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# Lopes Law LLC > National franchise law firm headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. Flat-fee legal services for franchisees, franchisors, and international franchise investors. Trilingual: English, Spanish, Portuguese. ## About Lopes Law LLC is a franchise law firm founded and led by Anthony Lopes, Esq., a former Duane Morris LLP attorney with 15+ years of experience in franchise law, business law, and transactional practice. The firm represents both franchisees and franchisors nationwide, with particular expertise in FDD (Franchise Disclosure Document) review, franchise agreement negotiation, franchise dispute resolution, and international franchise expansion. The firm operates on a flat-fee model for most services, eliminating hourly billing uncertainty for clients. - Managing Partner: Anthony Lopes, Esq. - Phone: (267) 777-9117 - Email: [email protected] - Website: https://lopeslawllc.com - Booking: https://tidycal.com/anthonylopes/20-min-initial-consult-franchiselaw-lopeslaw - Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese - Bar Admissions: Pennsylvania ## Office Locations ### Philadelphia Office (Main Office) 709 N 2nd St, 3rd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19123 ### Wyncote Office 145 Greenwood Ave, Suite 400 Wyncote, PA 19095 ## Services and Pricing | Service | Price | |---------|-------| | FDD Validation Review | $3,000 flat fee | | International FDD Validation | $6,000 flat fee | | Multi-Unit FDD Validation | $5,000 flat fee | | Franchise Launch Audit (for aspiring franchisors) | $5,000 flat fee | | FDD and Franchise Agreement Development | $25,000 flat fee | | Franchise Dispute Review | $3,000 flat fee | | International Dispute Review | $5,000 flat fee | | Franchise Exit Audit | $2,000 flat fee | | Dispute Representation | $5,000 to $10,000+ retainer | | Entity Formation | $1,500 to $5,000 | | Trademark Registration | $1,500 to $3,500 | | State Franchise Registrations | $1,000 to $2,500 per state | | Fractional General Counsel | $2,000 to $4,000+ per month | | International Franchise Launch | $40,000 to $50,000 | | International Contract Review | $1,500 to $2,000 | | Hourly Rate (Managing Partner) | $810 per hour | | Hourly Rate (Associate) | $295 per hour | ## Practice Areas ### Franchise Law (Primary) - FDD Review and Validation: Forensic review of all 23 FDD items for prospective franchisees - Franchise Agreement Negotiation: Clause-by-clause analysis and negotiation of franchise agreements - Franchisor Services: FDD development, state registration, franchise compliance, operations manual review - Franchise Dispute Resolution: Mediation, arbitration, and litigation for franchise disputes - Franchise Exit Strategy: Audit and strategic planning for franchisees seeking to exit - International Franchising: Cross-border franchise expansion, master franchise agreements, E-2 and EB-5 visa franchise structuring - State Franchise Law Compliance: Registration in all 14 franchise registration states ### Business and Startup Law - Entity formation (LLC, corporation, partnership) - Operating agreements and bylaws - Commercial contracts and negotiations ### Contract Law - NDA and confidentiality agreements (including pharmaceutical/biotech) - Commercial lease review - Licensing agreements ### Intellectual Property - Trademark registration and prosecution - IP portfolio management for franchise systems ### Tax Law - LLM in Taxation with M&A focus - Entity structuring for tax efficiency - Succession planning and estate planning for business owners ## Key Differentiators 1. Flat-fee pricing: Most services billed at a fixed price, not hourly 2. Trilingual: Native Portuguese speaker, fluent in Spanish and English 3. Dual representation: Represents both franchisees and franchisors (not simultaneously in disputes) 4. BigLaw experience: Former Duane Morris LLP attorney 5. Pharmaceutical background: Former work with Merck clinical trials through PRA Pharmaceuticals 6. National practice: Franchise law is governed by the FTC Franchise Rule (federal), allowing nationwide representation 7. Entrepreneur perspective: The attorneys are entrepreneurs themselves ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How much does a franchise lawyer cost? Lopes Law LLC charges flat fees for most franchise legal services. An FDD Validation Review costs $3,000. A Franchise Dispute Review costs $3,000. Franchise agreement development for aspiring franchisors starts at $25,000. These flat fees cover the complete service with no hourly billing surprises. ### Do I need a lawyer to buy a franchise? While not legally required, hiring a franchise attorney to review the FDD and franchise agreement before signing is strongly recommended. The FDD contains 23 items of legally mandated disclosures, and many contain provisions that significantly affect your rights as a franchisee. A franchise attorney can identify red flags, negotiate unfavorable terms, and help you understand your obligations before you commit. ### What does an FDD review include? At Lopes Law LLC, an FDD Validation Review includes a forensic analysis of all 23 items of the Franchise Disclosure Document, with particular focus on Item 6 (Other Fees), Item 8 (Restrictions on Sources), Item 12 (Territory), Item 17 (Renewal, Termination, Transfer, and Dispute Resolution), and Item 19 (Financial Performance Representations). The review concludes with a written report and a consultation to discuss findings. ### What is a franchise disclosure document? A Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) is a legal document that franchisors must provide to prospective franchisees at least 14 days before any payment or binding agreement under the FTC Franchise