LJN Newsletters

  • Professional Development University: Translating Professional Development Into Business Development

    How do you get the highest and best use out of your firm's professional development investment, over and above the clear benefit to your own lawyers and staff? Odds are there is a huge amount of intellectual property already in existence as a result of your firm's internal programs. Consider turning what is a valuable cost center into an invaluable business development resource.

    March 01, 2006Valerie Fitch

  • Cherry-Picking Talent

    A new, more proactive ' if tedious ' hiring strategy has emerged that mid-market firms are adopting. Rather than target highly sought-after rainmakers or hope for a ready-made practice group to shake loose from a large firm, these practices are building their offices piecemeal by cherry-picking young guns from the biggest and best firms, enticing them with flexible billing rates, shorter partnership tracks, oodles of support and a free rein.

    March 01, 2006Petra Pasternak

  • Why Private Equity May Be the Preferred Vehicle for Franchise Expansion

    Why is private equity funding the hottest thing in franchising today? In the past 12 months, private equity buyouts have included well-known brands such as Cinnabon, Church's Chicken, Taco Bueno (a regional taco maker), and regional frozen dessert operator Rita's Italian Ice.

    March 01, 2006Craig R. Tractenberg

  • Court Watch

    Highlights of the latest franchising cases from around the country.

    March 01, 2006Charles Miller, Darryl A. Hart and C. Griffith Towle

  • News Briefs

    Highlights of the latest franchising news from around the country.

    March 01, 2006ALM Staff | Law Journal Newsletters |

  • Mexico Amends Its Franchise Law

    On Jan. 26, 2006, an amendment to the Mexican Industrial Property Law (Ley de la Propiedad Industrial) ("IPL") became effective. The new amendment mandates new requirements for presale franchise disclosure and for franchise agreements. To comply with the law, most franchisors will need to change their existing forms of franchise agreements used in Mexico.

    March 01, 2006Kendal Tyre

  • Franchise Brokers: Buyer Beware

    Franchisors face major challenges in finding the right sales personnel and being able to afford them, and in developing and funding the right marketing strategy. One tempting way to handle these challenges is to hire a sales broker to do it all.

    March 01, 2006Peter R. Silverman

  • Public Productivity for Patent People

    Does anyone remember this scene? "Call on 2 for Joe Jones!!" "Hold 2!!" Before cell phones, that was how you reached someone in the USPTO Public Search Room in Crystal Plaza 3 of Crystal City. Joe disappeared into a phone booth to conduct his business.

    March 01, 2006John H. Hornickel

  • A Word from the Editor: Are the Patent Laws About to Change?

    The Supreme Court has recently taken an increased interest in patent cases. In recent months the Supreme Court has granted certiorari on a trilogy of patent cases: Medimmune, Inc. v. Genentech, Inc., case number 05-608, on Feb. 21, 2006 (www.supreme courtus.gov/docket/05-608.htm); Ebay, Inc. v. MercExchange, L.L.C., case number 05-130, on Nov. 28, 2005 (www.supremecourtus.gov/docket/05-130.htm) and Lab Corp. of Am. Holdings v. Metabolite Labs, Inc., case number 04-607, on Oct. 31, 2005 (www.supremecourtus.gov/docket/04-607.htm). Collectively, the decisions in these cases could reshape the patent landscape: addressing the right of licensees to challenge patents, the ability of patent holders to secure injunctions and the breadth of business method patents. More specifically, the questions before the Court in the three cases are set forth below.

    March 01, 2006Benjamin Hershkowitz