Fiona is a Partner in the Commercial team.
She works with businesses on the exploitation of their commercial intellectual property, in particular those companies that leverage their brand, systems and know-how to grow through franchising and/or licensing in the UK or overseas.
Working with established global and national franchise brands, Leisure Operators, Universities, multi-unit and multi-brand operators she has experience working across a range of sectors: including food and beverage, leisure, personal services, education, retail, logistics, care and kids’ clubs.
Her expertise spans all aspects of franchising from commencement to exit for franchise businesses. She advises on franchise pilot start up arrangements, international franchising (both master franchise and area development), assignments, transfers and registration of trade marks, operational aspects of franchising, licensing arrangements, and hybrid joint venture structures, acquisition and disposal of franchises. She also deals with issues around brand management and protection, and is HSBC franchise panel approved.
Clients commend Fiona on her extensive experience acting for franchisors and franchisees on both contentious and non-contentious matters. Her commercial and level-headed approach ensures that she secures the right solution for her clients.
Recent examples of how Fiona has supported clients include:
- managing the UK roll out of an established Japanese restaurant chain by preparing a suite of contractual documentation for each franchise, brand protection advice and vetting franchisees and contract execution to protect the brand;
- advising on the reorganisation of the structure of a network of established franchises in light of worker rights issues;
- enabling an established desserts retailer to grow in the Middle East by advising on development franchises and joint venture arrangements; and
- facilitating the expansion of an established logistics and courier delivery operation by advising on the franchisability of the business, revising and updating franchise agreements in line with ethical and legal standards in the UK and undertaking roll out of documentation to potential franchisees.