Top Franchise Legal Players: Diana Vilmenay, Shareholder for Polsinelli

Diana Vilmenay is a shareholder for Polsinelli, a Washington, D.C.-based legal firm, and she has developed legal franchising expertise since passing the Bar in 2007.

She received her bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University in 2004 and went on to receive her advanced legal training from J.D. Howard University, graduating in 2007.

She works with virtually all facets of domestic and international franchising — internal structure, domestic and international growth, company mergers and compliance regulation, just to name a few areas of expertise — and also works as an editor for the international series “Franchising In,” published by the LexNoir Foundation.

Her start in the industry started at her first legal firm as a junior associate. “I worked on my first review of an international franchise agreement. I think I did a pretty decent job on it … and I found myself really enjoying that work,” she said.

“I didn’t really know much about franchising before I started law school,” she added.

Vilmenay spoke with 1851 on her beginnings in franchise law, the popular trends of the current franchising industry and the advice she has for prospective franchisors and franchisees in a rapidly-growing field.