Distribution & Franchise Law Update: Drive Your Business Forward (Washington D.C.)

Since 1992, Foley has hosted the nationally recognized and acclaimed Law of Product Distribution & Franchise Seminar in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. To complement that, Foley developed a one-day seminar designed to provide a comprehensive overview on the latest legal topics relative to distribution and franchising law. The program, “Drive Your Business Forward: Distribution & Franchise Law Update” was held on January 24, 2008 in Washington, D.C.

Topics included:

Trademarks and Other Intellectual Property: The Cornerstone of Every Franchise and Distribution System

• Brand Management in the Internet Age: The World-Wide Web of Trademark Protection
  
• Patent Protection in International Franchising and Distribution: Lessons Learned in Litigation
  
• Do’s and Don’ts in IP Licensing and Litigation: Antitrust Traps for the Unwary
  
• Data Privacy and Security: Best Practices for Franchisors and Manufacturers

Distribution and Franchise 101: Establishing, Changing, and Ending Relationships

• The “F” Word: Are Your Company’s Dealers, Distributors, or Licensees Protected by Federal and State Franchise Laws?
  
• Terminating and “Changing the Competitive Circumstances” of Franchisees and Dealers Without Running Afoul of State Laws
  
• System-wide Distribution Changes: “Consolidation, Re-branding and Market Withdrawal”
  
• Enforcing Arbitration and Other Contractual Provisions Against Bankrupt and Insolvent Franchisees, Dealers, and Distributors

Global Franchising and Product Distribution

• Key Legal Challenges for Companies Operating Overseas
  
• Joint Ventures, Strategic Alliances, and Licensing Overseas: Options for Product Distribution and Franchising
  
• Franchising and Licensing Intellectual Property for Manufacturing in Chin
  
• Protecting Intellectual Property in Products Imported From and Exported to Japan

Antitrust Compliance for Franchisors and Manufacturers

• Antitrust Compliance and Document Control: Nipping Antitrust Exposure in the Bud
  
• Controlling Resale Prices Charged by Franchisees, Distributors, and Dealers: Pushing the Envelope of Recent Supreme Court Decisions
  
• Keeping Up With the Competition While Keeping Out of Trouble: Communicating With Competitors and Trade Associations
  
• Staying Cool in the Hot Seat: Responding to Government Investigations, Subpoenas, and Indictments