Michelle Murray-Bertrand concentrates her practice on domestic and international franchising and licensing matters. Michelle advises both newly emerging and globally renowned mature domestic and international franchisors in the planning, structure, development and implementation of their franchise programs. Her experience includes drafting and negotiating franchise agreements, master franchise agreements, multi-unit development agreements and other ancillary agreements; securing franchise registrations and exemptions from applicable domestic franchise registration and business opportunity laws and abroad; establishing and administering regulatory compliance programs and systemwide standards; and counseling franchisors on a myriad of franchise relationship issues to avert and resolve franchisee disputes. Michelle’s franchise practice also includes representing clients in franchise related mergers and acquisitions (such as, advising private equity companies in the acquisition and/or sale of franchise, licensing and distribution systems) and complex and sophisticated franchise-related financing transactions (including, the securitizations of franchisor’s royalty streams).
Michelle has a breadth of experience in general corporate law matters, such as mergers and acquisitions; private placement offerings; business entity formation and governance; and private equity matters. She has drafted and negotiated a variety of commercial and transactional agreements, such as, systemwide and regional supply and distribution agreements, trademark license agreements, software license agreements, employment agreements, and consulting agreements.
Michelle represents some of our nation's and the world's largest and most prestigious franchisors and well as innovative startup franchise companies operating in a wide range of industries, including, hospitality and lodging, food and beverage, retail, cleaning services, home organization, medical equipment, and vacation rental and property management.
Michelle is a member of the New York State bar and has been engaged in private practice since 2006. She received her Juris Doctor from New York Law School, where she graduated magna cum laude, was an Associate Editor of Law Review and a Justice Harlan Scholar. She received her Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from Syracuse University.
Published Works
• International Franchise Association, Legal Symposium, Speaker and Co-Author “Threats to the Franchise Model: Where is Labor Law Taking Us”, May 2024
• Franchise Law Journal, Co-Author, “Franchising Faces Existential Threats”, Spring 2023
• American Bar Association, Forum on Franchising, Speaker and Co-Author, “Hitting Refresh: Updating Your Franchise Agreement to Reflect the Times”, November 2022
• International Franchise Association, Legal Symposium, Speaker and Co-Author “Combining Different Concepts in One FDD: Disclosing Multiple Brands and Different Franchise Formats in the Same FDD”, May 2022
• Franchise Law Journal, Co-Author, “Issues in Growth by Multi-Unit Franchising”, Winter 2019
• Franchise Business Review, Co-Author, “Reviewing and Assessing the Franchise Disclosure Document” December 2017
• Franchise Law Review, Co-Author, “United States Chapter”, November 2017, November 2016 and November 2015
• International Comparative Legal Guide to Franchise to: Franchise 2017, “USA Chapter” November 2016
Honors
• Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2024 for work in Franchise Law
• Named as one of Franchise Times’ United States 2024 Legal Eagles
• Franchise Times Legal Eagle
Professional Associations
• American Bar Association: Forum on Franchising – Member; Programming Committee Member, 2023-2024
• International Franchise Association – Member; Legal Taskforce Member, 2023-2024
