Michelle K. Murray-Bertrand

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.