Bio

Rochelle Spandorf is a nationally recognized business franchise and distribution attorney with more than 35 years of experience representing franchisors, manufacturers, licensors, suppliers, franchisees, and distributors in their domestic and international expansion and strategic development. Shelley concentrates her practice on a broad spectrum of transactional and regulatory issues for clients in all industry sectors, from startups to mature public companies. Shelley assists clients with their contracts and legal compliance including preparing franchise disclosure documents, domestic and international franchise and distribution agreements, and registration filings. She counsels clients on franchise sales compliance duties, and advises franchise and non-franchise distribution systems on a broad array of operating issues ranging from contract enforcement to trademark protection, relationship disputes, antitrust and pricing matters, terminations and transfers, mergers and acquisitions, and implementation of system-wide changes. Shelley is one of nine attorneys ranked by Chambers US in its highest category (Band One) of leading U.S. franchise attorneys and is recognized as a certified specialist in franchise and distribution law by the California State Bar. She has the distinction of being the first woman to chair the ABA Forum on Franchising, the nation's preeminent association of franchise attorneys, and has twice chaired the California State Bar Franchise Law Committee in North America. She is a frequent speaker and author on franchise topics and resource to the press on franchise issues. Shelley was named by her peers as a 2022 "Lawyer of the Year" in the franchise law category in Best's Lawyers, and has consistently been recognized as a "Global Elite Thought Leader" in franchise law in Who's Who Legal USA, another annual peer ranking.