Our Team
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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.
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.
Acquisition International
Leading Franchise Structuring and Development Attorney of the Year, Arizona
- 2019–2020
Attorney at Law Magazine
- Attorney of the Month: 2015
AVVO
- Perfect “10” Rating
Best Law Firms in America – US News & World Report
- Franchise Law: 2018–2024
Best Lawyers in America – US News & World Report
- Franchise Law: 2021–2024
Entrepreneur Magazine
Annual Ranking of Top 15 Law Firms in U.S. for Franchise Law (rankings began in 2018)
- 2022 (rank # 12)
- 2021 (rank # 7)
- 2020 (rank # 8)
- 2018 (rank # 15)
Franchise Times – Legal Eagle
Legal Eagle (recognition identifying top franchise lawyers in North America)
- 2008
- 2010–2023 (2021 recipient of highest number of votes according to Franchise Times staff member)
Latin Lawyer Magazine
- 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)
Lexology – Thought Leaders USA
Client Choice Award (recognition awarded exclusively based on nominations submitted by in-house corporate counsel)
- Franchising: 2019 (Sole Recipient in U.S. for Franchise Law)
Phoenix Magazine
Top Lawyer (based on peer nominations)
- 2022 (Inaugural Listing)–2024
Super Lawyers
Southwest Super Lawyer (top 5% of attorneys in Southwest over 40 years of age)
- 2018–2023
Southwest Rising Star (top 2.5% of attorneys in Southwest under 40 years of age)
- 2012–2016
Who’s Who Legal
- Franchise: 2016–2024
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
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.
Rebecca L. Roby
Rebecca L. Roby is a senior intellectual property, marketing and commercial law executive with more than 20 years of experience advising global consumer brands on trademark strategy, advertising compliance, brand risk and commercial transactions. She has held leadership roles at Ulta Beauty, Red Bull and Hard Rock International, where she managed global trademark portfolios, enforced brand rights, negotiated a wide variety of contracts, advised on new technologies and partnered closely with marketing and business teams on campaigns, endorsements, and influencer-related compliance.
Rebecca brings a business-first mindset to brand protection and litigation strategy, helping organizations safeguard brand value while supporting growth across international markets. She is known for clear, practical counsel, cross-functional collaboration, and a forward-looking approach to emerging technology and evolving marketing practices. Rebecca earned her JD from Washington University School of Law and her BA from Mount Holyoke College. When not busy working, she can be found on the pickleball court, playing with her French Bulldogs, or joining her daughter at the horse stable.