ABA Forum Elects First Franchisee Lawyer as Chair

MINNEAPOLIS (Blue MauMau) - Ronald K. Gardner, Jr., Managing Partner of the Dady & Garner law firm, has been elected as Chair of the American Bar Association's Forum on Franchising, the 2,250 member national association of franchise lawyers.  "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead such a distinguished organization," Gardner said. "This election proves what I and many others have been saying for years: the Forum is a meritocracy. If you work hard and continually strive to make positive contributions to the Forum, you will be rewarded with more opportunity, regardless of your views on the issues confronting the various constituencies involved in the franchise relationship," he added.

Gardner's term will begin in August 2009, and continue for a two-year period thereafter.  The Forum on Franchising began electing its chairs, as opposed to having them appointed by the ABA president, in 1994. Since that time, the Forum has elected seven to that position who primarily represent franchisors.

Current Chair Edward Wood (Jack) Dunham said of his successor, "There is probably no more zealous, effective advocate of franchisee interests than Ron, but there is also no one more devoted to the Forum and to maintaining  our winning formula of high academic standards, collegial dialogue, and outstanding social events. I look forward to his leadership."

The Dady & Garner law firm limits its practice to the representation of franchisees, distributors and dealers in disputes with their franchisors and suppliers. Gardner, renowned for his achievements in the franchise legal community, was co-counsel in the widely discussed case of Dunafon v. Taco Bell, and more recently he was lead counsel in the well publicized decision of Pool Concepts, Inc. v. Watkins, finding that payment of funds into a co-op ad fund was an indirect franchise fee, entitling the franchisee to the protections of the Minnesota Franchise Act as a preliminary injunction against termination. 

Of the Forum, Gardner said, "While franchisor and franchisee lawyers can disagree about a lot of things, it is only when we have positive dialogue and mutual respect that those issues can be discussed away from a courtroom and in a nonadversarial manner, so that consensus might be achieved on any of those issues." He said in his experience, the Forum on Franchising has a history of being "the place" for that type of dialogue, and explains, "I plan on continuing that proud tradition."