Attorney

Lynne M.
Hanson

[She/Her/Hers]
Attorney
Lynne M. Hanson
Attorney

Warning: Sending an e-mail to us will not make you a client of our firm, will not establish an attorney-client relationship between us, and does not obligate us to respond to you.

You may only become a client of our firm if we first agree to represent you, and you have signed an engagement agreement, and paid any requested retainer. Before we agree to represent any client, we first check for potential conflicts of interest. If you are interested in becoming our client, we invite you to call us and schedule an appointment.

If you are not our client, anything you e-mail to us will not be privileged or confidential, and we are under no obligation to treat your communications as confidential. It is possible that we already represent someone who is adverse to you, and we remain free to represent someone who is adverse to you in the future, even if you ignore this warning and submit information to us which could be significantly harmful to your legal interests.

By proceeding to e-mail us, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this warning and agree to its terms.

Lynne’s practice concentrates on franchising and distribution regulatory law, and she has represented franchisors in business, trademark, regulatory, and transactional matters for more than 20 years. Lynne has worked with dozens of franchise systems, many of which she represents in the capacity of outside general counsel. Her work spans clients of all sizes and across many industries, including product and service retail, home care, restaurant, healthcare, and fitness, both in the United States and internationally.

Outside General Counsel

In her practice, Lynne works closely with franchisors, providing guidance on the day-to-day operation of their businesses, frequently serving as “outside general counsel” for clients that do not have in-house counsel, establishing and implementing new operational programs, and advising on a wide variety of legal issues, including regulatory compliance and intellectual property matters. She counsels franchise sales departments on disclosure issues and guides franchisors through default, termination, and dispute resolution processes, in addition to preparing franchise disclosure documents and franchise agreements, and preparing financial performance representations (FPRs, or earnings claims). She also guides franchisors through the process of registering disclosure documents in applicable states and preparing disclosure documentation for expansion into other countries.

Mergers and Acquisitions and Finance

Lynne counsels franchisors in the due diligence review process, the purchase and sale of the entire franchise system, and mergers of competing franchise systems. She handles the acquisition of franchised businesses by franchisors and the resale of those businesses to new franchisees. Lynne also advises private equity investors interested in expanding their portfolios through investments in the franchise industry and has headed up due diligence for more than a dozen private equity funds purchasing franchise systems.

New and Emerging Franchises

Lynne regularly counsels new and emerging franchise companies in the development of business structures that facilitate healthy and regular growth. She counsels clients on entity formation and structure, and writes franchise disclosure documents, franchise agreements, and all related documents, paving the way for a business to grow from a handful of locations to a national or international franchise system. During her tenure, she has helped many franchise clients grow from one location to as many as hundreds of locations in the United States and internationally. Also, she has counseled clients on how to avoid being characterized as a "franchise" under federal and state laws.

Intellectual Property

Lynne helps franchisors realize the full value of one of their most valuable assets, their intellectual property. Through evaluating, monitoring, protecting, and defending trademarks, she helps clients avoid infringement and maintain brand integrity.

International Expansion

Lynne has extensive experience in helping franchisors expand internationally, guiding them through all stages of developing legally compliant international franchise programs. She works closely with franchisors to navigate complex international laws and has assisted clients expand into Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, the Middle East, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, and beyond.

Pro Bono and Community Involvement

Lynne serves as President of the Board of the Women's Franchise Network Denver Chapter, a network of business professionals dedicated to strengthening the success of women in franchising, sponsored by the International Franchise Association. In addition, Lynne is a supporter of the Women's Foundation of Colorado, a non-profit dedicated to creating more pathways to economic security for Colorado Women. 


Publications and Articles

Author
Franchise Registration States Move to Adopt NASAA’s Prohibitions on Disclaimers
Moye White Blog, February 2023

Author
Pandemic-Driven Consumer Demands Are Changing Franchise Models in 2022
Franchise Update, January 2022

Author
What to Expect in the Franchise Sector
ColoradoBiz, August 2021

Co-author
Updating Your FDD – What to Consider
QSR Magazine, April 2021

Co-author
What Franchisors Need to Know about NASAA’s Recent Commentary on Item 19
Franchise Update, July 2020

Co-author
Franchise Disclosure Document State Extensions
QSR Magazine, April 2020

Quoted
Open Dialogue Helps Emerging Brands Avoid the Courtroom
Franchise Times, March 2020

Author
Women in Franchising: The top three things franchisors look for in a franchisee, and why women make excellent franchisee candidates
Franchising Today, April 2019

Co-author
Advising New and Emerging Franchisors on Their Journey to the Next Level (Legal Hurdles and Opportunities)
International Franchise Association Legal Symposium, May 2016

Co-author
“The New Federal Gift Card Regulations”
ABA’s Franchise Law Journal, Winter 2011

Co-author
“Federal District Court Case Involving Classification of Franchisees Raises Concerns”
Shopping Center Legal Update, Fall/Winter 2010

Author
“Disclosure Changes”
American Bar Association’s The FTC Franchise Rule, 2008

Author
“What is an Earnings Claim?”
American Bar Association’s Earning Claims, 2007

Co-author
“Alternative Distribution Arrangements”
American Bar Association Forum on Franchising, 2003

Co-author
“Annual Judicial & Legislative Update”
American Bar Association Forum on Franchising, 2001

Speaking Engagements and Presentations

Presenter
“FDD Drafting in 2021” 
Women's Franchise Network, March 2021

Presenter
Getting Coloradoans Back to Work
Moye White Webinar, May 2020

Moderator
“Expand Your Brand”
Franchise Business Network and Women's Franchise Network, November 2019

Presenter
“Updating Your Franchise Disclosure Document”
Women’s Franchise Network, March 2019

Moderator
“How to Avoid a Data Breach and Stay Out of the Headlines”
Women’s Franchise Network, August 2018

Moderator
“Updating Your Franchise Disclosure Document”
Women’s Franchise Network, February 2018

Moderator
“State of Franchising in Colorado”
Women’s Franchise Network, August 2017

Presenter
“Advising New and Emerging Franchisors on Their Journey to the Next Level”
International Franchise Association Legal Symposium, May 2016

Presenter
“Developing a Franchise Program for a Franchisor”
Franchise Law, CLE International, 2000