutnvfranchise.com/</a>.

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