--- title: "Top Franchise Lawyers: Andrae J. Marrocco of McMillan LLP" url: https://burnaze.com/article/243d1a73-5174-4d18-86ea-534a1b581ffd source: "1851 Franchise" original_url: https://1851franchise.com/top-franchise-lawyers-andrae-j-marrocco-of-mcmillan-llp-2713442 category: "Franchisors" industry: "Franchise Industry" segment: "Franchisors" topics: ["Finance & M&A"] published: 2020-07-10T13:08:23.000Z modified: 2026-11-01T02:03:44.540Z image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/6f421d93751bca99eb438c9d29e24d67362.jpg --- # Top Franchise Lawyers: Andrae J. Marrocco of McMillan LLP **TL;DR:** Andrae J. Marrocco, a partner and co-chair of the Franchise & Distribution Law Group at McMillan LLP, discusses his experience in franchise law and provides advice to franchisors and prospective franchisees. Marrocco highlights the importance of best-in-class documentation and communication between franchisors and franchisees. *originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2020-07-10. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/top-franchise-lawyers-andrae-j-marrocco-of-mcmillan-llp-2713442).* ## Story Andrae J. Marrocco , is a partner and co-chair of the Franchise & Distribution Law Group, McMillan LLP , one of the preeminent full service national Canadian law firms offering best in class legal services to franchisors across the globe. His practice focuses on international franchising, franchise M&A, and general Canadian franchise and distribution matters. Marrocco works with businesses and franchise systems, from start-ups to mature international enterprises, across a broad range of industries including professional services, technology, automotive, restaurant, fitness and healthcare, childcare and education, manufacturing and commercial services. > McMillan is a leading business law firm serving public, private and not-for-profit clients across key industries in Canada, the United States and internationally. With recognized expertise and acknowledged leadership in major business sectors, we provide solutions-oriented legal advice through our offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal and Hong Kong. Our firm values – respect, teamwork, commitment, client service and professional excellence – are at the heart of McMillan’s commitment to serve our clients, our local communities and the legal profession. 1851 Franchise: What drew you to franchise law and what are some of the things you like about working in the field? Andrae J. Marrocco: I was immediately drawn to the multi-faceted nature of the franchisee-franchisor relationship. The way franchising incentivizes all involved and spreads the risks and rewards between so many business owners is remarkable. As a lawyer, assisting franchisors in getting that complex structure right is rewarding. 1851: What is something you think every franchisor should know about franchising? Marrocco: Many franchisors don’t realize that best-in-class documentation is critically important. Franchisors need to make sure that the right covenants are in the right agreements and that the right corporate entities are recorded appropriately. 1851: What is something you think every prospective franchisee should know about franchising before diving into the industry? Marrocco: Incoming franchisees should communicate with their franchisor from day one. Coming to a franchisor with a sophisticated business plan and growth strategy goes a long way to cultivating a successful relationship from the outset. 1851: What’s your take on the new NLRB joint-employer ruling ? Marrocco: It is a tricky thing to address, and requires careful thought and drafting to ensure that franchisors are protected. Marrocco: One of the biggest trends for 2020 is an increasing appetite for international expansion beyond traditional borders earlier on in the life-cycle of franchise systems . This requires franchise lawyers to have a broader understanding of the widening regulatory regimes across the globe together with a firm grasp on issues that are pertinent to structuring and implementing international transactions. McMillan has the expertise, experience and bench-strength to competently advise clients on such expansion. ## Entities - 1851 Franchise (publication) - Franchise Industry (sector) - international expansion (topic) - franchise law (topic) - franchisor-franchisee relationship (topic) - franchise documentation (topic) --- Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/top-franchise-lawyers-andrae-j-marrocco-of-mcmillan-llp-2713442). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/243d1a73-5174-4d18-86ea-534a1b581ffd).