Philip F. Zeidman is a senior partner with the firm's Franchise and Distribution practice in Washington, DC. He devotes his practice to domestic franchising law and the rapidly growing field of international distribution, licensing and franchising law. He was recently named Global Franchise Lawyer of the Year at the Who's Who Legal Awards for the third consecutive year, by Who’s Who Legal, The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers. Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business ranks him among the foremost practitioners of franchising law, and in 2008 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. Mr. Zeidman 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 also serves as General Counsel to the International Franchise Association and Special Counsel to the Japan Franchise Association.

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. Following the September 11 attacks, he was interviewed by CNN about the experience of US franchisors abroad in the aftermath. He serves as the co-chair of the firm's Homeland Securities practice group.

HONORS

• Cited in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business 2007 for his "highly lauded reputation"
• Rated AV in Martindale-Hubbell
• Washington, DC Super Lawyer
• Global Franchise Lawyer of the Year 2008, International Who's Who of Business Lawyers
• Global Franchise Lawyer of the Year 2007, International Who's Who of Business Lawyers
• Global Franchise Lawyer of the Year 2006, International Who's Who of Business Lawyers
• Global Franchise Lawyer of the Year 2005, International Who's Who of Business Lawyers
• 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 An International Who's Who of Competition Lawyers
• Listed in Marquis Who's Who in American Law
• Listed in Best Lawyers in America
• Listed in "Best Lawyers in Washington," Washingtonian Magazine
• Nominee, Arthur S. Flemming Award
• Awardee, Federal Bar Association's Younger Federal Lawyer Award (for outstanding accomplishments and higher achievements in federal service)

Admissions

• District of Columbia
• New York

Memberships

American Bar Association

• First Chairman, ABA Antitrust Law Section, Committee on Franchising

International Bar Association

Council of the International Bar Association
President, International Bar Association Foundation, Inc.
Co-chair, Pro Bono and Access to Justice Committee
Former Chairman, IBA International Franchising Committee
Former Member, Council, IBA Section on Business Law
Former Vice Chairman, IBA Asia-Pacific Forum
Former Liaison, IBA Latin American/Caribbean Steering Group

American Intellectual Property Law Association

• Former Chairman, Franchising Law Committee

Federal Bar Association
District of Columbia Bar Association

Former Member, Nominations Committee, DC Bar Board of Governors
• Former Member, Legal Ethics Committee, DC Bar Board of Governors

Florida Bar Association
Alabama Bar Association

Publications

Mr. Zeidman writes regularly on both domestic and international distribution, licensing and franchising matters. He writes regular columns for Franchise Times (International column); Franchising World, the magazine of the International Franchise Association (International Dateline column); Global Competition Review (Franchising column); and Franchise World (a UK publication). He is the author of Franchising in the Aspects of the Market Economy series published in English and Russian, and contributed to the World Intellectual Property Organization's Franchising Guide for Developing Countries (Geneva), and A Guide to International Master Franchise Arrangements (published by Unidroit (Rome)). Mr. Zeidman is an editor of several publications, including Legal Aspects of Selling and Buying (published by Thomson/West, 1983; 3rd edition, 2004), the American Bar Association's Survey of Laws and Regulations Affecting International Franchising (1982; revised edition, 1990), and Franchising: Regulation of Buying and Selling A Franchise (Bureau of National Affairs, 1983; revised edition 1997). He also serves as a contributing or consulting editor for the International Journal of Franchising and Distribution Law, CCH's Global Franchising Alert, Franchise Legal Digest, and Getting the Deal Through. Additionally, Mr. Zeidman’s articles have appeared in other publications, including The Asian Wall Street Journal, Worldlink, Legal Times, and the National Law Journal.

Seminars

Mr. Zeidman speaks regularly on both domestic and international distribution, licensing and franchising matters. Some of his speaking engagements during the last five years include:

