Whilst women (and men) around the globe learned many an interesting lesson from Fifty Shades of Grey, that is not the kind of lesson we can really discuss in a law blog.... Oddly enough though, a business lesson (not of the whips and chains ilk) can be taken away and hopefully it prevents expensive commercial mistakes being made in the future, although I sadly doubt it. The back story is one of trust and alleged betrayal so it may itself become a movie all on its own. It is a l...

One of the most common concerns raised by franchisees is that some franchisors "dump them" once they have signed on the dotted line. They feel it is all love and cuddles up to that point, but once the deal is done, the franchisor loses interest and moves on to the next potential franchisee or conquest. This leaves a new franchisee feeling a little used and abused. In some circumstances this is just poor management of expectations by the franchisor.  The time is a...

Sometimes being a franchisee is a lot like being the gambler in Kenny Rogers' song by the same name. If things are going bad, the writing is on the wall or there is just a downward spiral a franchisee may be tempted to fold 'em and run. However, the franchisee (just like any business owner) has obligations to other parties and running or walking may not be an option (or may be a risky option). If the franchisee has a premises lease, there are its obligations to the land...