Profile: Martin Mendelsohn

Franchise

Biography: Franchise

"Martin Mendelsohn is lauded by his peers as 'the father figure of UK franchising' who 'knows franchising lore - as well as law - backwards'."

The lawyer and author Martin Mendelsohn, who is chair of Field Fisher Waterhouse's franchise group, has been practising as a solicitor for over 46 years. He has had wide experience of commercial, corporate and international transactions. He has been particularly involved in franchising, distribution, agency and licensing transactions - both domestic in the UK and internationally - for over 40 years, as well as UK and EU competition law.

In addition to practising as a solicitor, he is also visiting professor of franchise management at Middlesex University Business School; honorary professor of the International Franchise Academy Beijing Normal University at Zuhai; fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators; general editor of The International Encyclopaedia of Franchising Law; and editor of The International Journal of Franchising Law.

He has 12 current publications on business and legal aspects of franchising ranging from first to seventh editions.

He has also edited and contributed to countless other publications in many parts of the world. His books have been published in 15 languages and have been used extensively by many franchise associations. He is currently updating three of these books.

He has advised governments under the auspices of the ILO, UNDP, OECD and the UK Know-How Fund and was a member of the Unidroit Study Group on Franchising and a contributor to its Guide to International Master Franchise Arrangements.

In 1991 he received two awards for his services to franchising: Franchise Personality of the Year in South Africa, and Companion of the British Franchise Association. He served as the first chairman of the International Franchising Committee of the Section on Business Law of the IBA.

Dr Mendelsohn has assisted in the introduction of law and business courses (including summer schools) by universities with which he is involved.