Franchising can offer flexible and cost-effective solutions for firms looking to grow internationally. Expert Andrew Pena takes a look at what firms need to consider. more»

Andrew Pena looks at the best ways to manage relationships in franchising – when the interests of a franchisor and franchisee are no longer mutually compatible and disputes arise more»

The government's 5p charge on plastic bags comes into effect from today, but doesn't include retailers employing fewer than 250 employees, in an attempt to keep from burdening businesses with too much red tape. Small retailers though, are worried this will actually cause more confusion. more»

Gordon Drakes is a senior associate at Fieldfisher, ranked last year by legal guide Chambers UK as the top law firm in franchising. He answers some of the most common questions posed by prospective franchisees and outlines the right way to approach signing up to start a franchise. more»

Franchise expert Andrew Pena goes into detail on the tensions that sometimes exist at the heart of the franchise relationship and gives advice on solutions. more»

Andrew Pena, founding partner of Cubism Law, explores quick service restaurant funding models for franchisees eager to grab a slice of the pie. more»

With a franchise usually involving the granting by the franchisor to the franchisee the rights to use a brand and proven business format and systems, here is more detail on getting the IP and financials right. more»

Franchising provides a well trodden path for companies to develop and grow their business, and is employed by major international brands such as McDonalds, Subway and KFC. So, here's how the mechanism works. more»

I'm Andrew Pena, Cubism Law’s MD and founder. I was born in Spain before moving to the UK as a child, where in my youth, I loved the sciences and “making things”. It was this love of creating which attracted me to law, then to franchising, and indeed to build my own law firm. more»