Rupert Barkoff has been practicing franchise, distribution and corporate law since 1973. His franchise practice emphasizes solutions to registration and structuring issues and developing individual and collective solutions to franchisor-franchisee relationship problems.
During the course of his career, Mr. Barkoff has represented numerous start-up, national and regional franchisors in establishment and operation of their franchise systems. He has negotiated encroachment policies, counseled clients on the establishment and operation of purchasing cooperatives, and acted as mediator and arbitrator in the negotiation of franchisor-franchisee disputes.
Mr. Barkoff was recognized as one of the country’s leading franchise attorneys by The Best Lawyers in America® in 2012 and the 11 years immediately preceding, as well as the 2011 Franchising Attorney of the Year in Atlanta. In 2010, he received the prestigious Lew Rudnick Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Bar Association's Forum on Franchising. He was one of only seven attorneys nationwide to receive the top ranking for franchise law in the 2009 and 2010 editions of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business for Franchising and he was listed as #1 in the 2011 edition. Mr. Barkoff was named a Georgia "Super Lawyer" in the area of Franchise/Dealership in 2008, 2009 and 2010 by SuperLawyers magazine. He was named a “Most Highly Regarded Individual for Franchise” by The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers for 2006, ranking #9 globally. This peer-nominated distinction is based upon a comprehensive and independent survey of both general counsel and private practice attorneys worldwide. Mr. Barkoff has been named a "Legal Eagle" for eight consecutive years by Franchise Times. He is AV® rated by Martindale-Hubbell.*
Mr. Barkoff has published over 200 articles on franchise law, and is the Editor-in-Chief of Fundamentals in Franchising, which is used to teach novices about the intricacies of franchise law. He has testified before Congress on franchise law issues and is a columnist for the New York Law Journal and Franchise UPDATE. Mr. Barkoff has spoken at major franchise law seminars for over 30 years, as well as at numerous colleges and law schools. He served as Chair of the American Bar Association Forum on Franchising for three years and was a member of its governing committee for nine years.
* CV, BV, and AV are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedure's standards and policies.
Professional & Community Activities
American Bar Association, Business Law, Antitrust Law and Intellectual Property Law Sections, Member, Past Chair of Forum on Franchising, and Past Member of Governing Committee
International Bar Association, Member
North American Securities Administrators Franchise and Business Opportunities Task Force, Advisory Committee, Former Member
Southeast Franchise Forum, Director, Secretary and General Counsel
State Bar of Georgia, Franchise Section, Chair
ToolBank USA, Board of Directors, Member
