Franchise Dispute:
Tips for Resolution and Prevention

Erdal Turnacioglu of Erdal Employment Law focuses on providing employment solutions to both employees and businesses, whether through litigation, review of employee handbooks, workplace investigations, or training seminars.

Charlton Messer helps businesses and their owners with general counsel and contract drafting services. He has helped over 500 businesses with their legal needs across a variety of industries in nearly a decade of practice.

I received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Northwestern University in 1996 and then got my JD at University of Illinois College of Law in 1999. I have been a lawyer helping people with legal issues in the United States and Internationally since then. That includes drafting and reviewing contracts. I am also passionate about helping small and medium businesses with trademark registration and trademark-related legal projects. The law can be confusing and complicated for people, and I am passionate about providing professional legal services to my clients while simultaneously making the legal process less confusing and stressful for them. My goal is to help clients navigate through both good and difficult times by tailoring my skills, experience, and services to their specific needs.

www.linkedin/in/michaelbmiller I am an experienced contracts professional having practiced nearly 3 decades in the areas of corporate, mergers and acquisitions, technology, start-up, intellectual property, real estate, employment law as well as informal dispute resolution. I enjoy providing a cost effective, high quality, timely solution with patience and empathy regarding client needs. I graduated from NYU Law School and attended Rutgers College and the London School of Economics as an undergraduate. I have worked at top Wall Street firms, top regional firms and have long term experience in my own practice. I would welcome the opportunity to be of service to you as a trusted fiduciary. In 2022 and 2023, I was the top ranked attorney on the Contract Counsel site based upon number of clients, quality of work and number of 5 Star reviews.

I am an experienced attorney working in New York specializing in executive compensation/severance arrangements, transactional real estate work, tax structuring and contracts.

Doug has over 20 years of private and public company general counsel experience focusing his legal practice on commercial transactions including both software and biotech. He is a tech savvy, business savvy lawyer who is responsive and will attain relationship building outcomes with your counterparty while effectively managing key risks and accelerating revenue. He received his Juris Doctor from Boston University School of Law earning the Book Award in Professional Ethics and after graduation he taught legal writing there for a number of years. Prior to law school, Doug earned a M.A in Mathematics at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and a B.S in Honors Mathematics at Purdue University. After law school, Doug joined Fish & Richardson, where his practice focused on licensing software, trademarks and biotech. While at Fish & Richardson Doug authored a book on software licensing published by the American Intellectual Property Lawyers Association. Later he joined as General Counsel at FTP Software and led an IPO as well as corporate development. Doug has broad experience with a broad range of commercial agreement drafting and negotiation including SaaS software and professional services, distribution and other channel agreements, joint venture and M&A. Doug continued his leadership, corporate governance and commercial transaction practice at Mercury Computers (NASDAQ:MRCY) leading corporate development. Doug’s experience ranges from enterprise software to biotech and other vertical markets. He joined the board of Deque Systems in 2009 and joined in an operating role as President in 2020 successfully scaling the software business.

I help individuals, entrepreneurs, and businesses draft, review, and negotiate contracts that protect their interests, clarify expectations, and support their goals. Whether you need a new agreement, help understanding a contract someone sent you, or stronger legal terms for your website or online business, I bring broad commercial legal experience and a practical, business-focused approach to your project. As an attorney with experience spanning private practice, government, and in-house counsel roles, I have worked on contracts ranging from straightforward business agreements to complex, high-value transactions involving major multinational companies. I currently serve as in-house counsel for a growing technology company, where I lead commercial contract negotiations and advise on privacy, data protection, intellectual property, and risk management. I also spent seven years providing fractional legal counsel to businesses, helping them navigate day-to-day commercial transactions and develop agreements and contract templates tailored to their needs. I can help with a wide range of contract needs, including: Contract drafting and review: Identifying potential risks, clarifying obligations, and ensuring agreements reflect your business objectives. Contract negotiation: Reviewing proposed terms, identifying unfavorable provisions, and helping you negotiate more balanced agreements. Business and service agreements: Consulting and independent contractor agreements, professional services agreements, client and vendor contracts, and general business agreements. Confidentiality and intellectual property: NDAs, licensing agreements, content distribution agreements, and contracts addressing ownership and permitted use of creative work or other intellectual property. Partnerships and business relationships: Collaboration agreements, teaming arrangements, distribution agreements, and other agreements that define how parties will work together. Website and online business terms: Terms of Service, Terms and Conditions, website terms, and privacy policies tailored to your business model, online activities, and applicable legal requirements. Technology and SaaS agreements: Software and subscription agreements, technology licensing, data protection provisions, and vendor agreements. My experience includes working on both sides of commercial transactions, so I understand the importance of protecting your interests while keeping agreements practical and workable. I have negotiated agreements across a broad range of industries, developed contract templates and playbooks, and helped businesses address complex legal issues without losing sight of their commercial priorities. My approach is straightforward: understand what you need, identify the issues that matter, and deliver clear, thoughtful legal work tailored to your situation. I aim to make the legal process easier to navigate by explaining important provisions in plain English, flagging meaningful risks, and focusing on practical solutions rather than unnecessary complexity. Whether you are starting a business, engaging a contractor, entering a new partnership, reviewing an agreement before signing, or establishing the legal terms for an online business, I bring the experience and perspective to help you move forward with greater confidence.

Business Advisor and Real Estate Consultant: Small boutique firm working to assist entrepreneurs, business start-ups, property investors, new home buyers, and distressed owners Wendy Calvert began her career as a corporate attorney focusing on complex commercial litigation, primarily in construction, property and casualty, and contractor liability. Through this experience, Wendy has managed and successfully litigated cases in Illinois and Wisconsin. In 2004, Wendy relocated to Illinois to work as an insurance litigation counsel and later as an executive sales consultant and insurance expert. Wendy now utilizes her skills as a contract negotiator, litigator, and sales consultant to negotiate real estate deals and help entrepreneurs create and grow the businesses of their dreams. EDUCATION Wendy earned her Juris Doctor in 1999 from the University of Wisconsin Madison. In 1989, Wendy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Communications from Marquette University.

Hi there. My practice focuses on several aspects of business law, including business entity formation and organizational documents, trademark and copyright, tax disputes, and contracts. I work with quite a few creative entrepreneurs, such as photographers, artists, and musicians.

I am a New Mexico licensed attorney with many years of world experience in real estate, transactional law, social security disability law, immigration law, consumer law, and estate planning.

Brent has been in practice since 2007 and been the principal attorney and owner of The Walker Firm, LLC since 2014. Brent focuses on providing an array of general counsel services to individuals and companies in a variety of industries.