Top Franchise Lawyers: Charles Internicola of The Internicola Law Firm

1851 spoke with Internicola about the importance of due diligence for franchisees, why the NLRB’s joint-employer ruling may be over-hyped and how the franchise industry is adapting to new technology.

About Charles Internicola:

The Interincola Law Firm’s motto is “Entrepreneurs Kick Ass,” and Charles Internicola, the firm’s co-founder, takes that philosophy to heart. He designed The Internicola Law* Firm as a support hub to provide any and every legal resource a franchise entrepreneur may need, regardless of their market or segment. 

The firm has been operating since 2012, but Internicola has been focused on franchise law for almost his entire professional life. Early in his career, Internicola was partnered with a national franchisor on a project. After that experience, which allowed him to consult with management teams and entrepreneurs at the highest level, he never looked back.

About The Internicola Law Firm (from firm’s website):

For over 20 years, The Internicola Law Firm, P.C., has been helping numerous emerging brands just like yours build, expand, and protect their franchise systems with proven strategies, guidance, and know-how that has earned us recognition for flipping the script on what a law firm can do for you. Established by Avvo-rated attorney Charles N. Internicola, who is nationally recognized by Super Lawyers®, we are a firm built specifically for emerging brands and we represent entrepreneurs, founders, management teams, and private equity through all stages of the business and franchise development lifecycle.

The Internicola Law Firm, P.C., is a law firm with the heart of an entrepreneur. We’re business owners and franchisors, too. Our team is obsessed with seeing emerging brands win in the marketplace and win with franchising. We combine our legal expertise with winning franchise industry know-how to give you an advantage in the market.

1851 Franchise: How did you decide the franchise law would be the sole area of focus for The Internicola Law Firm?

Charles Internicola: I was fortunate to start working with franchisors and distributors early on in my career. I had the opportunity to do some work for a national brand, and after working with their management team and helping the brand grow, I knew franchising was the area of law for me.

When done right, franchising creates a win-win for franchisors and franchisees, and as lawyers, we're proud to be a part of an industry that promotes opportunity and entrepreneurship.

1851: What is something every franchisor should know about franchise law?

Internicola: With the right systems and a truly team-oriented approach with your legal team, a franchisor can mitigate the frustrations that come with franchise regulations, registrations, sales compliance and all the other headaches associated with the business. The right legal planning can help franchisors avoid lost franchise sales from delayed registrations, fee deferrals and other regulatory roadblocks.

1851: What is something you think every prospective franchisee should know about franchising before diving into the industry?

Internicola: That not every franchisor is created equal. Prospective franchisees need to conduct their due diligence before they sign a franchise agreement. They need to contact existing franchisees and learn from the experiences of franchisees that have come before them.

1851: What do you expect to see as a result of the new NLRB joint-employer ruling?

Internicola: At the moment, and in light of the current political environment, in many ways this topic is over-hyped. By now, smart franchisors have put in place joint-employer protections in their franchise agreements, operations manuals and systems.

1851: What do you think is the most pressing challenge facing the franchise industry right now?

Internicola: The biggest challenge is the evolution of business generally, and more specifically, how franchisors are adapting to technology-driven innovations such as mobile ordering, delivery services, ghost kitchens and the expanding opportunity in industries like health care.