National & International Practice

Because franchise, dealership, and distribution systems are themselves national and international in scope, Carmen Caruso and his partners are frequently called upon by clients who are far from Chicago. Through active participation in the American Bar Association and other associations, we have developed an informal national and international network of trusted counsel whom we work with on appropriate matters. In this way, we are able to provide our clients with sophisticated representation on a national and world-wide basis without increasing the size of our firm.  

National Practice

• Recent and current clients are from Illinois as well as Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Indiana, Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, Nebraska, West Virginia, Minnesota, and Florida

• Recent and current cases have been pending in Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Nebraska, and the District of Columbia. Previously, Carmen has also appeared in cases in New York, New Jersey, Missouri, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, California and Puerto Rico.

• Experienced in national class action litigation under federal multi-district litigation procedures.
   

International

• International Arbitration when convened in the United States (e.g. representing a U.S. franchisor in terminating a master franchisee in South America in an arbitration being held in Ohio).

• Supervising outbound legal work for U.S. clients who are expanding their business across the globe in Canada, Mexico, the European Union, Australia, and China.

• Representing U.S. area developers, sub-franchisers, master franchisees, and franchisee/dealers against foreign companies that have established distribution systems in the U.S.

• Advising and assisting foreign-based franchisees of U.S. brands (from countries such as England, Australia, Brazil, and Hong Kong) on their legal rights under U.S. law.   For example, when a U.S. company based in Chicago was seeking to terminate its dealer in Hong Kong and the Philippines, Carmen’s credentials and opinions as an expert on franchise law in Illinois were presented (by law firms in Hong Kong and Singapore) to an arbitration tribunal in Singapore.  

• Advising the U.S subsidiary of a foreign manufacturer on the establishment of a distribution network throughout the United States.
   

Global Issues in Domestic Cases

• In defending a U.S. company accused of misappropriating trade secrets in certain oven technology, it was important to determine whether the alleged trade secrets had been publicly disclosed to the relevant industry at a trade show in Saudi Arabia. 

• In litigating claims against the U.S. subsidiary of a European manufacturer, it was important to determine whether the “retail concept” that was presented in the U.S. had really been a “proven” success in Europe as the defendant companies were claiming.  

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