Leveraging the bench strength of the firm’s international reach, Dentons‘s franchising team offers the full range of franchising services to a blue-chip client base of both franchises and franchisees, particularly in the retail, automotive, entertainment, and hotel industries. Headed by Babette Märzheuser-Wood, the team collaborates with colleagues internationally on franchising disputes, investment franchises, constructing master and unit franchise agreements, franchise disclosure documents, and specific competition law advice. Global head of the firm’s franchising offering Märzheuser-Wood brings dual qualification in Germany and the UK; her workload consists of complex multi-jurisdictional franchise, licensing, agency, and concession agreements, with a particular focus on IP-rich joint ventures and strategic expansion into emerging markets. Anna Copeman sits as head of the trademarks department, co-heading the franchising group, and she is well versed in handling international franchising, distribution, and manufacturing arrangements.
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Key clients
- Kempinski Hotels
- Gagawa
- Room Mate
- Watchhouse
- Delta
- Azora
- Krispy Kreme
- F1 Arcade
- Carpo
- Engels & Voelkers
- Marks and Spencer
- Mars Retail
Work highlights
Advising well-known UK artisan coffee brand Watchhouse on its first ever franchise project.
Advising Mars Wrigley Corporation on the first ever franchise of their iconic M&M Stores.
Advised Wagamama on a series of strategic franchise transactions in respect of India and Saudi Arabia.
Lawyers
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Practice head
Babette Märzheuser-Wood
Other key lawyers
Anna Copeman