Importance Of Having Franchise Arbitration

By Dennis Sullivan


In any agreement, two or more parties can only agree if there is the mutual benefit especially when it comes to business. This ensures that there are no disputes since all the parties involved will benefit equitably as agreed. However most of the times this is not how this normally happens as many agreements are prone to conflicts. This makes it very important to have franchise arbitration.

Disputes usually arise when the interest of the parties differ. This can result in a heated argument that may lead to big legal battles. The franchisee can create bring up some issues that may ruin the reputation of this franchising organization. Since the team has all the finances, it usually has advanced when it comes to legal battles.

To resolve the conflict like this one, it is necessary for mediation to be conducted between the franchise and the franchisor. In many situations the later usually prefer the situation to be resolved as quickly as possible since they do not want to damage their reputation in the presence of these shareholders. However, these negotiations can have both positive and negative results.

Most of the time the mediation favor the the other parties more compare to the franchisor. Many organization pushes for litigation if they have a feeling that their position may be weak. However, if they feel like the mediation favors the organization they will call for it.

Litigation exposes the franchising organization to the public as it is based on public opinion. Their financial record will be disclosed to the public. This can make some investors refrain from investing in these companies. Whichever the outcome, this can have a very negative impact on the organization. On the brighter side, the position of the company can be elevated despite the risks involved.

Most of the time the organization has the upper hand when it comes to litigation regardless of the high risk of damage. This is because they have good legal team and finances to cater for all the legal preceding and actions. This makes some franchisee to be no match due to insufficient funds. Many end up dropping the case together with their claim.

These are rules that give the guideline of conflict resolution between the parties involved. The conflicting parties should always come to the table of mediation first before going or taking extreme measures. It says that arbitration should be the last resort that the complainant is supposed to take. This clause puts are fair ground for both parties to work out their issues, unlike litigation which gives the franchisor advantage. The franchisor usually leaves some room for more option especially to mediation and adjudication when they know it will work in their favor. This openness gives the organization a clear advantage over the petitioner.

When you are the petitioner, you should ensure that you have a clear understanding of a complaint and position to avoid some huge and unnecessary expenses that you may incur when your case is discarded before it starts. Having an excellent legal team working on your case can be very encouraging as they will ensure that you have maximum benefit in any business deal you are making and can advise you accordingly.




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