OUR MISSION & MOTIVATION
A DIFFERENT TYPE OF FIRM
To excel in this market, a law firm must be flexible and sensitive to the needs of its clients. Our business model is far from traditional. From our creative fee structures to our virtual law firm environment to the non-traditional experiences and backgrounds that we value in our legal professionals, we’ve built a different type of law firm.
A DIFFERENT FOCUS
Rather than cater to everyone, we aggressively focus on the needs of our target clientele – businesses looking to grow through franchising. We have built our firm around those needs. Our guiding philosophy is a never-ending pursuit to provide not just the best legal advice, but to also serve as valuable business advisors for our clients.
We know franchising. We know business. We go to great lengths to know YOUR business. We are not just lawyers, but business people who bring real world experience to the table. This real world experience sets us apart from other law firms. Our goal is to deliver the optimal blend of business and legal expertise to clients seeking to grow their Businesses Through Franchising.
Our lawyers are not “traditional” lawyers.
A DIFFERENT BREED OF LEGAL PROFESSIONAL
Dan Matthews brings a rich background in franchise regulation, serving as a Franchise Examining Attorney and Associate General Counsel with the Washington Department of Financial Institutions, and as a chair and member of several NASAA committees. As a franchise examiner, Dan reviewed and vetted over 500 franchise disclosure documents (FDDs) and also participated, alongside the Washington Attorney General’s office, in investigations and enforcement actions relating to both franchise and securities offerings. He also regularly collaborated with the SEC, FINRA and the FTC on application reviews and forthcoming regulatory matters. He frequently presented at national conferences and trainings on a variety of securities and franchise related events. In 2017, he entered private franchise practice under his own law firm, Matthews Franchise Law, working with new and established franchisors, as well as franchisees seeking to purchase franchises. Dan also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and worked on a trade desk managing a multi-billion dollar fixed income portfolio.
Michael Reagan brings over two decades of legal and franchising expertise to the Firm. From 2000 until the sale of the company in June, 2016, Michael served as a senior executive and the General Counsel of Kahala Brands, Ltd., which owns well-known brands such as Cold Stone Creamery, Blimpie, Great Steak & Potato and America’s Taco Shop. At Kahala Brands, Mike was responsible for overseeing all of the legal and administrative affairs for the company and its over 3,200 restaurant locations worldwide. In this role, he also oversaw the Human Resources, Real Estate, Information Technology, and Transfer/Renewal Departments for Kahala Brands. Since joining the company in 2000, Michael played a key role on the executive team that helped grow the company from one concept with 80 units to nineteen concepts with over 3,200 units. His extensive experience in the industry has afforded him the opportunity to be able to speak to different groups and organizations as one of the top franchise experts in the country. Prior to joining Kahala Brands, Michael was a commercial transaction attorney at Ryley, Carlock & Applewhite, a Phoenix-based law firm serving Fortune 1000 clients, and a staff accountant at Deloitte & Touche, LLP, serving Arizona-based Fortune 500 clients.
Aaron Gagnon is focused on the intersection of law and business. Following law school, Aaron joined the legal department of Kahala Brands, where he worked closely with Mike Reagan. Over his seven-plus years at Kahala, Aaron has worked his way to the position of Vice President of Litigation & Assistant General Counsel, where he manages litigation, executes M&A strategy and due diligence processes, oversees risk management strategies, and develops processes to continually improve Kahala’s legal systems. While managing a very hectic workload at Kahala, Aaron started a franchise consulting company where he assisted franchisors in developing their franchise systems.
Ashley Nielsen has more than seven years of franchise law experience representing both franchisors and franchisees. Ashley has represented countless franchisors, ranging from start-up to mature, with their regulatory and transactional franchise needs. She has also served as “outsourced corporate counsel” to many of her franchisor clients, assisting with a variety of general corporate matters including vendor agreements, employment matters, asset purchase agreements, leases, and more. She regularly assists franchisor clients with the pre-litigation stages of disputes with franchisees. She also works extensively with franchisee buyers in evaluating and purchasing their franchises, as well as with current franchisees in setting up, operating, selling, and winding down their franchised businesses. Ashley recently served as Chair of the Franchise Committee of the North Carolina Bar Association and has presented multiple continuing learning education classes on franchising to business lawyers in North Carolina. Prior to joining Warshawsky Law Group, Ashley was Of Counsel at the North Carolina law firm of Manning, Fulton & Skinner, P.A., and clerked for Justice Cheri Beasley of the Supreme Court of North Carolina.
