Entrepreneurs and business-savvy individuals are looking at franchises as a way to kick-start their incomes and livelihood. Many U.S.-based franchises are generating interest globally in places such as China, India, the United Arab Emirates and Brazil as their markets crave American products and their investors still have money to dole out on business ventures. A recent survey by the International Franchise Association noted that more than 75 percent of franchises are planning to begin international projects in the next year.

Basic economics are attracting everyone from the stay-at-home mom to the experienced business investor to try franchising. Inc. Magazine listed the following franchises as the most lucrative and in-demand in the U.S. and abroad:

• Healthy eating
• After school education
• Spas
• Edible arrangements
• In home elderly care
• Cleaning services
• Junk haulers
• Fitness

Inc. Magazine shows how some franchises can be run out of your home with only a smartphone and laptop, or for those individuals wanting to have a storefront, signing retail or office space leases. Many franchises have low barriers of entry and consumers waiting in the wings to buy products and services. For the best chances of success, an individual looking to start, buy, and even sell a franchise should get a qualified business attorney to make sure the rules, restrictions, and fees are reasonable and understood.

Franchise agreements can be complex and for new franchise ventures, it is key to secure trademarks and intellectual property rights to protect the brand. A business attorney can help ensure that when a business goes global, the franchise’s core concepts are followed, employee agreements are well thought out, and every step of the business plan analyzed for legal protection. Legal counsel is priceless to a franchise business and will save the business owner time and money in the long run. Successful businesses are oftentimes vulnerable to copycats, so legal representation will go a long way to squash others who are looking to feed off the business’ success.

In California, Los Angeles business attorney Anthony Spotora helps franchisors and franchisees with all their legal matters. The Law Offices of Spotora & Associates is accomplished at reviewing and negotiating franchises for prospective franchisees and is additionally accustomed to establishing the corporation or limited liability company for them. They are well-versed in reviewing leases too and should a dispute arise, taking the steps necessary to resolve it.

For more information:

www.spotoralaw.com

Law Offices of Spotora & Associates, P.C.

1801 Century Park East, 24th Floor

Los Angeles, California 90067-2302

P (310) 556.9641

F (310) 556.9642

Toll Free: (877) 4U-EZ-LEGAL

Anthony Spotora is a Los Angeles entertainment lawyer and Los Angeles business attorney. To learn more, visit Spotoralaw.com.

Four cast members of the popular “Happy Days” TV show are suing CBS in Los Angeles County Superior Court after tons of merchandise began being sold with their images, without pay. Anson Williams, Don Most, Marion Ross, Erin Moran, and the estate of Tom Bosley, all have contracts stating that they are to be paid five percent from merchandising net proceeds if their image is used solely and two and a half percent if in a group image. CBS does subtract 50 percent off the top as a handling fee.

The actors, who shot to stardom during the show’s original run from 1974 to 1984, recently were amazed by all the products with their images on them, including “Happy Days” slot machines. Comic books, trading cards, scrapbooks, greeting cards, t-shirts, games, lunch boxes, dolls, toy cars, magnets, and DVDs with their images kept popping up. There is even a licensing deal in the works for a suite of “Happy Days” lotto games.

“When these slot machines came out, it was like Barnum and Bailey came to town,” said Anson Williams, who played ‘Potsie’ in the show. “We were bombarded with, oh look at these pictures, they’d be all over the country.”

CBS claims it only owes the actors between $8,500 and $9,000 each for products with their images sold during the last four years. The actors in their breach of contract lawsuit show they are due millions of dollars for the products. The parties tried mediation earlier in the year to resolve the dispute with no luck. Ron Howard, known on the show as “Richie Cunningham”, and Henry Winkler, the iconic “Fonzie”, are not involved in the lawsuit and had separate contracts with the studio.

“’Happy Days’ is the type of show that represents the best we can be,” Williams said. “It’s something warm, something tactile when life was good and life was simple. When friends were there and neighbors were neighbors… I think it’s going to ring in peoples’ hearts because it’s going beyond this show.”

“There’s a huge juxtaposition for ‘Happy Days’ to represent the coldness of big business, the wrongdoing of big business and the greed of big business,” Williams continued. “And the idea that they don’t have to abide by contracts, and they can get away with anything as long as they are not caught. And they picked the wrong show.”

In the fast-paced world of Hollywood and television, it benefits to have legal counsel review an actor’s contract, merchandising and licensing agreements, and represent your interests to the big studios. The right Hollywood entertainment lawyer can save actors a lot of headaches and financial pain.

The Law Offices of Spotora & Associates has a wealth of experience representing actors, writers, producers, agencies, and studios. Their Los Angeles entertainment attorneys have counseled many individuals from hit television shows in negotiations, drafting contracts, securing intellectual property rights, and litigating when their client’s rights needed to be upheld. Anthony J. Spotora, Esq., is the managing attorney at Spotora & Associates, and is known for a hands-on approach, giving clients individualized attention, and for his experience from working for the big studios in their legal departments.

For more information:

www.spotoralaw.com

Law Offices of Spotora & Associates, P.C.

1801 Century Park East, 24th Floor

Los Angeles, California 90067-2302

P (310) 556.9641

F (310) 556.9642

Toll Free: (877) 4U-EZ-LEGAL

Anthony Spotora is a Los Angeles entertainment lawyer and Los Angeles business attorney. To learn more, visit Spotoralaw.com.