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Biography

Nick is Vice-Chair of the Franchise & Hospitality Industry Team.  The Franchise and Hospitality Industry Team is a collaborative, cross-disciplinary team that provides legal services and counsel through a deep understanding of the business challenges and opportunities unique to the franchise industry.  Nick assists franchisors with franchise disclosure documents and other FTC Amended Franchise Rule compliance issues. Nick has considerable state franchise and business opportunity law experience, including initial state registrations, amendments, and annual registration updates and renewals, as well as state advertising filing requirements and compliance. He also creates and negotiates supplier, distribution and vendor agreements for franchise systems and other clients.

 

Other Info About Nick

Work History

Prior Work Experience

Summer Associate, Frost Brown Todd LLC, Louisville, KY (May-August, 2007)

Summer Associate, Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP, Lexington, KY (May-August, 2006)

Assistant to former University of Kentucky College of Law Professor Lori A. Ringhand on her research into United States Supreme Court nomination hearings

Experience

Legal Work Highlights

Reviewed and assisted with the negotiation of numerous supply and distribution agreements for a supply chain co-op in the food services industry and other industries.

Represented franchisees in the acquisition of existing franchised businesses from both franchisors and other franchisees.

Represented franchisee in the sale of its portfolio of franchised businesses to its franchisor.

Regularly counsel franchisors and other businesses regarding antitrust issues as well as federal Hart-Scott-Rodino Premerger Notification compliance in merger and acquisition transactions.

Significant experience counseling businesses on utilizing exemptions and exceptions to the application of federal and state franchise laws.

Represented several franchisor companies in the preparation of franchise agreements and related agreements, Franchise Disclosure Documents, and all facets of state and federal franchise law compliance, including federal disclosure requirements and state franchise registrations, amendments, and renewals.

Regularly represent franchisee associations and other trade associations in a wide variety of industry sectors.

Conducted research into relevant franchise laws (both on behalf of franchisees and franchisors) related to termination and non-renewal of franchises, consent to transfer of franchises and similar issues.

Assisted with drafting of license agreements and IT services agreements, including acquisitions of IT systems and licensing of health care related software (includes the licensing of an ERP system for a national restaurant supply chain co-op; the licensing and purchase of a POS system and software for a national quick service restaurant franchisor; representation of a hospital system in the acquisition of electronic medical records processing software; representation of a licensor and developer of health care information processing software in the licensing of health care software to several health care plans.

Education

Law School

University of Kentucky College of Law, J.D., 2008, magna cum laude

Undergraduate School

Centre College, B.A., 2005, magna cum laude

Bar Memberships

Nick is licensed to practice in the following state(s):

Kentucky, 2008

Recognition

Local & National Recognition

Order of the Coif

Graduated in Top Ten of College of Law, University of Kentucky 2008 Class

CALI Award (Highest Grade in Class) for my sections of: Civil Procedure I, Criminal Law, Torts, Constitutional Law I, Conflict of Laws, Employment Law

Selected to join staff of the Kentucky Law Journal

Best Oral Argument, Best Appellate Brief, Best Overall Advocate, 2005-2006

Clay Legal Writing Club at UK College of Law

Charles Campbell Prize for Economics (outstanding senior economics major)

Samuel Robertson Cheek, Jr. Memorial Prize (outstanding senior government major)

Phi Beta Kappa

Pi Sigma Alpha (Political science honor society)

Omicron Delta Epsilon (Economics honor society)

Professional Affiliations

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

American Bar Association

ABA Forum on Franchising

Kentucky Bar Association

Louisville Bar Association

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