Franchise Lawyer W. Barry Blum Joins Krass Monroe

By Editorial Staff, 

Minneapolis, MN (July 16, 2008) — Krass Monroe is pleased to announce that W. Barry Blum has joined the law firm as Of Counsel. Blum is a franchise lawyer with over 25 years of experience as a litigation attorney and spent 10 years in senior legal and franchising roles including Senior Vice President Deputy General Counsel and Senior Vice President Franchising and Market Development for Burger King Corporation. Prior to joining Krass Monroe, Blum most recently served franchise and mediation clients as the managing member of his own LLC in Miami, Florida, where he will continue to be based.

Blum is knowledgeable in all aspects of franchising including the purchase, sale, and workout of franchise and company-owned businesses. He has extensive experience in a franchise relationship management, franchisee associations, and strategic supplier partnerships and assists clients in balancing franchise system growth and unit-level profitability. Blum has earned the highest rating of AV from his peers in the Martindale-Hubbell Legal Directory and was named a 2007 Legal Eagle in Franchising in Franchising Times magazine. Most recently, he participated on a panel entitled, “The Five Most Frequently Filed Lawsuits Against Franchisors and How to Avoid Them,” at the International Franchise Association Legal Symposium in Washington, D.C. in May 2008.

In addition to his franchise law practice, Blum is a certified mediator with experience in a wide range of matters including: trademark, copyright and intellectual property; breach of contract and implied duty of good faith and fair dealing; common law fraud and statutory fraud claims; employment litigation; Fair Labor Standards Act claims; Americans With Disabilities Act litigation; non-employee civil rights claims; antitrust and trade secrets cases; bankruptcy matters; environmental litigation; director and officer liability; lender liability actions and National Bank Act claims; encroachment claims; and broker-dealer disputes.

Blum is a member of The Florida Bar, and a member of the Bars of the United States Supreme Court, the United States Courts of Appeal for the Third Circuit and Eleventh Circuits, and the United States District Courts for the Southern District of Florida, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and Eastern District of Michigan. He is also a member of the American Bar Association (Forum on Franchising and Section on Dispute Resolution), International Franchise Association Supplier Forum, and is a past co-chair of the International Franchise Association of Corporate Counsel Committee.

Krass Monroe is nationally recognized for its franchise legal services. With insight and experience as outside counsel, as in-house counsel, and as a business client, Blum brings the kind of unique perspective the firm strives to achieve in providing innovative legal, business and financial solutions to individual and business clients. According to Blum, “I’ve always had great respect for Krass Monroe, and I’m excited by the opportunity to be part of an exceptional team.”

The Minneapolis based law firm has approximately 40 legal professionals, including its team of lawyers - many of whom have been locally and nationally recognized as industry leaders. As “More Than a Law Firm,” Krass Monroe offers a comprehensive array of services at the local, regional, national and international levels in areas including business law; corporate finance; mergers and acquisitions; franchise, distribution and intellectual property law; litigation; public finance; real estate; taxation; wealth preservation; and other advisory services. To learn more about the firm and its unique menu of services, visit www.krassmonroe.com.

Law Firm Press Release

© 2008 Krass Monroe