Top Franchise Legal Player: Ryan Palmer, Lathrop GPM LLP

Ryan Palmer is a trusted legal advisor and partner at Lathrop GPM, where he heads the restaurant, food and beverage industry team and serves on the executive committee. Renowned for his deep expertise in franchise and business law, Palmer counsels franchisors, large franchisees, proprietary rights owners, private equity companies and middle-market businesses. His clients — spanning domestic and international restaurants, hospitality organizations, and various service industries — rely on his strategic guidance in developing franchise and distribution systems, and on his day-to-day business law advice.

1851 Franchise: What do you see as the most important things franchisors should do to protect their brand?

Ryan Palmer: Selecting the right franchisees is crucial. You want your customers to know exactly what to expect when they interact with your brand and having well capitalized and high-quality franchisees who understand the business is critical to that mission.

1851: How important is the information in Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document?

Palmer: It’s vital. Every prospective franchisee wants to know how much money they will be able to make, and you can’t answer that question as a franchisor unless you have an Item 19.

1851: What is the single largest legal mistake brands make?

Palmer: New brands sometimes grant exceptions to their standards and franchise agreements to sign-up new franchisees. This usually causes issues as the brand grows and tries to present a consistent product and image.

1851: How do you stand out as a franchise law firm?

Palmer: We do everything a franchisor needs: registration and disclosure work, of course — but because we’re part of a full-service law firm, we can handle M&A, data privacy, real estate, employment, bankruptcy, IP and anything else a franchisor may need for its systems or its company-operated units. We’re active in all the major industry conferences and organizations that support the franchise business model.

1851: What is the best business advice you have received in your career?

Palmer: I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of great mentors over the years, but the best piece of advice was to understand the client’s business before you do anything else.