Goldstein Legal

About

Goldstein Legal is an expert commercial and franchising law firm combining expert legal advice with a friendly approach for small and medium companies.

Story

Goldstein Legal is a leading commercial lawyers and franchising law firm based in Windsor in the South East of England. Established in 2006, we combine expert legal advice with a friendly approach for small and medium-sized business.
Goldstein Legal was founded by Roz Goldstein. Roz has a wealth of experience in operating at a senior level for large multinationals and a track record of delivering straightforward, cost-effective solutions to meet the needs of her clients.

At Goldstein Legal we specialise in:

Business and Commercial law
Franchising - advice for franchisors
Franchise agreement review
Franchise contract review
Creating tailor-made Franchise Agreements for clients looking to franchise their business
Franchising - advice for franchisees
Franchise Agreement for clients buying a franchise
Employment law - for employers
Employment law - for employees
Commercial Property
Brand Licensing and Intellectual Property

Franchising – The Inside Track
We are an affiliated member of the British Franchise Association, which means you can relax in the knowledge that we understand the requirements and expectations of the BFA, and that we have the expertise and experience in franchising required to support your business.

If you are considering expanding your business through franchising:

Our commercial lawyers expert insight into what makes a successful, growing enterprise work in the franchise sector means we are perfectly placed to offer support and advice. Our franchise consultancy service can help you decide whether franchising is right for your business and take you step by step through other options such as brand licensing and product distribution.
If you decide that franchising is the best way forward for your business, our consultants can offer advice and support to guide you through every part of the process, including: market analysis, forecasts and budgets,and project management. We can also advise you on marketing and franchisee recruitment.
Once you’re ready to launch, our experienced legal team can produce a franchise agreement which is tailor-made for your business, and written in plain, accessible, jargon-free English.
You can rest assured that your franchise contract will be in a form that works for you, protects your interests, and will be a useful tool as you build your business.

For established franchisors:
We provide legal support in all aspects of your business, helping you to ensure its long-term health. This can include drafting and negotiating master franchise agreements, amending and advising on existing franchise agreements; and advising and assisting with franchisee disputes and franchise agreement terminations
We frequently act for franchisors who are expanding overseas, creating franchise agreements for international markets

For people who are thinking about becoming a franchisee:

For a fixed price we will provide an easy-to-follow report on your franchise with all the key terms summarised and any “problem” areas clearly highlighted

For existing franchisees who are experiencing problems:

We have a proven track-record of supporting clients who have fallen out with their franchisor, frequently negotiating an exit which relieves the client of any further liabilities under their franchise agreement.

Visit the franchising page for more information, email us here; or give us a call on 01753 865165.
Business Law – Without the Jargon
At Goldstein Legal our specialist knowledge of commercial law means we are well-placed to support you on almost all legal issues relating to your business. Our commercial lawyers have years of experience in drafting commercial agreements, including business sale and purchase agreements, contracts with suppliers and customer terms and conditions.

For new start-ups, we can help you with shareholder agreements and partnership agreements.

When it comes to drafting the documents, contracts and terms and conditions, our ability to write in easy-to-read plain English means you can get on with running your business without worrying about what the wording of your agreements actually means.

For advice on designing and negotiating commercial agreements to advising clients on consumer law issues, call today to set up your no-fee initial consultation on 01753 865165, click here for more information; or email us here.

(If you are starting up a new business, click here for information for Start-Ups)
Employment law
For Employers:

The seemingly never-ending stream of UK and EU employment legislation can be a real challenge for employers.

Goldstein Legal commercial lawyers can help steer you through the employment law minefield, compromise agreements, advising on disciplinary and grievance procedures, sickness absence, parental leave, discrimination, and all other hot topics.
We can ensure that you have the right contracts and terms in place for the right people.

We regularly assist employers facing Employment Tribunal claims.

For Employees:

Our expert employment lawyers can advise you on your legal rights, and help you to resolve disputes with your employer on the best possible terms, whether through compromise agreements, negotiation, or through bringing an Employment Tribunal claim.
Goldstein Legal and Commercial Property Transactions – A Quick Guide:
Why is property so important to business?
For many businesses, their commercial property is their single biggest asset. It can also be their largest liability. Timescales are often critical and, if it is not managed effectively, a property transaction can be a stressful and expensive experience.
How can Goldstein Legal Help?
Goldstein Legal commercial lawyers is experienced in representing landlords and tenants in commercial property transactions, particularly in the retail and restaurant sectors.

