Experienced Counsel for Franchise Disputes
Franchise relationships are built on complex agreements, significant financial commitments, and a web of state and federal regulations. When those relationships break down — whether due to a breach of the franchise agreement, a termination dispute, an intellectual property conflict, or a breakdown between the franchisor and its franchisee network — the legal stakes are high for both sides.
SilverCain represents both franchisors and franchisees in disputes throughout Arizona and nationally. Leon Silver served as national Practice Group Chair for Retail & Hospitality at one of the country’s largest law firms, giving SilverCain an unusual depth of industry knowledge for a boutique practice.
Franchise Disputes We Handle
Retail & Hospitality Depth
Our franchise litigation experience spans retail, restaurant, hotel, service industry, and other franchise models. We understand the operational and financial dynamics that underlie franchise disputes — which makes our legal strategy sharper and our counsel more practical.
Contact SilverCain
Phone: +1-602-726-1244| Email: info@silvercain.com | 3101 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1410, Phoenix, AZ 85012
The most common franchise disputes involve alleged breaches of the franchise agreement (by either side), termination and non-renewal disputes, disputes over territory, royalty and fee calculations, required system changes that franchisees resist, and post-termination obligations including non-compete and de-identification requirements. Intellectual property disputes — particularly over the use of trademarks after termination — are also common.
Yes, but the right to terminate depends on the specific terms of the franchise agreement, applicable state law, and whether proper notice and cure procedures were followed. Many states have franchise relationship laws that provide additional protections for franchisees beyond what the franchise agreement specifies. Arizona has limited such protections compared to some states, but federal disclosure laws and the specific terms of the agreement remain critical. Wrongful termination claims are common and can result in significant damages.
The Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) is a federally required disclosure that franchisors must provide to prospective franchisees before the franchise sale. In litigation, the FDD is often central — it defines what representations were made to the franchisee, establishes the terms of the relationship, and forms the basis for fraud and misrepresentation claims when the actual business does not match what was disclosed. Disputes over whether the FDD was accurate and complete are a common source of franchise litigation.
Yes. We represent both sides in franchise disputes — though not in the same matter. Our experience representing franchisors in system-wide compliance and class action matters, and franchisees in termination and disclosure disputes, gives us a well-rounded perspective on how these cases develop and how best to resolve them.
Many franchise agreements contain mandatory arbitration clauses requiring disputes to be resolved in arbitration rather than in court. If your franchise agreement has such a clause, the dispute will likely proceed in AAA or other arbitration proceedings. SilverCain has extensive experience in both court litigation and franchise arbitration.