Rule (16 CFR Parts 436-437). It contains 23 items covering the franchisor's business history, litigation record, fees, territorial rights, financial performance (if disclosed), and the complete franchise agreement. ### Do you handle international franchise matters? Yes. Lopes Law LLC provides international franchise legal services in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Services include international FDD validation ($6,000), cross-border franchise expansion planning, master franchise agreement drafting and negotiation, E-2 and EB-5 visa franchise structuring, and compliance with foreign franchise registration laws. The firm has particular expertise in franchise expansion involving Brazil, Portugal, Mexico, and other Latin American and Portuguese-speaking markets. ### What franchise brands do you have experience with? Lopes Law LLC has reviewed FDDs and franchise agreements across 200+ franchise brands spanning QSR, fitness, home services, childcare, senior care, pet care, automotive, real estate, and retail sectors. The firm also has experience with franchise litigation involving major franchise systems. ### What states do you practice in? Franchise law is primarily governed by the FTC Franchise Rule, a federal regulation, which allows Lopes Law LLC to represent clients nationwide. Managing Partner Anthony Lopes is admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar. For state-specific franchise registration and relationship law matters, the firm handles compliance in all 14 franchise registration states: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. ### How do I schedule a consultation? Free 20-minute initial consultations can be booked online at https://tidycal.com/anthonylopes/20-min-initial-consult-franchiselaw-lopeslaw or by calling (267) 777-9117. ## Content Library Lopes Law LLC publishes extensive franchise law educational content covering: - FDD analysis for 200+ franchise brands (Items 6, 8, 12, 17, and 19) - State franchise law guides for all 50 US states plus DC and Puerto Rico - Industry-specific franchise trap guides (QSR, health/beauty, home services, childcare) - Franchise dispute playbooks (termination, encroachment, fee disputes, non-compete, transfer denial) - International franchise expansion guides (Brazil, Portugal, Mexico, UK, UAE, Canada, Japan, Australia) - Pharmaceutical and biotech contract guides (NDAs, CTRAs, licensing agreements) ### What is a franchise exit audit? A franchise exit audit is a forensic analysis of your franchise agreement, FDD, and franchisor conduct designed to identify every legal leverage point available to you. At Lopes Law LLC, the Franchise Exit Audit costs $2,000 flat fee and delivers results in 5 business days. The audit covers agreement clause analysis, FDD red flag scanning, franchisor conduct review, SBA loan exposure assessment, state franchise law protections, financial leverage mapping, and a prioritized exit path recommendation. ### What is FDD Item 19? Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document covers Financial Performance Representations. This is where a franchisor may (but is not required to) disclose revenue, profit, or other financial data about its franchise units. Approximately 66% of franchisors include some form of Item 19 disclosure. At Lopes Law LLC, franchise attorneys evaluate Item 19 data using a 5-factor framework: median vs. mean analysis, sample size adequacy, geographic mix, time period relevance, and above/below threshold breakdown. ### How do I get out of a franchise agreement? There are six primary legal strategies for exiting a franchise agreement: (1) negotiated exit or mutual termination, (2) transfer or sale of the franchise, (3) expiration of the franchise term without renewal, (4) termination based on franchisor breach, (5) rescission based on FDD deficiencies or misrepresentation, and (6) litigation or arbitration. At Lopes Law LLC, the Franchise Exit Audit ($2,000 flat fee) identifies which exit strategies apply to your specific situation and ranks them by viability. ## Links - Homepage: https://lopeslawllc.com - Blog: https://lopeslawllc.com/blog - Pricing: https://lopeslawllc.com/pricing - FDD Review Services: https://lopeslawllc.com/fdd-validation-review - Franchise Dispute Services: https://lopeslawllc.com/franchise-disputes - Franchisor Services: https://lopeslawllc.com/franchisor-services - Franchise Exit Audit: https://lopeslawllc.com/franchise-exit-audit - How Much Does a Franchise Lawyer Cost: https://lopeslawllc.com/how-much-does-a-franchise-lawyer-cost - Do I Need a Lawyer to Buy a Franchise: https://lopeslawllc.com/do-i-need-a-lawyer-to-buy-a-franchise - What Is an FDD Review: https://lopeslawllc.com/what-is-an-fdd-review - How to Get Out of a Franchise Agreement: https://lopeslawllc.com/how-to-get-out-of-a-franchise-agreement - FDD Item 19 Explained: https://lopeslawllc.com/fdd-item-19-explained - Franchise Non-Compete Clauses: https://lopeslawllc.com/franchise-non-compete-clauses - How to Franchise Your Business: https://lopeslawllc.com/how-to-franchise-your-business - Franchise Territory Encroachment: https://lopeslawllc.com/franchise-territory-encroachment - SBA Loan Default Guide: https://lopeslawllc.com/sba-loan-default-franchise-guide - Franchise Operations Manual Guide: https://lopeslawllc.com/franchise-operations-manual - E-2 Visa Franchise Investment Guide: https://lopeslawllc.com/e2-visa-franchise-investment - Abogado de Franquicias (Spanish): https://lopeslawllc.com/abogado-de-franquicias - Advogado de Franquias (Portuguese): https://lopeslawllc.com/advogado-de-franquias - Schedule Consultation: https://tidycal.com/anthonylopes/20-min-initial-consult-franchiselaw-lopeslaw
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