We understand the importance of concluding each transaction as promptly and cost-effectively as possible. Whether you are a landlord or a tenant, our friendly, responsive, jargon-free approach to negotiation ensures you're kept up to date at every stage of the process. Our focus is on making sure that all the crucial documentation protects your interests, leaving you free to run your business without worrying about the lease on your premises.
How can I find out more?
Call today to set up your no-fee initial consultation on 01753 865165, click here for more information; or email us here.
Trademark Quality from Goldstein Legal -
With so many companies competing for market-share, building a competitive brand is crucial to your success. In order to keep customer-loyalty and generate brand value, a strong, consistent presence is essential.

Many businesses mistakenly assume that registering a domain name will protect their trademark. Unfortunately this is not the case. In a worst case, this can leave you having to change your business name in the face of a trade mark infringement action.

At Goldstein Legal we have specialist expertise in intellectual property. Our experienced commercial lawyers can advise you on trade marks, copyright and other forms of intellectual property, meaning you can get on with building your market presence in complete confidence.

As well as trademark cases, we regularly support clients who are developing their business through licensing. For many businesses, licensing can be a suitable alternative to franchising and we are well-positioned to advise you on the best route to take.

Whether you are a new or established business, we are happy to advise you. For the first step towards making sure your brand is protected, phone us for a no-fee initial consultation on 01753 865165, visit our Brand-Licensing page; or send us an e-mail.

Mission

At Goldstein legal we offer our clients the kind of cutting-edge legal expertise that they expect from top commercial lawyers. What makes us different is that we handle every case with the care and attention we'd employ if we were doing the work for ourselves. We think it's this personal approach that really helps to take the stress out of important commercial legal transactions.

Products

Franchising Services

Both Goldstein Legal and Goldstein Consulting are officially affiliated by the British Franchise Association. So we are in the rare and enviable position of being able to offer our clients a seamless franchising service, combining both franchise business consultancy and franchising legal advice. We tailor our services for each individual client, so that clients get the support that they want on terms that suit them. Some of our clients are looking purely for us to draft a new franchise agreement for them. Others want only business consultancy – sometimes in specific areas such as financial modelling, and in other cases more substantial support in building a franchise concept. For those who are seeking both consultancy and legal support, our “one stop shop” facility avoids duplication of effort and can be highly cost-effective.
How can we help you with Franchising?
If you are just researching franchising and looking for background information downloading this guide would be a good first step.

If you have decided that franchising is the right opportunity for you or your business, but need some more advice to help you make your decision, try our No-fee telephone consultation.

If you have completed all of your research and are looking for an experienced Franchise lawyer to help you with the paperwork and legal side of franchising.

Business & Commercial law

Business Commercial Lawyers As we are specialist commercial lawyers, we have years of experience in meeting our business clients’ needs.

No matter what type of agreement or transaction we are advising you on, we make sure that we understand and focus on your commercial objectives and priorities. As Commercial Lawyers, we do our utmost to help you get your deal done on terms that work for you, without letting the legals slow you down.

At the same time, we ensure that your agreements are thorough in protecting your legal position. Our agreements are always tailor-made to fit your particular business and objectives. We think ahead, so that you don’t get caught later in loop-holes.

A commercial agreement, if properly drafted, should be an effective tool to help you manage your business.

We make sure that all our work is written in clear and plain English. We avoid Lawyers jargon and legalese, so that our documents are robust, without being incomprehensible.

We aim for efficiency and cost-effectiveness for all our clients. We will always discuss fees with you in advance. If we quote you a fixed fee we will stick to it. If we give you an estimate we will make sure that it is realistic, with no hidden “surprises”. We always want our clients to feel that they have had value for money.

Employment law – for businesses

Employment Law Compromise AgreementsAt Goldstein legal we have an established reputation in employment law, and offer practical and comprehensive employment law advice to our employer clients.

Employment law is a fertile ground for legislators and keeping up with the continual flow of changing legislation and new case law can be a daunting challenge for employers. We can help you through the legal complexities, providing advice with an emphasis on practical solutions to your employment law issues.
We are mindful that, for employers, compliance with employment legislation can impose a significant burden in terms of costs and management time. Our focus is on minimising that burden wherever possible. Getting the best advice, particularly before you commit to a contentious course of action with an employee, can be highly cost effective – nipping issues “in the bud” before they escalate into legal proceedings.
We always want our clients to feel that they get good value for money at Goldstein Legal. This is particularly the case when it comes to employment law issues where, if not managed properly, legal costs can escalate fast.

