Non-compete clauses in franchise agreements offer franchisors important and legitimate protections from unfair competition – but only if they meet the legal test to be enforceable. It's key that franchisors regularly review their non-compete clauses with experienced legal counsel to ensure they are reasonable and extend no further than necessary to protect the franchisors legitimate interests. McInnes Cooper Franchise lawyer Mike Melvin and law student Alex Warshick review the factors courts consider when deciding whether a franchisor's non-compete is reasonable – and thus enforceable – in their article Reasonableness and the Enforceability of Franchise Non-Competition Covenants, as published in FranchiseVoice, Summer 2017.
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