Justin focuses his practice in the areas of franchise law, commercial litigation, and general business law. He has served as legal counsel to businesses, both privately held and publicly traded, as well as individuals in transactions, litigation, arbitration and mediation throughout the United States and internationally. Justin also counsels and consults with businesses on methods of expansion and development including franchising, licensing, formation of strategic partnerships and other methods of distribution.
Justin is a zealous advocate for his clients, no matter how large or how small, but understands and appreciates the art of negotiation and the benefits of resolving disputes before trial. Justin has excelled at representing single and multi-unit franchisees. Justin represents the franchisees of many prominent franchise systems throughout the United States and internationally in all aspects of their franchise relationship, from acquisition, to development, to litigation. Justin has served as counsel to franchisees in litigation, arbitration and mediation throughout the United States and abroad, from single dealer termination matters to complex class actions. He has also been designated as lead counsel in two of the largest reported class action settlements involving national franchisors, which together resulted in settlements for franchisees valued in excess of $330 million. Justin also works with franchisees in various systems to improve franchisor-franchisee relations and assists in the formation of independent franchisee associations intended to benefit and protect franchisees throughout the particular franchise system. Additionally, Justin represents emerging franchisors, focusing his representation on responsible growth strategies, compliance, as well as litigation and dispute resolution.
Justin lectures frequently on a multitude of legal and business issues and is often quoted in national media in regards to franchise and business law matters. He has also been designated to speak on behalf of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority Entrepreneurial Training Institute as an expert on franchising.
Justin is recognized as a 'Legal Eagle', one of the nation’s leading franchise attorneys, by the Franchise Times.
Justin is a member the American Bar Association (Franchise Section, Litigation Section), the International Franchise Association, the New York Bar Association, the New Jersey Bar Association, the Association of the Trial Lawyers of America and the American Franchisee Association. He is also a contributing author of the Franchise Litigation Deskbook (2010).
Justin is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of New Jersey and New York, the District of Colorado, the District of Wisconsin and the Eastern District of Michigan, and has handled matters throughout the United States, Europe and Canada.
Representative Matters
Siemer v. Quizno's Franchise Co. LLC, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 82433 (N.D. Ill. Aug. 13, 2010) (Counsel for Plaintiff Franchisees in class action settlement valued at $206 Million).
Desantis v. Snap-On Tools Co., LLC, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 78362 (D.N.J. Oct. 27, 2006) (Counsel for Plaintiff Franchisees in class action settlement valued at approximately $125 Million).
Bray v. QFA Royalties LLC, 486 F. Supp. 2d 1237 (D. Colo. 2007) (Successfully represented franchisees in obtaining injunction from termination of franchise rights for allegedly violating provisions of the franchise agreement). This case was considered one of the Top 5 Landmark Lawsuits Affecting Franchisees of 2007 in a presentation at the American Bar Association forum on Franchising and in the book titled Annual Franchise and Distribution Law Developments 2007.
Cutrone v. Java's Brewin' Development, Inc., Docket No. L-4639-06 (N.J. Super. April 7, 2009) (Jamie S. Perri, P.J.Cv., entered a judgment for Plaintiffs against franchisor, principal in franchise company and franchise sales person for fraud and various contract claims, with interest, attorney's fees and costs in the amount of $241,646 on behalf of three individuals who invested money to purchase and operate a Java's Brewin' franchise).
Westerfield v. Quizno's Franchise Co., Civil Action No.: 06-cv-1210 (E.D. Wis. Apr. 16, 2008) (Court granted Plaintiffs' motion on reconsideration of dismissal of claims of racketeering and fraud by franchisor and allowed putative class of franchisees to proceed on claims under federal RICO statutes and fraud).
Bonanno v. Quiznos Master LLC, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21678 (D. Colo. March 5, 2008) (Successfully opposed Defendant franchisor's motion to dismiss class complaint for violation of consumer protection act, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, fraud and other claims filed on behalf of over 3,000 franchisees).
Bonanno v. Quiznos Master LLC, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 26458 (D. Colo. Apr. 10, 2007) (Obtained protective order on behalf of putative class members where franchisor was unilaterally soliciting releases through inappropriate communications).
Westerfield v. Quizno's Franchise Co., LLC, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25968 (E.D. Wis. Apr. 6, 2007) (Obtained protective order on behalf of putative class members where franchisor was unilaterally soliciting releases through inappropriate communications).
Recent Publications
FRANCHISE LITIGATION HANDBOOK (Dennis LaFiura and C. Griffith Towle, eds., 2010) Justin M. Klein co-authored with Robert T. Joseph, Chapter 5: Motions For Summary Judgment.
33rd Annual Forum On Franchising: Some Like It Hot (CD-ROM, rel. Oct. 13, 2010) Justin M. Klein and C. Griffith Towle on “Stop That Right Now- Preparing For and Winning Injunctions”. |
