Legal Services

Company Snapshot

• Year Founded: 2005 (via merger)
• Headquarters Location: London, UK \& Chicago, IL, USA (dual headquarters)
• Ownership: Private (Swiss Verein structure)
• Key Executives: Charles Severs (Global Co-CEO, effective Jan 2025), Frank Ryan (Global Co-Chair, Global Co-CEO, Americas Chair)
• Number of Locations: 90+ offices in over 40 countries
• Public Contact: Phone: +44 (0)20 7349 0296 (UK), +1 312 368 4000 (US); Email: info@dlapiper.com

Company Overview

DLA Piper is a leading global law firm focused on providing legal services to businesses operating locally and internationally, including extensive experience with franchise systems. With a presence in more than 40 countries, the firm is known for its expertise in supporting franchisors, large brands, and multi-unit enterprises with regulatory, transactional, and litigation matters relevant to franchise operations.

Services Offered

• Legal counsel for franchise agreements, compliance, expansion, and dispute resolution.
• Advice on international franchising, licensing, and cross-border regulatory challenges.
• Support for complex litigation, including disclosure/relationship laws and termination disputes.
• Guidance on intellectual property, real estate, technology licensing, supply chain, and employment issues relevant to franchisors.

Value Proposition

• Industry Specialization: DLA Piper is widely recognized for its specialization in franchising across industries such as food and beverage, retail, and fitness, with a notably strong presence among large, globally recognized brands.
• Key Benefits:
  • Streamlines complex multi-jurisdictional franchise expansion projects.
  • Provides comprehensive legal compliance and risk management tailored to franchise models.
  • Delivers proven expertise in defending and resolving franchise-related litigation at scale.
• Franchise Expertise: DLA Piper is consistently ranked as a Band 1 global leader for franchise law, has a dedicated franchise practice, and produces specialized insights for the franchise sector (e.g., the Francast publication). The firm’s client roster includes some of the world’s largest and most successful franchisors, evidencing deep experience with franchise-specific legal needs.