Bio

Maral Kilejian focuses her practice in the areas of franchise and distribution law and advertising, marketing, and promotional law. Maral is a nationally-recognized franchise attorney who provides practical initial and ongoing counsel and legal support to franchisors in the structuring and operation of domestic franchise programs and international expansion, including in the drafting of franchise-related agreements, franchise compliance issues, franchise and business opportunity registrations and exemptions, non-traditional venues, alternative distribution channels, managing franchisee relationships, and crisis management. She represents franchisors in all stages of their business life cycle, from those just beginning to venture into franchising, to emerging brands, to mature multi-national franchisors. Maral is the co-chair of the Advertising, Marketing, and Promotional Law practice group and routinely advises clients on compliance, regulatory, and contract negotiation matters. She provides practical advice and guidance to clients regarding the structure and implementation of marketing and advertising campaigns, and both domestic and international promotions, contests and giveaways across various media, including text message promotions and social media campaigns. She routinely conducts advertising reviews for clients, including in the areas of claim substantiation, comparative advertising, trademark usage, and FTC and state law compliance. Maral also prepares, reviews, and negotiates sponsorship and endorsement agreements, influencer agreements, promotional license agreements, and marketing services agreements and advises in the structuring, advertising, and state regulatory requirements surrounding commercial charitable promotions. Maral is a Certified Franchise Executive, as designated by the International Franchise Association, a Franchise Times Legal Eagle (each year since 2016), and an active member of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Franchising, currently serving as a member of the Forum’s Marketing Committee. From 2015 until 2019, she served as a Topics and Articles Editor for the Franchise Law Journal, and from 2013 to 2015 she served on the Forum’s Diversity Caucus’s Steering Committee. Maral is routinely asked to speak at national conferences on franchise and advertising law matters.