Adam G. Wasch

Adam G. Wasch – Florida Franchise Law Attorney – Greenspoon Marder LLP

Partner and Co-Chair of the Franchise Law Practice Group

Adam is a Franchise Times Legal Eagle with an active practice that is focused on franchise law, franchise litigation, franchise dispute resolution, advising startup franchise companies and franchisees, franchise document drafting, startup franchising, and trademarks.

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.

AWARDS

  • Franchise Times, “Legal Eagle,” 2021 and 2022
  • Super Lawyers magazine, Florida “Super Lawyers,” Franchise & Dealership, 2022
  • 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

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • Florida
  • District of Columbia

COURT ADMISSIONS

  • U.S. District Court, Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida
  • United States District Bankruptcy Court, Southern and Middle District of Florida.
  • Third and Fourth District Court of Appeals of Florida

RECENT PRO HAC VICE ADMISSIONS:

  • District Court of Delaware
  • Western District of Tennessee

EDUCATION

  • J.D., Florida International University College of Law, 2009
  • B.S., University of Florida, Business Administration, cum laude, 2003

MEMBERSHIPS

  • ABA Forum on Franchising, Member
  • American Bar Association, Member
  • International Franchise Association (“IFA”​), Member
  • Volunteer Youth Sports Coach, City of Boca Raton Athletics, Boca Raton Little League, Soccer Association of Boca Raton, Boca Hoops