Axley's Distribution and Franchise Team understands that our clients' number one goal is running a successful business. Consistent with this goal, our distribution and franchise lawyers focus on anticipating and solving distribution and franchising problems in a cost effective manner.

A vast patchwork of laws govern distribution relationships, including state and federal dealership, franchise, business opportunity, and sales representative laws. The Distribution and Franchise Team represents manufacturers, distributors, franchisors, franchisees, licensees and many other types of businesses that are affected by this web of federal and state statutes and regulations. Axley's clients have included motor vehicle dealerships, liquor distributorships, utility vehicle manufacturers, flooring distributors, cosmetic product suppliers, numerous franchisees and other businesses.

Axley's Distribution and Franchise Team has significant experience counseling clients as to:

• Distribution networks
• Distribution contracts
• Dealer terminations
• Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement
• Product recall
• Litigation

Not all problems are conducive to business solutions. For those circumstances, the Distribution and Franchise Team includes a team of aggressive litigators with a breadth of distribution and franchise law litigation experience.

Publications

2/1/2011
Understanding Your Distribution Contract: The "Best Efforts" Clause

1/25/2011
What Do McDonalds, Burger King and SoccerTots Have in Common? The Wisconsin Franchise Investment Law

1/6/2011
$518,000 Judgment for Alleged Semi-Truck Defect Illustrates Reach of Wisconsin Lemon Law

12/14/2010
Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law: Let the Grantor Beware

Team Members

Robert Procter
Mr. Procter is the leader of Axley's Distribution and Franchise Team. Mr. Procter counsels manufacturers and distributors relating to dealership and franchise issues including matters under the Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law, franchise compliance and enforcement, product recalls and litigation relating to distributor terminations.

Michael Modl
Mr. Modl’s litigation practice focuses on federal court litigation in the areas of complex commercial disputes. He has litigated various distribution and dealer termination cases in multiple jurisdictions. Mr. Modl is admitted to practice law in the state courts of Wisconsin, the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin.

Bruce Harms
Mr. Harms focuses his practice on representation of businesses with regard to entity formation, contract negotiations and general business. He has experience representing automobile dealerships relating to all facets of business.

Greg Collins
Mr. Collins focuses his practice on representation of businesses with regard to entity formation, contract negotiations, and complex business. He counsels automobile and truck dealerships as to all business matters including acquisions of dealerships, succession planning and finance matters.

Judd A. Genda
Mr. Genda is the chair of Axley's Business Law group, representing a wide array of manufacturers and service providers with contract preparation, review and negotiations. He has significant experience negotiating and drafting distribution agreements and advising clients as to the issues and concerns facing national distribution channels.

Jane Crandall
Ms. Crandall is a paralegal and the firm’s librarian. She monitors changes to all applicable distribution and franchise laws. Ms. Crandall has extensive experience researching, writing and presenting on various academic disciplines.

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