What does a franchise lawyer do?
When deciding to embark on franchising your business, or franchising a new business, gathering all of the information needed before making the important decision of hiring a franchise attorney is important. Sometimes, however, it can be confusing as to why you need a franchise lawyer, or what exactly the benefits are of having one. So, what does a franchise attorney actually do? In short, a…
Why Do I Need a Franchise Attorney?
When you’ve finally decided to start the process of potentially franchising your business, there’s a lot to consider. From contemplating potential franchisees to understanding the proper documents and protection needed for your business, the franchising process can sometimes feel more daunting than it needs to be. But before you decide to franchise your business, you need to start by finding a…
How to Choose The Best Franchise Lawyer
When it comes to creating and filing the legal documents necessary for starting the process of franchising a business, it’s best to leave the long and difficult process to a franchise attorney with expertise in the area of franchising. Benefits of a franchise attorney By contracting an experienced franchise attorney, you aren’t just helping protect yourself against any inconsistencies in your…
What is a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD)?
Being an educated franchisee (or franchisor) means gathering all relevant information needed before making a solid business decision. And when it comes to the process of sorting through franchising opportunities for your business (or potentially becoming a franchisee yourself), one of the most critical pieces is the Franchise Disclosure Document, or FDD. A Franchise Disclosure Document, in the…
How to Legally Play Music in Your Restaurant
So…you own a restaurant (or any business open to the public) and want to play music at your location. Maybe it’s live concerts with local bands. Maybe you just want the ambiance of having something on in the background day to day. To liberally paraphrase Lesley Gore’s 1963 hit, “It’s my restaurant and I’ll jam if I want to!” Unfortunately, this is not a “just press play” situation, so before you…
Why You Need a Trademark Insurance Extension
“Laughter is the best medicine, but your insurance only covers chuckles, snickers and giggles.” We’ve all been there. Whether it’s buying AppleCare or upgrading insurance on your rental car, odds are you feel very strongly about whether additional insurance is worth it or not. But… if you’ll give us a few moments of your time, we’d like to talk to you about trademark extension insurance.…
How to Avoid Trademark Scams
We have been trying to reach you about your car’s extended warranty…. a member of the royal family would like to transfer a large amount of money to you…. your Netflix password has been compromised, reset now… Does this sound familiar? Well now you can add another to the list. Harmful phishing schemes are everywhere these days and scams, or spam, that specifically target trademark holders are…
10 Work From Home Tips to Increase Productivity
Drumm Law and its team of 24 have been working remotely for 10 years. Here are some tips for the newly virtual. Get out of bed (literally and figuratively) Do not lay in bed with the laptop. That is fine for weekend/evening work but not for day to day. Get out of your pajamas. There is a psychological component (for me at least) about getting dressed and ready for work and working. Setup a work…
How to Find Franchise Disclosure Documents Online for Free
There are four states that publish FDDs online. California https://docqnet.dfpi.ca.gov/search/ California’s search engine is slow to update, but every document associated with a franchise registration (FDDs, blacklines, applications, permits) is available on the site, once they get around to updating it. Sometimes you have to know the exact name of the franchisor to be able to find the filing.…
What is a Trademark Disclaimer?
A disclaimer is a statement that indicates that the applicant does not have the exclusive right to use a specific word of a trademark by itself. Disclaimers are required for composite trademarks (English translation=trademarks with more than one word or design marks with separate elements) for the portion of the trademark that is merely descriptive, generic, or geographic or it contains a company…