Philip F. Zeidman is a senior partner with DLA Piper's Franchise and Distribution practice, based in Washington, DC. He devotes his practice to domestic franchising law and the rapidly growing field of international distribution, licensing and franchising law.

Mr. Zeidman was recently named Global Franchise Lawyer of the Year at the Who's Who Legal Awards for the seventh consecutive year, by Who's Who Legal, publisher of The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers. Chambers USA/Global: America's Leading Lawyers for Business ranks him among the foremost practitioners of franchising law, and in 2011 named him a Senior Statesman, quoting a client who said, "You'd have to be blind, deaf and dumb not to know Phil Zeidman." Chambers Global 2010 calls him the "best-known lawyer in the world on the international front" for franchising. In 2009 it described him as "the godfather of international franchising." In 2008 it noted that he is "considered an icon of the franchise industry" and has a reputation "second to none."

Mr. Zeidman is counsel to a number of US and foreign companies and trade associations. He served as General Counsel to the International Franchise Association throughout his career and also served as Special Counsel to the Japan Franchise Association. He has engaged in an international transactional practice, testified on franchising before governmental bodies, participated in judicial and administrative proceedings, taught at universities and appeared before business and professional groups in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, the People’s Republic of China, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia-Montenegro, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey, and before the Commission of the European Union as well as before numerous US congressional committees.

Mr. Zeidman has been retained to advise a number of international governmental organizations on the subject of franchising as a technique for international development, and for the privatization of state-owned enterprises by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (Paris), for work in Central and Eastern Europe; by the World Intellectual Property Organization (Geneva), to assist in the development of its Franchising Guide for Developing Countries; by the International Center for Public Enterprises (Ljubljana), to help create an international franchising databank for use in transitional economies; by the International Executive Service Corps, to introduce franchising into Morocco; by Unidroit, a US-affiliated agency (Rome), to advise on the issue of the regulation of international franchising; and by the US Agency for International Development (for work with the Indian government, to assist black entrepreneurs in post-apartheid South Africa, and to assist the privatization agencies of the former Soviet Union). 

Mr. Zeidman speaks and writes frequently on both domestic and international distribution, licensing, and franchising matters. He regularly speaks on the antitrust aspects of franchising for the Practicing Law Institute and has co-chaired the Law Journal Seminar on Distribution and presented sessions at the International Franchise Association’s annual conventions and annual legal symposia. He chairs the global expansion track of the educational programs at the International Franchise Exposition. Mr. Zeidman is frequently interviewed about franchising by the media.

Mr. Zeidman is on the board of New Perimeter, DLA Piper's non profit affiliate established to provide pro bono legal support for projects of global concern. Through New Perimeter, lawyers from DLA Piper's offices around the globe provide legal assistance on projects addressing issues including health care, hunger, economic development, law reform and human rights.

Honors

• Named Best Lawyers' 2012 Washington DC Franchise Law Lawyer of the Year
• Global Franchise Lawyer of the Year 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005, International Who's Who of Business Lawyers
• Cited in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business in 2007 for his "highly lauded reputation," 2008 as "an icon of the franchise industry" and 2009 as "the godfather of international franchising."
• Chambers Global 2010 calls him the "best-known lawyer in the world on the international front" for franchising
• Rated AV in Martindale-Hubbell
• Washington, DC Super Lawyer
• Listed in Franchise Times' "Legal Eagles," as one of the top 101 franchise lawyers in the US and Canada
• Listed in An International Who's Who of Franchise Lawyers
• Listed in Marquis Who's Who in American Law
• Listed in Marquis Who's Who in America
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America