In addition to the unique experiences listed above, our attorneys also have “big firm” experience where they gained valuable training, insights and skills representing sophisticated clients in complex transactions. Dan Warshawsky spent seven years with Greenberg Traurig, one of the largest law firms in the United States, where he was involved with representing some of the most successful franchise brands in the country. However, it is our business experience that sets us apart.
A DIFFERENT ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP
We know what businesses need. We also know that fixing a problem “after the fact” is more expensive and time consuming than avoiding the problem in the first place. That’s why we spend countless hours getting to know each client’s business in depth. And that’s why many of our clients sign up for our ongoing flat fee package plans. We encourage clients to pick up the phone and keep us apprised of relevant business developments without fear of their next monthly invoice. Clients shouldn’t have to conduct a cost/benefit analysis to determine whether it’s worthwhile to seek our advice on a regular basis. We strive to be proactive business advisors that steer our clients away from trouble BEFORE trouble has a chance to rear its ugly head.
Our Team
WHY CHOOSE US?
Warshawsky Law Group is a non-traditional law firm revolutionizing the landscape of franchise legal services. Since our inception in 2013, we’ve backed up our commitment to deliver proactive, practical and pragmatic legal services of the highest quality while maintaining our predictable and affordable fee structures.
WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT OUR CLIENTS
WE HELP WITH FRANCHISE LAW AND BUSINESS
WE ARE NOT ONLY EXPERIENCED BUT RECOGNIZED NATIONWIDE
DAN WARSHAWSKY
Dan is a franchise, licensing and distribution attorney who represents clients in all aspects of franchise and distribution law. He is consistently recognized as one of the top franchise lawyers in the country. His practice focuses on franchise structuring and development, preparation of franchise disclosure documents and agreements, franchise registrations and exemptions, franchise relations, franchise compliance, franchise avoidance, international franchising, mergers and acquisitions of franchise systems, distributorships and licensing. Dan represents both franchisor and franchisee clients (primarily multi-unit and master franchisees), although his practice predominantly involves franchisor representation.
Dan has worked with countless franchise systems over his career. He assists with all aspects of franchising other than litigation matters. Dan has launched hundreds of new franchise systems and helped his clients establish and grow their national (and in some cases international) presence in a legally compliant manner. He has significant experience with international franchising. In fact, Dan has been involved with franchise transactions well over 100 countries, representing some of the most globally recognized franchise brands.
Dan started his legal career as a regulatory attorney providing compliance advice to various financial institutions. In 2004, Dan was asked to assist with a franchise matter. From that day forward, Dan dedicated his practice exclusively to franchising. He spent the first several years of his legal career with Greenberg Traurig, which, at the time, was one of the largest law firms in the United States. Although he gained tremendous experience with Greenberg Traurig, he recognized that he needed to launch his own law firm in order to accomplish his professional objectives.
In 2013, Dan founded Warshawsky Law Group (originally Warshawsky Seltzer, PLLC) – a boutique franchise law firm that aggressively focuses on the needs of businesses looking to grow domestically and internationally through franchising.
- 2019–2020
- Attorney of the Month: 2015
- Perfect “10” Rating
- Franchise Law: 2018–2024
- Franchise Law: 2021–2024
- 2022 (rank # 12)
- 2021 (rank # 7)
- 2020 (rank # 8)
- 2018 (rank # 15)
- 2008
- 2010–2023 (2021 recipient of highest number of votes according to Franchise Times staff member)
- 2007 M&A Deal of the Year Award (represented Woods Staton & Arcos Dorados in acquisition of 1,560 corporate-owned McDonalds and master franchise rights for all of of Latin America and certain Caribbean countries)
- Franchising: 2019 (Sole Recipient in U.S. for Franchise Law)
- 2022 (Inaugural Listing)
- 2023
- 2018–2023
- 2012–2016
- Franchise: 2016–2023
Awards We Have Won
Olivia Davis
Olivia Davis
Olivia Davis
DAN MATTHEWS
Dan Matthews is an experienced franchise attorney with a foundation in franchise regulation. He served as a Franchise Examining Attorney and Associate General Counsel with the Washington Department of Financial Institutions from 2011 to 2017. As a franchise examiner, Dan reviewed and vetted over 500 franchise disclosure documents (FDDs) and also participated, alongside the Washington Attorney General’s office, in investigations and enforcement actions relating to both franchise and securities offerings. While serving as a franchise examiner, Dan obtained the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2015. In 2017, he entered private franchise practice under his own law firm, Matthews Franchise Law, working with new and established franchisors, as well as franchisees seeking to purchase franchises. In 2021, Dan joined Warshawsky Law Group, where he now serves the startup and ongoing franchise needs of new and established regional, national, and international franchisors.
