(Nashville, TN/April 7, 2010) For the fourth consecutive year, Joel R. Buckberg, head of the franchise and hospitality practice groups of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, has been named a Legal Eagle by Franchise Times, a national publication for franchisors and multi-unit franchisees.
An annual listing that recognizes franchise law attorneys on the basis of input from their peers and clients, the Legal Eagles list includes leading franchise attorneys from across the country. To be included as a Legal Eagle, attorneys must be nominated by their peers or clients and must meet the criteria of the Franchise Times editorial panel.
Mr. Buckberg counsels clients on corporate and asset transactions and operations, particularly in hospitality, franchising and distribution, including strategic planning and transactions, financing, mergers and acquisitions, system policy and practice development, regulatory compliance and contract system drafting. Active in the International Franchise Association (IFA), he serves as administrator for the IFA's Franchise Compliance Training Program, an educational program designed to aid franchise companies in meeting the requirements of federal and state franchise sales and disclosure regulations, and has been one of the legal advisors for IFA's new FranGuard compliance training program. He served as co-editor of the 2009 edition of Annual Developments in Franchise and Distribution Law published by the American Bar Association. He is the editor of Baker Donelson's Hospitalitas electronic newsletter on franchising and hospitality. Additionally, Mr. Buckberg serves as the host for the IFA's quarterly Franchise Business Network meetings in Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi.