Julianne Cowan Lusthaus

A Principal of Lusthaus Law PC , Julie Lusthaus has been practicing law since 1996.  Julie has substantial experience representing franchise and business clients in transactions and disputes.  She represents franchisor and franchisee clients in all aspects of their franchise relationships.  For franchisor clients, she assists with the development of franchise business programs, the structuring of franchise business entities, the preparation and registration of franchise disclosure documents (FDDs), the filing of trademarks and the management and the protection of clients’ intellectual property.  For franchisee clients, Julie assists single unit and multi-unit operators with the acquisition of franchises and development territories, reviews FDDs, negotiates franchise agreements and renewals, leases and other contracts and represents them in system-wide issues and disputes with franchisors.

Julie also has extensive experience representing independent business owners and serial entrepreneurs, assisting them in all stages of growth.  She provides legal advice and counsel to clients engaged in purchases and sales and she drafts all necessary agreements including operating agreements, shareholder agreements, asset acquisition agreements, non-compete agreements and others. Julie also assists clients with developing exit strategies and business succession planning.  Her clients include privately owned businesses and their owners in a variety of industries including retail, restaurants, business services, home health, recreation and hospitality. She is also a skilled litigator with many years’ experience representing business clients in state and federal courts as well as in arbitration and mediation.

Julie is a frequent author and speaker on franchising topics for various professional and business organizations including the American Bar Association, the International Franchise Association and the New York State Bar Association.  She has been recognized by Franchise Times as a “Legal Eagle” annually since 2014.  She is a member of the  Governing Committee of the American Bar Association Forum on Franchising and is a  past director of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Division of the American Bar Association Forum on Franchising.  She is also an active member of the American Bar Association Law Practice Management Section, the New York State Bar Association Committee on Franchise Distribution and Licensing Law, the International Franchise Association, the Westchester County Bar Association and USA500.