1851

1851 interviewed <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizsigety/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-franchise-lawyers-elizabeth-sigety-of-fox-rothschild-llp-2713610" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Elizabeth Sigety</a> of <a href="https://www.foxrothschild.com/our-firm/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-franchise-lawyers-elizabeth-sigety-of-fox-rothschild-llp-2713610" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Fox Rothschild LLP</a> about the state of franchising, what makes a franchise attorney awesome and her advice for growth-minded franchisors.About Elizabeth Sigety:Elizabeth Sigety graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in political science and later went to attend law school at the University of Chicago. Currently, Sigety dips her toes in many aspects of the law — she’s Partner at Fox Rothschild LLC, Co-Chair of the Emerging Companies Practice and even a committee member of the International Franchise Association Women’s Franchise Committee. She is well-rounded in the industry and focuses on emerging and middle-market businesses including franchise, life science, hospitality and technology companies.About Fox Rothschild (from <a href="https://www.foxrothschild.com/our-firm/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-franchise-lawyers-elizabeth-sigety-of-fox-rothschild-llp-2713610" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">firm’s website</a>):<blockquote>Fox Rothschild has grown to a 950-lawyer national law firm with 27 offices by focusing on client service and responsiveness, and by attracting bright and creative lawyers who know how to deliver.&nbsp;In a word, by listening.&nbsp;Listening to our clients. Listening to our lawyers.&nbsp;We give our clients the focus and service of a boutique – with the reach and resources of a national firm.&nbsp;We provide our lawyers with a national stage and equip them with the platform to nurture innovation and drive client success.&nbsp;Individuals and businesses – public, private and nonprofit; startup, family-run and multinational – receive our unwavering commitment to client satisfaction.</blockquote>1851 Franchise: Tell us about your experience with Fox Rothschild.Elizabeth Sigety: Fox Rothschild is a firm of approximately 950 attorneys in 27 offices across the United States. I am a Partner at Fox Rothschild and co-chair the <a href="https://www.cooley.com/services/practice/emerging-companies?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-franchise-lawyers-elizabeth-sigety-of-fox-rothschild-llp-2713610" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Emerging Companies Practice</a>, which encompasses the franchise practice as we work with many emerging franchise systems. Though attorneys at Fox Rothschild have worked with franchise clients for many years, I founded and formalized the practice in 2004 and was chair of the practice until a couple years ago, when Elle Gerhards and Craig Trachtenberg took over the reins. We have a national practice in franchising, with regulatory and litigation attorneys as well as attorneys who focus on other fields — like data security, intellectual property and employment — who understand the franchise world.&nbsp;1851: What drew you to franchise law?Sigety: My family was an area developer for a restaurant franchise, and that is how my interest began — on the business side. I loved watching the restaurants open and the training team come in from the franchisor to get everything up and operational. My family asked me to look at the franchise agreement, and, not knowing anything about franchising at the time, I told them not to sign such a one-sided document. Little did I know. That was around 25 years ago.1851: What is something you think every franchisor should know about franchising?&nbsp;&nbsp;Sigety: An emerging franchisor should know that there are many legal considerations outside of franchise regulation that have to be considered — don’t get too narrow in your focus. And I think an emphasis on protecting the brand and what that involves from a legal point of view is important to understand.1851: What is something you think every prospective franchisee should know about franchising before diving into the industry?&nbsp;Sigety: Franchisees have to be team players — they have to really enjoy the team aspect of the business. And they need to be prepared to speak to other franchisees about the system and to their advisors about how to do due diligence about the system they’re interested in.&nbsp;1851: What do you expect to see as a result of <a href="https://1851franchise.com/how-to-identify-areas-of-opportunity-in-a-companys-culture-and-come-up-with-a-plan-to-address-them-2712256#most-recent">the new NLRB joint-employer ruling</a>?Sigety: The regulations are certainly getting better for the franchise industry and the guidance is clearer, but I am concerned it could swing back the other way depending upon the political winds.&nbsp;1851: What do you see as the biggest or most interesting topic in franchising over the next year and why?&nbsp;&nbsp;Sigety: I don’t know if it is the most interesting, but compliance with data privacy laws is a topic that should be followed closely, and I’m very interested to see how that will affect the operations of franchise systems.

Elizabeth Sigety | Top Franchise Lawyers | 1851 Franchise

1851 Franchise

1851 Franchise’s annual compilation of great franchise attorneys.

Top Franchise Lawyers: Elizabeth Sigety of Fox Rothschild LLP 

top-franchise-lawyers-elizabeth-sigety-of-fox-rothschild-llp

Layne's Chicken Fingers

image of laynes chicken finger restaurant with 4 hands holding cups in the air to celebrate 

 Layne’s Chicken Fingers Crosses Mid-Year Mark With 11 New Restaurants Opened, Including the First Time the Brand has Seen Two Openings on the Same Day on July 14

laynes-chicken-franchise-growth-2025

HomeTeam Inspection Service

image of an employee from home team checking an outlet with an ipad

HomeTeam Inspection Service Franchise Owners Diversify Income With Multi-Service Model

hometeam-inspection-service-revenue-streams

Right at Home

image of jennifer selden right at home franchisee for a webinar with nick powills

Right at Home Franchise Owner Jennifer Selden To Share Franchise Journey, Sparked by Personal Care Experiences

jennifer-selden-right-at-home-franchise-journey-webinar

Paris Baguette Canada

image of a paris baguette bakery cafe latte with delicious food, croissants, and pastries

What Paris Baguette Franchisees Have To Say About Their Experiences

paris-baguette-franchise-canada-eric-chang

image of right at home franchisee gregory brewer for a webinar with nick powills

Gregory Brewer To Share 20-Year Franchise Journey With Right at Home in Upcoming Webinar

gregory-brewer-right-at-home-franchise-winston-salem-webinar

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

AI Is Reshaping Franchising: $100 Billion Valuations and Hyper-Localized Advertising

ai-is-reshaping-franchising-100-billion-valuations-and-hyper-localized-advertising

Mega Franchisee Sizzling Platter Acquired by Bain Capital

mega-franchisee-sizzling-platter-acquired-by-bain-capital

Wendy's CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down - Breaking News - 1851 Franchise

Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down Amid Challenges, Leaving Franchisees Facing Uncertainty

wendys-ceo-transition-kirk-tanner-franchisee-uncertainty

"Come in, We're OPEN" sign against abstract background

Small Business Optimism Dips, Raising Concerns for Franchise Owners

small-business-optimism-dips-raising-concerns-for-franchise-owners

Photo of Roof Scientist truck and trailer

Roof Scientist Expands Into Northern Indianapolis as Entrepreneur Dale Speckman Launches New Business in Fishers

roof-scientist-expands-into-northern-indianapolis

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Kelsey McManemin — Vice President of Marketing, HTeaO

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-kelsey-mcmanemin-vice-president-of-marketing-hteao

Mike Revak - Chief Business Officer - Sky Zone - Franchise Marketing Leaders - 1851 Franchise

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Mike Revak — President and Chief Business Officer, Sky Zone

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-mike-revak-chief-business-officer-sky-zone

Plante Moran: Trusted Financial Advisors to More Than 180 Franchise Brands Nationwide

plante-moran-trusted-financial-advisors-to-more-than-180-franchise-brands-nationwide

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

Blending Tech, Hospitality and Health Care: How Three Women From Different Worlds Came Together to Build a Paris Baguette Franchise

Top Franchise Lawyers: Elizabeth Sigety of Fox Rothschild LLP

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS