(Nashville, TN/April 16, 2008) For the second year in a row, 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 for 2008 includes 125 franchise attorneys from across the country.
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 is 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. He will be leading the training as part of the 2008 IFA Legal Roundtable event in Philadelphia on April 18. He will also be speaking at the IFA's Legal Symposium on May 12-13 in Washington, D.C. on a panel discussing advanced topics in mergers and acquisitions of franchise companies. Additionally, Buckberg serves as the host for the IFA's quarterly Franchise Business Network meetings in Tennessee and Mississippi.