About David
David is corporate counsel at Macdonald Sager Manis LLP, who has a broad based business law practice involving two complementary areas. One being franchise law and the second being corporate/commercial law. David’s franchise law practice involves representing franchisors, franchisee associations, franchisor advisory councils and franchisees in the areas of franchising, licensing and distribution. David provides legal advice with respect to the structure and preparation of franchise agreements and ancillary documentation; the preparation of disclosure documents; the determination of the obligations imposed on a franchisor by franchise legislation; terminations and transfers; addressing relationship problems and advising on ways to enhance franchise and distribution relationships; the sale or acquisition of franchise systems; the establishment of a new franchise system in Canada. Additionally, David has considerable experience in the structure and organization of franchise associations, providing ongoing advice to franchisee associations and advocating the position of franchise associations and franchisees with franchisors. David was awarded an LL.B., 1985 from the Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University, an M.B.A. 1982 from the Schulich School of Business, York University and a B.A., 1980 from the University of Toronto). David is recognized as a leading franchise lawyer by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and by Best Lawyers in Canada. David is the recipient of the 2015 Marcus Cohen Award, an award granted by the Ontario Bar Association’s (OBA) Franchise Law Section (FLS) for scholarly contributions to the area of franchise law. David is co-author of “Franchisee Associations in Canada” (Carswell, 2011). He has co-chaired several conferences for the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) or OBA; has been a speaker at numerous franchising conferences and authored or co-authored numerous papers (a complete list will be provided on request).David also provides legal advice and guidance to other lawyers in Ontario through the Law Society’ of Ontario’s Coach and Advisor’s Network. David has been a member of the CFA for over 25 years and the American Bar Association Franchise Law Section for 10 years; is a member of the Executive of the OBA’s FLS and serves as Secretary of the FLS; is Chair of the Bar Education Working Group of the FLS, a group formed to educate Ontario lawyers on franchise law; was for the period from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2019, the co-Chair of the FLS’s Continuing Professional Development programming; is the Franchise Law editor for Toronto Law Journal; and was co-editor of “Franchising 101”, a web-site developed to provide basic information on franchise law for Ontario lawyers. David also sits on the CFA’s Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee, the CFA’s Uniform Law Commission of Canada Working Group which is drafting amendments to the Uniform Franchises Act and the Ontario Bar Association Subcommittee reviewing and recommending amendments to Ontario franchise legislation.
David is corporate counsel at Macdonald Sager Manis LLP, who has a broad based business law practice involving two complementary areas. One being franchise law and the second being corporate/commercial law. David’s franchise law practice involves representing franchisors, franchisee associations, franchisor advisory councils and franchisees in the areas of franchising, licensing and distribution. David provides legal advice with respect to the structure and preparation of franchise agreements and ancillary documentation; the preparation of disclosure documents; the determination of the obligations imposed on a franchisor by franchise legislation; terminations and transfers; addressing relationship problems and advising on ways to enhance franchise and distribution relationships; the sale or acquisition of franchise systems; the establishment of a new franchise system in Canada. Additionally, David has considerable experience in the structure and organization of franchise associations, providing ongoing advice to franchisee associations and advocating the position of franchise associations and franchisees with franchisors. David was awarded an LL.B., 1985 from the Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University, an M.B.A. 1982 from the Schulich School of Business, York University and a B.A., 1980 from the University of Toronto). David is recognized as a leading franchise lawyer by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and by Best Lawyers in Canada. David is the recipient of the 2015 Marcus Cohen Award, an award granted by the Ontario Bar Association’s (OBA) Franchise Law Section (FLS) for scholarly contributions to the area of franchise law. David is co-author of “Franchisee Associations in Canada” (Carswell, 2011). He has co-chaired several conferences for the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) or OBA; has been a speaker at numerous franchising conferences and authored or co-authored numerous papers (a complete list will be provided on request).David also provides legal advice and guidance to other lawyers in Ontario through the Law Society’ of Ontario’s Coach and Advisor’s Network. David has been a member of the CFA for over 25 years and the American Bar Association Franchise Law Section for 10 years; is a member of the Executive of the OBA’s FLS and serves as Secretary of the FLS; is Chair of the Bar Education Working Group of the FLS, a group formed to educate Ontario lawyers on franchise law; was for the period from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2019, the co-Chair of the FLS’s Continuing Professional Development programming; is the Franchise Law editor for Toronto Law Journal; and was co-editor of “Franchising 101”, a web-site developed to provide basic information on franchise law for Ontario lawyers. David also sits on the CFA’s Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee, the CFA’s Uniform Law Commission of Canada Working Group which is drafting amendments to the Uniform Franchises Act and the Ontario Bar Association Subcommittee reviewing and recommending amendments to Ontario franchise legislation.
