The Franchise Agreement

What you’ll learn

• Identify the key provisions in a UK franchise agreement that carry the most significant implications for buyers, including territory, renewal, resale, and exit - and understand what each means in practice.

• Understand what a well-drafted UK franchise agreement should contain, why a specialist franchise solicitor is essential, and why a general commercial solicitor is not an adequate substitute.

• Know the right questions to ask before signing, and understand why the clauses that attract least attention at the outset are frequently the ones that matter most when the relationship is tested.

Description
The franchise agreement is the most important document in any franchise relationship. It governs what the franchisee can do, what the franchisor must provide, how fees are calculated, what happens at renewal, and how the relationship ends.

Most people on both sides sign it without a complete understanding of what they are committing to.

This session is not legal advice. It is franchise literacy, and there is a meaningful difference.

Julie Taylor guides participants through the key provisions every franchise buyer and aspiring franchisor needs to understand before engaging a solicitor.

The session covers territory exclusivity, renewal rights, resale provisions, exit clauses, and the points of agreement that most frequently become points of dispute.

UK franchising is not regulated by statute. The agreement is the primary protection available to both parties. Understanding what it contains, and knowing the right questions to put to a specialist franchise solicitor is not optional. It is the foundation of a relationship that works.

 
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Speakers

Julie Taylor

Director, Runo Franchising

Julie Taylor is a Franchise Strategist and Advisor and a Director of Runo Franchising, with over 26 years’ experience in the UK franchise arena. She has worked across a wide range of roles, including sales, business development, and franchise recruitment, supporting both national and international franchise brands.

Julie has extensive hands-on experience of the franchise lifecycle, from early-stage growth through to mature network development. She has also built a successful specialist business with her son focused on franchise resales, giving her practical insight into franchise exit planning, resale value, and long-term network sustainability.

Known for her clear, commercially grounded approach, Julie helps business owners and prospective franchisees make well-informed decisions about franchising. She is particularly focused on ensuring franchising is approached as a structured, disciplined growth strategy and a serious business partnership — not a shortcut to scale or self-employment.