About Shelton Law & Associates

Shelton Law & Associates is a Franchise, General Business and Intellectual Properties law firm dedicated to help you. Our attorneys have been business executives, franchisors / business opportunity leaders (with over 700 units nationwide), and have the cumulative experience of 50 years. We understand your objectives, needs, fears, and business problems, which is why we dive in with no fear to solve your problems and produce results-oriented relationships. With offices across the country, the SL&A Franchise Team counsels clients ranging from start-up and emerging companies to mature, established franchisors, and budding entrepreneurs looking to purchase their first franchise system. To help all types of franchisors and franchisees, we have measured all variables thereby allowing us to charge fixed fees for almost all of our services. The Fixed Fee services allow you, the business person, to make your yearly budget without the fear of legal fees bouncing out of control due to ongoing changes that almost always occur.

Once your franchise system begins to mature and expand, you will undoubtedly find yourself answering a new set of dilemmas. SL&A’s Franchise Team partners with franchisor executives to help them proactively list and answer these new challenges in order to maintain strong franchisor-franchisee relationships and limit disruption in the growth of their franchise system. Our legal contacts help emerging franchisors make informed decisions about best practices utilized by successful franchisors to effectively team with franchisees and vendors to ensure solid operations standards and effective sales compliance.

Buying a Franchise?

Shelton Law & Associates can assist you by analyzing your investment and by assisting you in negotiations to make sure you are getting the best investment possible. SL&A’s fixed fee FDD Review program gives you an attorney on your side of the bargaining table. SL&A will institute the creation of the right type of business entity for your business model. After creation of your legal entity, SL&A will begin the process of reviewing your Franchise Disclosure Document that you received from the franchisor. We will analyze your investment and provide you with a written Analysis and Opinion Letter which includes a thorough Industry Evaluation of the franchise system being offered to you against Industry Fairness Factors. We will explain to you all areas of the franchise that are and are not in line with industry standards for your particular industry and which conditions are contrary to state or federal law. We also will give written suggestions of what areas should and should not be negotiated with the franchisor. If you choose, SL&A will even complete the Negotiations for you.