Sectors
Franchising and distribution

Franchising and distribution

Fieldfisher has over 35 years’ experience in advising hospitality, retail and service companies seeking to expand in Spain through franchising, master franchising, area development agreements, licensing and joint ventures.

We provide a full range of legal advice to some of the most internationally recognised franchise networks. This includes advising on franchisee relations, litigation with franchisees and franchisee associations, acquisitions of franchise networks and, in general, all matters relating to expanding and redesigning networks or adapting business concepts to the Spanish legal framework.

The franchising and distribution team includes lawyers specialising in intellectual property, e-commerce, data protection, real estate, corporate taxation and employment.

Fieldfisher also plays an institutional role, as one of its members is the founder and legal advisor of the Spanish Franchise Association, as well as Chairman of its Committee of Experts, and has therefore been involved in the main processes of drafting Spanish and EU legislation affecting franchising.

Services for the Distribution and Franchising sector

Legal advice on franchise relations

Drafting and adapting franchise distribution agreements, master franchise agreements and other commercial agreements (territory development, multi-franchise, management, administration, etc.).
Advice on franchise network management.
Comprehensive advice on conflict management with both franchisees and, where applicable, franchisee associations. This includes litigating in all jurisdictions, communicating, etc.
Statutory audit of compliance with anti-trust laws.
Advising on acquiring and merging franchises.

Contracts and distribution networks

The due diligence we carry out, always in line with the business strategy of each company, allows us to identify the weaknesses of each network and to implement measures to optimise and improve legal certainty.

Creation and introduction of foreign franchise networks in Spain

Helping to set up franchise networks and providing legal advice on all aspects of setting up in Spain.
Negotiating and adapting all types of contracts to Spanish and European regulations.
Designing and implementing lobbying strategies when systems are not easily adapted to legislation.

Internationalisation of franchises

Drafting master franchise agreements and adapting them, thanks to a network of correspondents and best friends, to the legal environment of the laws in force in most countries of the world.

Court proceedings and arbitration

Our legal team has an extensive record of success in litigation and arbitration in many areas.

Experts