Brian Howard Cole

Brian Cole focuses his practice on franchise and distribution law, an area in which he has more than 20 years’ experience.  

Brian got his start as a franchise lawyer when he went to work as an in-house attorney for Pizza Hut, Inc., one of the world’s largest franchisors. On his first day of work, Pizza Hut’s general counsel advised him to read Pizza Hut’s form franchise agreement, since that was one of Pizza Hut’s most-significant contracts.  A few years later, Brian was assigned as the principal drafter of a new franchise agreement that was negotiated between Pizza Hut and its franchisee association.  Since then, Brian has been involved in a wide variety of issues concerning franchise businesses and restaurants.  

Brian’s experience spans a wide variety of transactional and regulatory matters, including drafting and registering franchise agreements and related documents, buying and selling both individual franchised locations and franchise chains, leasing sites for businesses, and other contractual matters.  Brian also has experience advising clients with a variety of operational issues, especially with respect to restaurant businesses, including employment matters, health code, and liquor licenses.  Brian has spoken and written on a variety of franchise-related topics, including speaking at the ABA Forum on Franchising and the International Franchise Association’s Annual Legal Symposium and Annual Convention--see the sections of this listing for descriptions of those publications and speeches.