John Yiokaris
Practice Focus
John practices exclusively in the area of business law with an emphasis on franchising, licensing, intellectual property, and commercial and corporate disputes. His practice focuses on advising on all aspects of franchise and master franchise agreements, disclosure documents, franchisee associations, and franchise transactions, including workouts, defaults, and purchases and sales of franchise networks. In addition, he advises on intellectual property issues, including the procurement, licensing, and assignment of trade-marks. John services franchisors, franchisees, and franchisee associations on all aspects of franchise legal matters.
Contact
t: 416.977.3998
f: 416.977.0717
e: jyiokaris@sotosllp.com
Assistant: Eliza Lam
t: 416.977.5333 x 328
f: 416.977.0717
e: elam@sotosllp.com
Bar Admission
Ontario, 2000
Education
Juris Doctor (J.D.), Osgoode Hall Law School, 1997
Masters of International and Comparative Law (Magna Cum Laude), Stockholm University, 2000
Registered Trade Mark Agent
Peer Recognition
- Named “Legal Eagle” by Franchise Times magazine, 2013, Top Franchise Lawyers in North America
Publications and Seminars
- Regularly contributes to industry and professional publications including the Canadian Franchise Association and the Ontario Bar Association
- Regular presenter at conferences for such organizations as the Ontario Bar Association, the Canadian Franchise Association, and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade for the Government of Ontario.
Articles and Appearances
- Speaker – “Key Issues When Representing a Small Franchisee”, Ontario Bar Association 3rd Annual Business Law Summit, Toronto, May 15, 2013
- What Happens Next? Dealing with Statements of Material Change and Additional Disclosure, The Franchise Voice, (Winter 2013)
- Speaker – “Hot Topics in Rescission”, Ontario Bar Association 12th Annual Franchise Law Conference: For Better or For Worse: Franchise Relationships over the Long Term, Toronto, November 6, 2012
- Getting comfortable with disclosure: What Franchisors should know about “Material Facts”, The Franchise Voice, (Spring 2012)
- How do I renew my franchise agreement?, FranchiseCanada (May|June 2012)
- Trade-mark update: What you need to know about your trade-marks, In the know (Winter 2012)
- Disclosure documents and franchise resales: what franchisors should know, In the Know (Fall 2011)
- What are Franchisee Advisory Councils and Franchisee Associations?, FranchiseCanada (July|August 2011)
- Confusing Renewal Clauses and the Duty of Fair Dealing – Ontario Court of Appeal Addresses Both, In the Know (Winter 2011)
- “Material Changes” to a Disclosure Document – What do they mean?, In the Know (Winter 2011)
- Franchise Renewals: Issues Surrounding the Franchisor’s Right to Accept a Franchisee’s Exercise of a Renewal Option, Ontario Bar Association 10th Annual Franchise Law Conference (November 2010)
- What every Franchisor should know about Franchisee Advisory Councils and Franchisee Associations – Part 2, In the know (Spring 2009)
- What every Franchisor should know about Franchisee Advisory Councils and Franchisee Associations – Part 1, In the know (Winter 2009)
- Disclosure Document Refresher – What is this document anyways?, In the know (Fall 2008)
News
-
April 3, 2013
Seven Sotos LLP lawyers named to Franchise Times’ 2013 list of Legal Eagles -
February 21, 2013
John Yiokaris and Christine Jackson in The Franchise Voice -
January 17, 2013
Watch today: CFA Webinar “Sell Franchises, Avoid Rescission.” -
November 8, 2012
Register now: CFA webinar “Sell Franchises. Avoid Rescission.” -
September 4, 2012
Peter Viitre and John Yiokaris at OBA Franchise Law Conference