Adam G. Wasch is a Florida franchise law attorney and co-chair of the Franchise Law practice group at Greenspoon Marder LLP. Mr. Wasch concentrates his practice on franchise law matters, including counseling startup and emerging franchise brands and representing mature franchise systems.
Mr. Wasch regularly represents regional, national, and international franchisors in all capacities including compliance with state and federal franchise disclosure and sales laws, strategic growth strategies, dispute resolution, real estate considerations, trademark and branding issues, franchisor responsibilities, and mergers and acquisitions with private equity and franchise development groups. Mr. Wasch launches startup franchise systems and often works with the largest franchise development consultants on pre-launch structuring of the business and post-launch sales and compliance efforts for these startup brands.
Mr. Wasch serves as counsel to dozens of emerging franchisors and startup businesses and assists these clients with recurring tasks including franchise closings, disclosure document updates, and state registrations, as well as long-term issues such as venture capital growth strategies, financing issues, insurance coverage, and regulatory compliance. Mr. Wasch represents franchisors preparing for sales to, or investments by, private equity firms and strategic buyers, including dealing with the pre- and post- deal issues which arise in an acquisition of a competing or complementary brand. Mr. Wasch and his team regularly serve as lead counsel in franchise M&A deals on both the seller and buyer side and recently represented the seller in a merger and acquisition involving a third-party delivery service franchise company. Mr. Wasch regularly represents both franchisors and multi-unit franchise owners in complex transactions.
As a Florida franchise law attorney, Mr. Wasch advises and counsels franchisors around the country in a variety of industries including quick service restaurants, fast-casual restaurants, fast food, health and wellness, medical spas, pet care and wellness, preschool, tutoring, debt collection, youth sports, art, desserts, B2B services, home-based services, aesthetics and medicine, third-party restaurant delivery, and retail. Mr. Wasch also represents multi-unit franchise owners, private equity groups, area representatives, and prospective franchisees interested in joining franchise brand. Mr. Wasch serves on the management team and/or as an advisor to multiple startup businesses and provides his clients with relevant governance and structural issues.
As a seasoned litigator, Mr. Wasch has extensive experience guiding his franchise clients through complex disputes and structuring deals to minimize franchisor risk. Mr. Wasch has served as lead trial counsel in Florida federal court, Florida state court, and in arbitration in jurisdictions from coast-to-coast. Mr. Wasch has prevailed in arbitration defending and prosecuting his franchisor clients that typically involve state franchise laws, the Florida Franchise Act, Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, violations of states’ little FTC acts, fraud, the Lanham Act, trademark, deceptive and unfair trade practices, theft of trade secrets, the Defend Trade Secrets Act, and enforcing non-competes.
Mr. Wasch adapts to the needs of his clients and seamless serves as a legal partner to his franchise clients. Mr. Wasch has taken an active role in shaping the franchise law community in Florida and nationally through social media and speaking engagements. Mr. Wasch is a Franchise Times Legal Eagle and is an active member of the ABA Forum on Franchising. Mr. Wasch is a sought-after resource and has been quoted in multiple Franchise Times and National Restaurant News articles on franchising and has presented on franchise topics for the ABA Forum on Franchising and other media.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Wasch was the Managing Partner of Wasch Raines LLP, a franchise law boutique firm based in Boca Raton, and before that, he was an associate attorney at one of Florida’s largest law firms in Fort Lauderdale. Mr. Wasch served as Managing Editor of the FIU Law Review and President of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society in law school, and he is heavily involved in the Boca Raton community as a volunteer baseball, soccer and basketball coach.
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of Florida
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Florida
Bar Admissions
- Florida
- District of Columbia
Education
- J.D., Florida International University College of Law, 2009
- B.S., University of Florida, Business Administration, cum laude, 2003
Representative Experience
- Represents established and emerging franchisors in all franchise and corporate matters including drafting and updating the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), state registrations and renewals, guiding corporate strategy and growth, and franchise closings with prospective franchisees.