• “Foodservice Franchising: Legal Developments 2008,” The Legal Council’s semi-annual meeting, Washington, DC (May 2008)
• “17th Annual Overview: Elements of Building a Successful Franchise Network,” International Franchise Association's 48th Annual Convention (February 2008)
• “Franchising and Other Methods of Distribution: Regulatory Pattern and Judicial Trends,” 47th Annual Advanced Antitrust Seminar – Distribution & Marketing, New York and San Francisco (January 2008)
• “Franchising in the Pacific Rim,” Annual Conference, International Bar Association (October 2007)
• “Franchising in China and Elsewhere in Asia,” International Symposium on Franchising (October 2007)
• “Franchising and the Hotel Industry,” Hotel Funding Conference (September 2007)
• "Distribution in 21st Century China: The Case for Franchising," International Franchise Association (April 2007)
• “Global Franchise Expansion: Strategies for Lucrative and Planned Growth,” International Franchise Expo (March 2007)
• “Franchising in China: What You Need To Know,” International Franchise Expo (March 2007)
• “16th Annual Overview: Elements of Building a Successful Franchise Network," International Franchise Association's 47th Annual Convention (February 2007)
• "Franchisors vs. Franchisees -- Where Do We Go From Here?," 17th Annual Restaurant Finance Development Conference (November 2006)
• “Franchising Legislation Around the World,” Symposium on International Franchising (October 2006)
• “Entering the United States Market,” Symposium on International Franchising (October 2006)
• “The Wonderful World of Franchising,” U.S. India American Chamber of Commerce Annual Convention (October 2006)
• “Best of International Pro Bono,” – Moderator of special program for the Annual Conference, International Bar Association (September 2006)
• “Global Franchise Expansion: Strategies for Lucrative and Planned Growth,” International Franchise Expo (June 2006)
• “Franchising in Russia” – in conjunction with the US Commercial Service (June 2006)
• Special American Business Internship Training (SABIT) Program (May 2006)
• “15th Annual Overview: Elements of Building a Successful Franchise Network," International Franchise Association's 46th Annual Convention (February 2006)
• "14th Annual Overview: Elements of Building a Successful Franchise Network," International Franchise Association's 45nd Annual Convention (March 2005)
• "The Unique Status of Franchising," 44th Annual advanced Antitrust Seminar: Distribution & Marketing (February 2005)
• "Restaurant Reality: The 2005 Up-and-Comer Restaurant Business Plan Review," Restaurant Finance and Development Conference (November 2004)
• "Homeland Security, Hard and Soft Targets, and the Architect," 2004 National Convention of the American Institute of Architects (June 2004)
• "International Franchising," Presentation to visiting Russian delegation, US Department of Commerce Special American Business Internship Training, Washington, D.C. (April 2004)
• "13th Annual Overview: Elements of Building a Successful Franchise Network," International Franchise Association's 44nd Annual Convention (March 2004)
• "The Unique Status of Franchising," 43rd Annual Advanced Antitrust Seminar: Distribution & Marketing (February 2-3, 2004)
• "Franchisors versus Franchisees, and the Legal Issues That Divide Them," The Annual Restaurant Finance Conference (November 10, 2003)
• "Franchise Litigation Impacting the Hotel Industry," Lodging Conference (October 14-17, 2003)
  "Franchisor/Franchisee Relations," Lodging Conference (October 14-17, 2003)
• "Franchising Legislation Around the World," The Franchise Contract (September 2003)
• "12th Annual Overview: Elements of Building a Successful Franchise Network," International Franchise Association's 43nd Annual Convention (March 2003)
• "The Unique Status of Franchising," 42nd Annual Advanced Antitrust Seminar - Distribution & Marketing (January 2003)
• “The Role of In-House Counsel,” The Lodging Conference (October 2002)
• “Global Expansion: Strategies for Lucrative and Planned Growth,” International Franchise Expo (April 2002)
• "11th Annual Overview: Elements of Successful Franchising," International Franchise Association's 42nd Annual Convention (February 2002)
• The 22nd Anniversary Seminar on Distribution, New York Law Journal (June 2001)
• "Global Franchise Expansion: Strategies for Lucrative and Planned Growth," International Franchise Expo (May 2001)
• "Judicial Update I," Plenary Session, International Franchise Association's 34th Annual Legal Symposium (May 2001)
• "10th Annual Overview: Elements of Successful Franchising," International Franchise Association's 41st Annual Convention (February 2001)
• Keynote Address, "Franchising Goes South of the Border," First Annual Conference on Franchising in Latin America (October 2000)
• "International Legal Challenges," International Symposium of the International Franchise Association (September 2000)
• Annual Meeting of Lex Mundi in Noordwijk, The Netherlands (September 2000)
• "Trade Secrets on the Internet: U.S. Perspective," International Bar Association 2000 Conference in Amsterdam (September 2000)
• "Global Franchise Expansion: Strategies for Lucrative and Planned Growth," International Franchise Expo (May 2000
• "Best Practices in Successful Franchising," International Franchise Association's 40th Annual Convention (February 2000)

Prior Experience

• Trial Attorney, Federal Trade Commission
• General Counsel, US Small Business Administration
• Special Assistant, Vice President of the United States
• Chairman, Food Industry Advisory Committee to the Department of Energy
• Government Relations Manager, National Alliance of Businessmen
• Staff Assistant, White House Committee on Small Business
• Member, President's Commission on Executive Exchange

Civic and Charitable

• Founding Director and General Counsel, The Appleseed Foundation
• Council for Excellence in Government

Former Positions

• Trustee, Yale-China Association
• General Counsel, American Business Conference 
• Franchise Counsel, Emerging Markets Franchise Acceleration Fund
• Advisory Board, Yale School of Management
• Advisory Board, DeWitt Wallace Center for Communications and Journalism of the Terry Sanford Institute for Public Policy, Duke University
• President's Advisory Committee to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
• Administrative Conference of the United States