Franchising 

At Lexters, we advise international franchisors, leading local companies, and fast-growing entrepreneurial networks on building, managing, and protecting franchise systems. Our team covers the full spectrum of franchise matters – from structuring and negotiating agreements to representing clients in high-stakes disputes before Romanian courts and in international arbitration. With decades of collective experience, our lawyers have been involved in landmark cases that shaped franchise practice, securing notable court victories that cemented our position as leaders in franchise litigation and arbitration. We approach each mandate with precision, creativity, and persistence, while also recognizing that litigation is not always the answer – which is why we excel in negotiation and alternative dispute resolution, securing pragmatic outcomes without compromising our clients’ interests. Our cross-border capabilities are a hallmark of our franchise practice. We assist global brands in entering the Romanian market as well as local companies in expanding abroad, seamlessly coordinating multijurisdictional projects. From retail and HoReCa to services and technology, clients entrust us with their most complex mandates, knowing we can successfully navigate regulatory diversity and local business cultures while ensuring the protection of brand integrity and know-how. Lexters provides clarity and confidence when it matters most.

Areas of Expertise

Franchise Agreements and International Expansion

• Advising on the drafting and negotiation of all types of franchise agreements, including master franchise arrangements, complex partnership structures, transfers, and franchise assignments.
• Supporting the expansion of iconic local networks, by structuring franchise agreements, securing know-how transfer, and protecting trademark portfolios.

Dispute Resolution and Litigation

• Successfully obtaining final court judgments annulling franchise agreements – the first such cases following the entry into force of Romania’s new franchise law in 2019 – demonstrating that the franchisor lacked the required know-how to operate the business.
• Securing innovative injunctions that prevented former franchisees from unlawfully using know-how acquired during the franchise relationship, safeguarding trade secrets and preserving the franchisor’s competitive edge.

Regulation and Compliance

• Guiding clients through the complex web of legal obligations across jurisdictions: while the EU lacks a unified franchise law, each state enforces its own framework.
• Through our extensive network of local partners, we ensure compliance with specific requirements – from pre-contractual disclosure duties to competition rules and language or governing law provisions – avoiding the pitfalls of “copy-paste” and tailoring each franchise strategy to its legislative and cultural context.

Global reach, local insight, and an uncompromising commitment to results – Lexters: clarity in complexity, strength in strategy.