John Sotos

Practice Focus

John advises on domestic and international franchise, licensing and distribution law with a large national and international client base. He represents franchisors in connection with franchise transactions, workouts, defaults, purchases and sales of franchise networks, master franchising and creditor and debtor rights on both franchisor and franchisee insolvencies. He has extensive experience in all aspects of franchise and co-operative associations. John also works closely with the Sotos LLP litigation department on complex franchise litigation.

John is known for his excellent interpersonal skills and sound practical advice.

Contact

t: 416.977.9806
f: 416.977.0717
e: jsotos@sotosllp.com

Assistant: Victoria Boucovala
t: 416.977.5333 x 304
f: 416.977.0717
e: vboucovala@sotosllp.com

Bar Admission

Ontario, 1980

Education

LL.B., University of Western Ontario, 1978

Peer Recognition

  • Named “Legal Eagle” by Franchise Times magazine, 2013, Top Franchise Lawyers in North America
  • Listed in the Canadian Legal LEXPERT Directory as a leading franchise practitioner (1997-2012)
  • Listed in the LEXPERT/American Lawyer Media Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada
  • Listed in Best Lawyers Canada (2012)
  • Listed in the International Who’s Who of Franchise Lawyers (2012), International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers (2013), and Who’s Who Legal: Canada
  • Highest ranking (AV Preeminent) in Martindale-Hubbell (2013)

Representative Work

  • Successful franchisor restructuring under CCAA and BIA
  • Negotiates franchise agreements on a system-wide basis
  • Special Counsel to a number of national and international franchisors and Director of numerous companies and not-for-profit organizations
  • Appointed Co-chair of the Uniform Law Conference of Canada Franchising Project by the Federal and Provincial governments with a mandate to develop uniform franchise legislation across Canada
  • Appointed to the Franchise Working Sector Team by the Ontario Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations to provide ongoing advice on franchise industry regulation
  • Ongoing work to assist developing countries in the adoption of franchising as a vehicle for economic expansion

Selected Publications

  • Recent Trends in Franchise Relationship Laws, prepared for the Annual Conference of the International Bar Association in Dubai, October 2011.
  • “The Rationale Behind Franchise Regulation”, Newsletter of the International Bar Association Committee on International Franchising, July 2011
  • “Mass Franchise Disputes” CFA Ontario Region Legal Day, March 2011
  • “Ethical Issues for Franchise Lawyers” OBA Franchise Section Dinner Program, February 2011
  • “News from Around the World” IFA, May 2010
  • “Supplying the Franchise System” Canadian Business Opportunities Magazine, February 2010
  • “Your Franchisees will Look before they Leap” Canadian Business Opportunities Magazine, May 2010
  • “System Changes” Canadian Business Opportunities Magazine, November 2009
  • “Developing an Advisory Council” IFA, May 2009
  • “Fee Setting for Unit Franchise Agreements” Canadian Business Opportunities Magazine, May 2009
  • “Eight Habits of Successful Franchisors” Canadian Business Opportunities Magazine, April 2009
  • “Manitoba law reform commission: A franchise law report”, In the know (Winter 2009)
  • “Key Issues In Avoiding And Managing Franchise Disputes” Ontario Bar Association, October 2008
  • “The Whys and Hows of Preparing a Franchise Disclosure Document” Canadian Business Opportunities Magazine, October 2008
  • “So You Want to Franchise In Canada? Things to Know” The Franchise Marketplace, August 2008
  • “Common Pitfalls of Start-up Franchising and How to Avoid Them” Canadian Business Opportunities Magazine, July 2008
  • “Canadian Franchise Disclosure Laws: Disclosure of Rebates” National Franchise Law Symposium, March 2008
  • “Canadian Franchise Disclosure Statutes: Exemptions and Exclusions” National Franchise Law Symposium, March 2008
  • “Just Give Us the (Material) Facts, Ma’am” Ontario Bar Association, November 2007
  • “I Prepared My Ontario Disclosure Document. Now What?” Canadian Franchise Association, April 2007
  • “Some Complex Franchise Disclosure Issues” Ontario Bar Association, Annual Franchise Law Conference, October 2004
  • “Franchise Encroachment: The Crouching Tiger” Canadian Franchise Association, April 2004
  • “Franchising Soup to Nuts”, Ontario Bar Association, January 2004
  • “Franchising: A Business Model for SMEs Development in Africa” African Development Bank, Annual Meeting, June 2003
  • “Franchise Regulations: Observations and Options for Africa” African Development Bank, Study on Franchising, May 2002
  • “Dealing with Difficult Issues in Preparing Disclosure Documents” Canadian Franchise Association Annual Legal Symposium, November 2001
  • “A Guide to Understanding a Franchise Disclosure Document” Canadian Food and Beverage Magazine, October 2001
  • “Investigating a Franchise Opportunity” Canadian Franchise Association Legal Symposium, May 2000
  • “Fundamentals of Franchising” Canadian Bar Association of Ontario, December 1999
  • “The Perils of National Automobile Dealer Arbitration Program” Franchising and Distribution Law Journal, 1997
  • “Arbitration Not a Panacea in Franchise Disputes” Franchising and Distribution Law Journal, December 1996

Specialties

Practice Areas

Professional Associations

  • Canadian Franchise Association
  • International Franchise Association
  • American and International Bar Associations