What exactly is franchise law? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I've noticed that a lot of the really good firms at franchise law on Chambers, save for Baker McKenzie and DLA Piper, are much smaller/less prestigious big law shops like Bryan Cave, Faegre, and Nixon Peabody and even some really small shops like Pave Koch and Cheng Cohen.

I'm curious if there is a particular aspect of practicing franchise law that keeps away more places like DLA Piper/Baker McKenzie? Is the work generally lower margin? Less complex? It honestly sounds like a relatively interesting area of the law. I'll be in M&A this summer at a NYC V50, and wouldn't mind switching to one of the V100 practitioners/boutiques if it means having a more relaxed environment, better partnership prospects, and practicing in an area of law that sounds facially interesting.

[ghostoftraynor]

Not a franchise lawyer, but this isn't something any of the "top" firms do. Doesn't mean it can't provide a fulfilling career (again no idea). Just means it's not something Companies are willing to spend top dollar on (thus less profitable).

[Person1111]

This is some bizarre DLA/Baker & McKenzie trolling

[Anonymous User]

This is some bizarre DLA/Baker & McKenzie trolling

OP here. Thanks for adding zero substance to the conversation. I'm just trying to figure out more about the practice area and why it's mostly populated by a couple V50s, a few more V100s, and then a lot of boutiques. I mentioned Baker McKenzie/DLA Piper solely because they are the biggest franchising firms and highest rated according to Chambers.

[MillllerTime]

This is some bizarre DLA/Baker & McKenzie trolling

+1 to this. DLA and Baker are both vereins that have a TON of attorneys all over the map, both literally and figuratively. They do handle some occasional bigger ticket stuff in their larger offices, but most of their practice and offices are closer to Bryan Cave / Faegre than "top" firms.

I'm an M&A lawyer with very little direct experience in franchise law, but I have worked with franchise lawyers in connection with M&A deals... even in the context of a large deal we were just trying to find a cheap local firm to handle this piece. It's just not profitable enough for the high-dollar firms to handle, in the same way that most L&E matters aren't that profitable.

Not to knock the practice at all, but it's mostly high volume / low margin type work, which is why Cravath isn't doing it.

[Anonymous User]

This is some bizarre DLA/Baker & McKenzie trolling

+1 to this. DLA and Baker are both vereins that have a TON of attorneys all over the map, both literally and figuratively. They do handle some occasional bigger ticket stuff in their larger offices, but most of their practice and offices are closer to Bryan Cave / Faegre than "top" firms.

I'm an M&A lawyer with very little direct experience in franchise law, but I have worked with franchise lawyers in connection with M&A deals... even in the context of a large deal we were just trying to find a cheap local firm to handle this piece. It's just not profitable enough for the high-dollar firms to handle, in the same way that most L&E matters aren't that profitable.

Not to knock the practice at all, but it's mostly high volume / low margin type work, which is why Cravath isn't doing it.

I think you're being too generous. Bryan Cave and Faegre, though not Cravath, are premier firms in mid-sized midwestern markets (St. Louis and Minneapolis/Indianapolis, respectively). DLA Piper and Baker McKenzie are not the premier firms of anywhere. They are the Wal-Mart of biglaw.

[BrainsyK]

I think you're being too generous. Bryan Cave and Faegre, though not Cravath, are premier firms in mid-sized midwestern markets (St. Louis and Minneapolis/Indianapolis, respectively). DLA Piper and Baker McKenzie are not the premier firms of anywhere. They are the Wal-Mart of biglaw.

If you're going to stretch for MO and MN, you can't forget that DLA Piper is king of MD.

[objctnyrhnr]

This is some bizarre DLA/Baker & McKenzie trolling

+1 to this. DLA and Baker are both vereins that have a TON of attorneys all over the map, both literally and figuratively. They do handle some occasional bigger ticket stuff in their larger offices, but most of their practice and offices are closer to Bryan Cave / Faegre than "top" firms.

I'm an M&A lawyer with very little direct experience in franchise law, but I have worked with franchise lawyers in connection with M&A deals... even in the context of a large deal we were just trying to find a cheap local firm to handle this piece. It's just not profitable enough for the high-dollar firms to handle, in the same way that most L&E matters aren't that profitable.

Not to knock the practice at all, but it's mostly high volume / low margin type work, which is why Cravath isn't doing it.

I think you're being too generous. Bryan Cave and Faegre, though not Cravath, are premier firms in mid-sized midwestern markets (St. Louis and Minneapolis/Indianapolis, respectively). DLA Piper and Baker McKenzie are not the premier firms of anywhere. They are the Wal-Mart of biglaw.

(Speaking to DLA piper) In a hypothetical scenario where Wal-Mart paid market Comp, market bonuses, and repped a host of fortune 100 companies, I suppose you would have made an accurate observation. Otherwise, that not-so-veiled criticism is fakenews at its finest.