- Launched dozens of startup franchise systems throughout the country and assists with pre-launch business structuring, document drafting, and post-launch sales compliance and regulatory matters.
- Guided multiple emerging franchisors through an equity acquisition by franchise development groups.
- Obtained temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction on behalf of a national Tennessee-based franchisor in federal court and subsequently obtained permanent injunction against a non-compliant, terminated franchisee.
- Served as out-of-house general counsel to a startup in the sports digital marketing industry through multiple merger and acquisition deals.
- Successfully represented a franchisor in arbitration in Miami against multiple franchisees in the system and successfully defended all claims brought by franchisee and prevailed on all counterclaims at trial.
- Represented a group of franchisees in Orlando and prevailed on all claims after a two-week trial against the franchisor.
Professional and Community Involvement
- American Bar Association, Marketing Committee – Forum on Franchising
Recognition
- Entrepreneur Media, “Top Franchise Suppliers,” Legal Services, 2023
- Franchise Times, “Legal Eagle,” 2021-2023
- Super Lawyers magazine, Florida “Super Lawyers,” Franchise & Dealership, 2023
- Super Lawyers magazine, “Florida Rising Star,” Franchise & Dealership, 2016-2021
- Florida Trend magazine, “Legal Elite,” Commercial Litigation, 2016-2021
- Global Franchise Magazine, “Hired! 20 of the Keenest Legal Minds in Global Franchising”, 2017
- Boca Magazine, “30 Under 30”, 2010
In the News
- Quoted, “Franchise Industry Weighs In on FTC’s Request for Comment,” Franchise Times, March 17, 2023
- Co-Featured, “Greenspoon Marder Chairs Share Vision And Friendship,” Law360, February 28, 2023
- Interviewed, “This Am Law 200 partner is using Twitter to build his practice and authority,” Legally CONTENTed, February 15, 2023
- Quoted, “7 Franchise Opportunities Ideal for Young Franchisees,” 1851 Franchise, August 2, 2022
- Quoted, “5 Things Millennials and Gen Z Look for in a Franchise,” 1851 Franchise, August 1, 2022
News
- Sep 21, 2023 Greenspoon Marder Franchise Law Practice Group Ranked as Top Franchise Supplier In 2023 by Entrepreneur®
- Jun 26, 2023 14 Greenspoon Marder Attorneys Recognized As 2023 Florida “Super Lawyers”
- Jun 21, 2023 Greenspoon Marder Represents Latin America Master Franchisee in Restructured Development Agreement
- Apr 5, 2023 Six Greenspoon Marder Attorneys Recognized as 2023 Legal Eagles by Franchise Times
- Mar 8, 2023 Greenspoon Marder Partner Adam G. Wasch Appointed to Marketing Committee in ABA Forum on Franchising
- Mar 6, 2023 Greenspoon Marder Partners with The Health Benefit Alliance for Private Event at IFA
- Jan 18, 2023 Evan M. Goldman Named Co-Chair of Greenspoon Marder’s Franchise Law Group
- Dec 8, 2022 Greenspoon Marder Counsels Prolific Sports Lab on Launch of Name, Image, and Likeness Initiatives
- Jun 28, 2022 Greenspoon Marder Partners Deborah Baker and Adam Wasch Recognized in Florida Trend’s 2022 “Legal Elite”
- Jun 24, 2022 Greenspoon Marder Successfully Represents Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming in Sale to Garnett Station Partners
- Jun 24, 2022 17 Greenspoon Marder Attorneys Recognized As 2022 Florida “Super Lawyers”
- May 2, 2022 Greenspoon Marder Launches Latin America Practice Group
- May 2, 2022 Greenspoon Marder lanza su área de práctica de América Latina
- Apr 4, 2022 Four Greenspoon Marder Attorneys Recognized as 2022 Legal Eagles by Franchise Times
- Mar 1, 2022 Greenspoon Marder Launches Franchise Law Practice Group Nationwide