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About David

Business-and deal-focused franchise law counsel and strategic advisor

David Beyer is widely recognized as one of the country’s leading franchise and distribution lawyers. For household-name businesses and emerging brands in a wide range of industries, national and international, David advises on all aspects of franchise and distribution, including:

  • Strategy and structure of programs
  • Disclosure, registration and franchise agreements
  • Renewal, termination, transfer, supply and relationship issues
  • Resolving disputes with franchisees, associations and suppliers
  • Mergers and acquisitions involving franchise companies
  • Advising on multi‑channel and alternative distribution
  • Strategic advice for systems designing alternatives to avoid franchise regulation

David brings exceptional business experience, acumen (an MBA graduate) and problem-solving skills to advising on brand expansion. He utilizes a strategic approach that synthesizes a client’s long-term business objectives with deal-focused advice. David advises startups and mature organizations, having shepherded some brands from launch through eventual sale. He counsels organizations in numerous industries, from some well-known for franchising and in arenas commonly franchised (like restaurants) to some that are equally well‑known, but that you'd never assume utilize the franchise growth strategy. His franchise experience also includes franchising in challenging industries like health care.

David has served in leadership roles with the ABA Forum on Franchising and as chairman of the Franchise Law Committee of the Florida Bar. David is one of just a handful of franchise lawyers honored by his peers to present at the keynote plenary sessions on both the Annual Developments in Franchise Law at the ABA Franchise Forum and the Judicial Update at the IFA Legal Symposium. 

Experience in Action

  • Organizing and structuring franchise and other distribution programs, and negotiating and preparing agreements, including complex franchise, sub-franchise and distribution agreements.
  • Advising on compliance with franchise disclosure and registration laws, as well as antitrust and trade regulation laws.
  • Evaluating and negotiating supply relationships, and advising on technology-related issues, including website development, e-commerce, cybersquatting and channel conflict.
  • Handling international franchising and distribution.
  • Preventing and resolving disputes among franchisors, franchisees and others.
  • Assisting in terminations of franchise and dealer relationships.
  • Advising on mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations and other business combinations, change of control transactions for sellers, strategic buyers, investors, private equity and venture capital groups.
  • Facilitating joint ventures involving franchisors, franchisees and others.
  • Strategizing and implementing advice on conversion of deal.
  • Advising on avoiding burdensome franchise sales laws by pursuing other sales and distribution methods, such as licensing, multilevel distribution, direct selling, sales representatives, joint ventures, dealerships and other business methods.
  • Advising on interrelated franchise and employment law issues to avoid misclassification and joint employer status.

Professional Recognitions

  • Best Lawyers in America® (2024: Mergers and Acquisitions Law)
  • Chambers USA® (2013-present: Franchising)
  • Florida Super Lawyers® (2006-2009, 2011-present: Franchise/Dealership)
  • Best Lawyers in America® (2006-present: Franchise Law, Antitrust Law)
  • International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers “Who’s Who of Franchise Lawyers” (2004-present)
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated
  • Franchise Times "Legal Eagle"
  • Certified Franchise Executive by the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives

Professional & Civic Activities

  • American Bar Association, member, Forum committee on Franchising
  • ABA Franchise Law Journal, associate editor and editorial board (2006–2011)
  • International Franchise Association, member, council of Franchise Suppliers and Legal Legislative committee
  • The Florida Bar, member; former multiple-term chairman and founding member of the Antitrust, Franchise and Trade Regulation committee
  • The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation (limited to two 2% of the ABA)

News & Insights

Education

Bar Admissions

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