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Court Watch
Recent Cases Raise Red Flags for Franchise Agreement Drafters
In connection with concluded litigation, Item 3 of the 2007 Federal Trade Commission Franchise Rule (16 CFR Part 436) requires that a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) disclose all material terms of any settlements, whether or not the settlement agreement is confidential, as long as the settlement was entered into after the franchisor began selling franchises. (16 CFR '436.5(c)(3)(ii)). In Caudill et al v. Keller Williams Realty Inc., Bus. Fran. Guide (CCH) '15,162 (USDC N.D. Illinois, Oct. 31, 2013), the parties had entered into a Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release resolving a prior lawsuit between them. The settlement agreement stated that “[t]he terms, covenants, conditions of this settlement, specifically including the amount to be paid in settlement ' will be held strictly in confidence and will not be disseminated or disclosed by the parties ' except to ' governmental agencies or regulatory authorities as required by law.” The settlement agreement provided for liquidated damages in the amount of $10,000 for each breach of the confidentiality provision.
In March of 2013, following the effective date of the settlement agreement, Keller Williams, an international franchisor of real estate brokerage offices that began selling franchises in 1995, sent its updated FDD to existing franchisees, regional owners, regional directors and prospective franchisees. The updated FDD described the terms of the settlement with the plaintiffs, including the amount of the settlement, as required by Item 3 of the FTC Rule. Several months later, the plaintiffs filed the instant suit seeking damages, including the liquidated damages specified in the settlement agreement, for what they maintained were unauthorized disclosures under the terms of the settlement agreement. They also sought an injunction against Keller Williams seeking to prevent future disclosure of the settlement agreement's terms, alleging that such disclosure would damage their reputation and business relations. Keller Williams moved to dismiss the complaint.
Yachts, Jets, Horses & Hooch: Specialized Commercial Leasing Models
Defining commercial real estate asset class is essentially a property explaining how it identifies — not necessarily what its original intention was or what others think it ought to be. This article discusses, from a general issue-spot and contextual analysis perspective, how lawyers ought to think about specialized leasing formats and the regulatory backdrops that may inform what the documentation needs to contain for compliance purposes.
Hyperlinked Documents: The Latest e-Discovery Challenge
As courts and discovery experts debate whether hyperlinked content should be treated the same as traditional attachments, legal practitioners are grappling with the technical and legal complexities of collecting, analyzing and reviewing these documents in real-world cases.
Identifying Your Practice's Differentiator
How to Convey Your Merits In a Way That Earns Trust, Clients and Distinctions Just as no two individuals have the exact same face, no two lawyers practice in their respective fields or serve clients in the exact same way. Think of this as a "Unique Value Proposition." Internal consideration about what you uniquely bring to your clients, colleagues, firm and industry can provide untold benefits for your law practice.
Risks and Ad Fraud Protection In Digital Advertising
The ever-evolving digital marketing landscape, coupled with the industry-wide adoption of programmatic advertising, poses a significant threat to the effectiveness and integrity of digital advertising campaigns. This article explores various risks to digital advertising from pixel stuffing and ad stacking to domain spoofing and bots. It will also explore what should be done to ensure ad fraud protection and improve effectiveness.
Turning Business Development Plans Into Reality
This article offers practical insights and best practices to navigate the path from roadmap to rainmaking, ensuring your business development efforts are not just sporadic bursts of activity, but an integrated part of your daily success.