- 2015–2017
- 2020–2023
REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS
ASHLEY NIELSEN
Ashley Nielsen has more than seven years of franchise law experience and represents both franchisor and franchisee clients. She routinely assists franchisors with pre-litigation disputes, day-to-day operations, commercial contracts, franchise disclosure documents and agreements, and lease agreements. Her franchisee practice focuses on assisting with franchisee buyers in evaluating and purchasing their franchises, as well as with current franchisees in setting up, operating, selling, and winding down their franchised businesses. Ashley recently served as Chair of the Franchise Committee of the North Carolina Bar Association and has presented multiple continuing learning education classes on franchising to business lawyers in North Carolina. Prior to joining Warshawsky Law Group, Ashley was Of Counsel at the North Carolina law firm of Manning, Fulton & Skinner, P.A., and clerked for Justice Cheri Beasley of the Supreme Court of North Carolina.
- Franchise Law: 2024
- 2022–2023
- Franchise/Dealership Law: 2020 – 2024
MICHAEL REAGAN
Michael brings over 35 years of franchise experience to The Warshawsky Law Group. Michael’s franchise experience began when he, along with his family, was a franchisee of a national signs and graphics franchise. During their 11 years as a franchisee, they become the largest franchise by sales in the system of 500+ units and were named National Small Business of the Year by the US Small Business Administration.
After graduating law school in 1998, Michael began a 25-year career as a franchise lawyer. First, for over 17 years, he served as General Counsel of Kahala Brands, Ltd., a multi-brand quick service restaurant (QSR) franchisor that grew from a handful of units to more than 7,000 across 20 unique restaurant brands, including Cold Stone Creamery and Blimpie Subs. For the past eight years, Michael has been Of Counsel with The Warshawsky Law Group, with a focus on representing franchisees in all their legal transactional needs — from incorporation, to purchasing a franchise, and negotiating a lease for their location to buying existing franchise units or selling their franchises and existing the system. Michael prides himself on bringing a business-minded approach to helping franchises efficiently get in to or out of the business in a cost-effective manner.
During Michael’s 25 years as a franchise lawyer, he has successfully negotiated thousands of commercial real estate leases, handled hundreds of purchases and sales of existing franchised units, and both drafted and reviewed countless franchise disclosure documents (FDDs) and franchise agreements from both the franchisee and franchisor sides. Based on this experience being both a franchisee and franchisor, he is passionate about helping franchisees while still respecting and understanding the needs of the franchisor to ensure transactions can be completed to both parties satisfaction.
Born and raised in Homewood, Ill., Michael moved to Arizona in 1991 and has been in th desert ever since. He is both a licensed attorney and CPA in the state of Arizona.
Michael lives in Scottsdale, Ariz. with his wife and four children. When not practicing franchise law and chasing his kids around, Michael is an avid football and basketball fan, and loves pla pickleball, hiking, traveling and reading.
AARON GAGNON
Aaron Gagnon is focused on the intersection of law and business. Following law school, Aaron joined the legal department of Kahala Brands, where he worked closely with Mike Reagan. Over his Seven-plus years at Kahala, Aaron| has worked his way to the position of Vice President of Litigation & Assistant General Counsel, where he manages litigation, executes M&A strategy and| due diligence processes, oversees risk management strategies, processes to continually improve Kahala;s systems. While managing a very hectic workload at Kahala, Aaron started a franchise consulting company where he assisted franchisosr in developing their franchise systems.
HAPPY CLIENTS
WORKSHAWSKY LAW GROUP
Choosing to work with...
” Choosing to work with Dan at Warshawsky Law Group was the best decision we could have made when starting our franchise. “
-Vitanya Wellness Centers - Scottsdale, Arizona
Michael S., CEO
Choosing to work with...
” Choosing to work with Dan at Warshawsky Law Group was the best decision we could have made when starting our franchise. “
-Vitanya Wellness Centers - Scottsdale, Arizona
Michael S., CEO
Choosing to work with...
” Choosing to work with Dan at Warshawsky Law Group was the best decision we could have made when starting our franchise. “
-Vitanya Wellness Centers - Scottsdale, Arizona
Michael S., CEO
Choosing to work with...
” Choosing to work with Dan at Warshawsky Law Group was the best decision we could have made when starting our franchise. “