Hamilton Pratt - Franchise Expert
Hamilton Pratt is a specialist franchise law firm providing leading edge legal advice to the franchise sector. Although the majority of the firm’s work is advising franchisors, the firm also provides advice to prospective franchisees and franchisees who have encountered difficulties with their franchise. Hamilton Pratt represents franchisees where difficult questions of law arise or where there has been “bad behaviour” from their franchisor.
About Hamilton Pratt
expert
Hamilton Pratt advising on all aspect of franchise related work including:
- Preparing franchise agreements and related agreements such as confidentiality agreements and deposit agreements;
- Advising on competition law issues (both EU and UK);
- Advising on international franchising matters including the preparation of master franchise agreements and reviewing foreign franchise agreements to ensure compliance with UK mandatory legal requirements and custom and practice;
- Advising on franchise disputes;
- Preparing reviews of franchise agreements for prospective franchisees. • Assisting franchisors to enforce the post termination obligations and restrictive covenants contained in their franchise agreements. If necessary, by seeking urgent injunctive relief to protect the franchisor’s intellectual and confidential information;
- Assisting franchisors to pursue and defend misrepresentation, breach of contract and debt claims;
- Assessing franchisee claims with respect to pre-contractual statements made by franchisors and their in term conduct;
- Advising on intellectual property issues in franchising, including trademark infringement, copyright, passing off and breach of confidence; and
- Advising on issues relating to the Trading Schemes Act;
- Assisting franchisor clients in managing their resale process from conception to completion;
- Assisting franchisee clients, whether as a vendor or purchaser, in buying and selling franchise businesses in both share and asset sales;
- Preparing and negotiating various commercial documents for franchisor clients franchising matters and otherwise; and
- Advising clients in relation to trade mark applications both in the UK, Europe and internationally and advising in relation to trade mark infringement and passing off.
Hamilton Pratt's history
Before starting his own law firm – Hamilton Pratt - in 2004 John Pratt was managing partner at Pinsents, one of the largest law firms in the UK. Hamilton Pratt has a team of eight lawyers exclusively undertaking franchise related matters. Hamilton Pratt represents just over 35% of the full members of the British Franchise Association - four times more than any other English law firm. In the recently published “Legal 500” directory Hamilton Pratt is in the top tier of franchise law firms.
John Pratt was, until recently, the Legal Advisor to the British Franchise Association. He has been chair of the International Bar Association’s International Franchising Committee and the American Bar Association’s International Franchising Division. He is currently Chair of Euro Franchise Lawyers. Who’s Who Legal has recently rated John as Europe’s leading franchise lawyer.
John is the author of the UK’s text book on franchising – Franchising: Law & Practice as well as other publications and lectures on international franchising throughout the world. John is a past President of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Honorary French Consul. He was until recently the senior independent director at the NEC (Europe’s largest exhibition company) and is Chairman of a group of franchise businesses which includes well-known brands Kall Kwik, Recognition Express, ComputerXplorers and Tech Clean.