By Sheila Pursglove
Legal News
Franchise attorney Rebecca Turner gets an “up-close and personal” view of the industry: her husband Jason and his family own and operate multiple Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches restaurants and a Biggby Coffee.
“It truly provides me with a unique perspective into the everyday life of both a franchisor and franchisee,” says Turner, co-chair of the Franchise and Distribution Practice Group at Maddin, Hauser, Roth & Heller in Southfield.
That unique perspective was particularly evident during the Northeast blackout of 2003; her husband’s first Jimmy John’s restaurant was one of the few establishments with power and there were lines out the door.
“I started on the line making sandwiches, but couldn’t keep up with the speed. I was relegated to phone calls with radio stations letting people know we were open,” Turner says with a smile. “I now limit my help to providing legal advice.”
Turner assists franchisors in disclosure, registration, business structure, contract negotiations, and other matters impacting the franchise industry. Her law practice also involves working with franchisees, companies and other entrepreneurs to structure their businesses to promote growth, maximize available time and minimize risk.
For Turner, the most enjoyable part of franchise law is working closely with entrepreneurs and providing insightful, innovative and impactful legal representation throughout the lifecycle of a business.
“The end result is a positive bottom-line impact and realization of my clients’ ‘vision of success,’” she says.
According to Turner, a successful entrepreneur is practical, reasonable, and creative.
“He or she has conviction, resolve, and courage, and is a leader in their industry,” she says. “Pitfalls often come from not surrounding yourself with the right team. I strongly encourage all start-up clients to work with a business coach or CEO consultant. At a certain point, a franchisor has to learn how to run the business, not just operate a store or unit.”
Turner’s qualifications include certification by the International Franchise Association as a Certified Franchise Executive. She is currently a member of the International Franchise Association, the Women’s Franchise Network of Southeast Michigan, the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan, the Oakland County Bar Association and the Oakland County Bar Foundation (Fellow). She is also a Past President of the Women’s Bar Association and the Oakland Region of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan.
The impact of franchising on the economy as a whole often goes unrecognized, Turner notes. The International Franchise Association estimates that franchise businesses – that exist in the automotive, commercial and residential services, lodging, restaurants, and real estate to name only a few industries – accounted for more than 3 percent of U.S. GDP or a total of $454 billion in 2012.
“The number of franchise establishments continuously outpaces the opening of non-franchised establishments, and franchised businesses continuously establish more new jobs than the private sector,” she says.
A current hot topic is the national effort to increase the minimum wage, a move that will have a big impact on franchise-related businesses.
“Multi-unit operators may be able to shoulder the burden of increased operating costs, but single unit operators will find it difficult not to pass the costs through to consumers,” she says. “It’s hard to imagine how expensive a hamburger can be before a consumer is no longer willing to buy it.”
According to Turner, the Franchise and Distribution Practice Group at Maddin Hauser is very similar to the entrepreneurs they represent.
“We consider ourselves lucky to be considered thought leaders in our industry and even luckier to be partners with our clients,” she says.
Turner first became interested in law at Woodhaven High School, where a government teacher engaged the students and provided hands-on opportunities to understand the impact that legal and business communities have on governmental matters. She began undergrad studies with a focus on pre-law courses, the first being business law.
“I very quickly decided business and corporate law suited my talents best,” she says. “Accounting was a natural fit to enable me to counsel clients with a global business approach.”
She went on to earn her juris doctor, cum laude, from Syracuse University College of Law, the first step in a career that has seen her named a 2013 and 2014 DBusiness Top Lawyer; 2008-2010 and 2012 Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Star; recognized as one of five Up and Coming Lawyers by Michigan Lawyers Weekly in 2006; and one of 10 women showcased in an article, “Raising the Bar,” in the Crain’s Detroit Business issue Focus: Law.
Serving on the firm’s Recruiting Committee and as an adviser to the Associate Group, she enjoys interacting with law students during the recruitment process and mentoring new associates.
“Mentoring is a process that never ends,” she explains. “Any success I’ve had in my career is because of those mentors giving their time and experience. I hope I’m also as giving of my time and experiences so I can help other attorneys grow in their practice of the law.”
Turner and her husband make their home in Rochester. In her leisure time, she is an avid reader; and when not shuttling her children – Owen, 8, Lauren, 6, and Carson, 2 – to their many activities, she enjoys attending sporting events and entertaining family and friends.
“I am, of course, a lifelong Detroit Tigers fan, but I also enthusiastically follow Syracuse men’s basketball,” she says. “My neighbors think I missed my calling as a party planner.”
A believer in the importance of volunteering individual time and talents, she serves as Vice President on the Board of Holy Family Regional School in Rochester where her two older children attend.
“As an attorney working full time, my time is generally only available in the evenings and my talents include prior board experience and a background in business and law, all of which are essential for a successful school and school board,” she says.
Her family participates in many fund-raising activities with the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, Michigan Chapter, and for the last several years, has formed a team to walk in Take Steps Metro Detroit. This year
her son Owen, diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease at age 5, is the Honored Youth Hero for Take Steps and on June 21 will lead more than 1,700 walkers through Royal Oak and then speak to the group.
“We also work with the CCFA to organize an annual golf outing that in its first year raised over $16,000,” she says. “We’re hoping to far surpass that at the August 2014 outing.”
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