Rupert M. Barkoff

Rupert M. Barkoff

Rupert Barkoff has been practicing franchise, distribution and corporate law since 1973. His franchise practice emphasizes solutions to registration and structuring issues and developing individual and collective solutions to franchisor-franchisee relationship problems. He is recognized as one of the country's leading franchise attorneys by The Best Lawyers in America,® published by Woodward/White. Rupert was recently named a "Most Highly Regarded Individual for Franchise" by The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers for 2006, ranking #9 globally. This peer-nominated distinction is based upon a comprehensive and independent survey of both general counsel and private practice attorneys worldwide.

Selected Experience

· Represented numerous start-up, national and regional franchisors in establishment and operation of their franchise systems.

· Negotiated encroachment policies for major franchise systems.

· Counseled major franchise system in establishment and operation of purchasing cooperatives.

· Negotiated resolution of, and acted as mediator and arbitrator for franchisor-franchisee disputes.

· Counseled clients in modifications and expansion of franchise systems.

Publications, Articles, and Speeches

· Editor-in-Chief, Fundamentals of Franchising (1st, 2nd and 3rd eds.).

· Technical Editor, Franchising for Dummies (1st ed.).

· Columnist, New York Law Journal and Franchise Update.

· Published almost 200 articles on franchise law.

Community and Professional Activities

· Served three years as Chair, ABA Forum on Franchising, and six additional years on its Governing Committee.

· Testified twice before U.S. House of Representatives, Small Business Committee.

· Former Member, Advisory Committee, North American Securities Administrators Franchise and Business Opportunities Task Force.

· Director, Secretary and General Counsel, Southeast Franchise Forum.

· Vice-Chair, State Bar of Georgia Franchise Section.

Background

· Member, American Bar Association (Forum on Franchising, Business Law, Antitrust Law and Intellectual Property Law Sections); State Bar of Georgia; International Bar Association.

· AV® rated by Martindale-Hubbell.