From global chains to newly minted startups, our Business Concept Growth & Protection practice serves clients across the restaurant, hospitality, retail and service sectors. Every business is unique, yet all benefit from our unparalleled experience helping clients secure, grow and realize the full value of branded concepts.

CONCEPT PROTECTION
The best time to protect a concept is before anyone else can compromise it. We help clients build and retain brand strength from inception through sale. Our services include:

• Trademark clearance and registration
• Trade secret protection
• Confidentiality and covenant not to compete agreements
• Creative licensing strategies
• Strategic brand protection
• Litigation and dispute resolution

CONCEPT GROWTH
Franchising is just one avenue to expansion — and not always the optimal one. Leveraging our understanding of the complexities, constraints and opportunities involved with growing a business, we help our clients explore all of their options with services including:

• Analysis of expansion alternatives
• Customized expansion financing and growth capital
• Joint venture structuring
• Licensing strategies
• Cutting-edge franchise programs
• Comprehensive franchise development agreements
• Unique royalty approaches
• International expansion
• State, federal and international legal compliance
• Focused real estate and lease services
• Equity sourcing strategies
• Industry contacts

CONCEPT SALE
We marshal unique strengths in helping clients realize the value of what they have created. Some clients turn to us to lay the groundwork for a concept’s eventual sale, while others have a much shorter time horizon. Reflecting the uniqueness of each client’s circumstances, goals and strategies, our services encompass:

• Optimum structure for sales and acquisitions
• Comprehensive capital structure advice
• Financial restructuring
• Creative, leading-edge tax planning
• Multi-Unit Succession & Transition (MUST®) planning
• Estate planning and wealth preservation
• Refranchising