Employment law – for employees

Employment Law Compromise AgreementsAt Goldstein legal we have an established reputation in employment law, and offer practical and comprehensive employment law advice to our individual clients. We have a strong and successful track record of representing employees at all levels in disputes with their employers. We pride ourselves in providing advice which is prompt, practical and cost-effective.

We always provide a no-fee initial consultation before you decide how you want to proceed.
We regularly advise clients on the following:
Unfair dismissal and wrongful dismissal
Rights in redundancy situations
Constructive dismissal situations
Grievance procedures
Compromise Agreements
Discrimination – on the grounds of sex, sexuality, race, religion, age or disability
Maternity and paternity rights

Commercial Property

Commercial PropertyFor many companies, property is their single biggest asset, involving their most substantial costs and their greatest liabilities. Timescales are often critical and, if not managed effectively, a property transaction can be a stressful and expensive experience.

Goldstein Legal offers a commercially-focused and cost-effective service on a range of commercial property matters. We appreciate clients’ demands for transactions to be concluded on time and on budget. We make sure that we understand and respond to your commercial objectives and priorities, and we do our utmost to help you get your deal done on terms that work for you, without the legals becoming an obstruction.

We will always discuss fees with you in advance. If we quote you a fixed fee we will stick to it. If we give you an estimate we will make sure that it is realistic, with no hidden “surprises”. We always want our clients to feel that they have had value for money.

Brand Licensing and Intellectual Property

Brand LicensingIn this tough economic climate, it is tempting for to cut corners on the protection of your brand. But in fact, your brand might be one of your most valuable assets. If looked after, your intellectual property can be key to differentiating you from your competitors, driving revenue, and building value. The value of a registered trade mark for your brand may far outweigh the investment required to obtain it. Now, more than ever, your trade marks are worth protecting.
Developing your business through licensing or franchising may give you a route to growth with significantly less capital investment than you would otherwise need. And to do either effectively, you need a registered trade mark.
Before deciding how to protect and exploit your intellectual property, you first need to have a clear idea of what intellectual property you have. You may well have more than you think.
At Goldstein Legal, we have considerable experience and expertise in all types of Intellectual Property (“IP”), including the following:
Trade marks and Domain names
Copyright
Design rights and registered designs
Goodwill, Know-how and confidential information
Software licences and procurement contracts
E-commerce
With our commercial and industry background, we can combine our commercial and legal expertise, providing you with a well-rounded service.
We want all our clients to have value for money. We provide high quality service at competitive rates, and always with a keen eye on cost-effectiveness.
For further background information about intellectual property, the UK Intellectual Property Office has some useful (and quite readable) materials on its website

Business Start-Ups

Business Start UpStarting up a new business is hard work. In addition to focussing on your business plan, and how to market yourself to clients and customers, there is a seemingly endless stream of formalities and “red tape” to deal with.

The prospect of dealing with it all at once might feel overwhelming, and unaffordable.

At Goldstein Legal, we can help you to prioritise. We will advise you what the key issues are for your business, what options you have, and how to manage your budget so that you can deal with the most important things first.

Things you need to consider for your Business Start up may include:
What legal structure should you choose? – Limited company, sole trader, LLP (limited liability partnership)? How should you go about incorporating your business? We can advise you on all your options and the most cost-effective way of setting up your business structure.

Legal Health Check

Businesses evolve quickly. Contracts are drawn up, signed, filed and often forgotten. A contract might have been right for your business at the time you signed it, but it might not keep up as your business relationships evolve.

An out-of-date agreement can have unfortunate consequences. If a contract expires without your realising, you might find yourself without the commitments and protections that you thought you had.

It is also all too easy to miss a vital “trigger” date – such as a break clause, or a one-time-only right to renew. Missing a key date can have significant financial consequences for your business.

To give you peace of mind, a Legal Health Check will identify any areas needing attention. For a fixed fee we will come to your business and review all of your documents and processes. This will help you to know you are complying with your obligations, that others are complying with their obligations to you, and help you to reduce your legal and financial exposures.

Franchising Services

Roz Goldstein, the founder of Goldstein Legal, has nearly 20 years experience of franchising, both in the UK and globally.

Both Goldstein Legal and Goldstein Consulting are officially affiliated by the British Franchise Association. So we are in the rare and enviable position of being able to offer our clients a seamless franchising service, combining both franchise business consultancy and franchising legal advice.
We tailor our services for each individual client, so that clients get the support that they want on terms that suit them. Some of our clients are looking purely for us to draft a new franchise agreement for them. Others want only business consultancy – sometimes in specific areas such as financial modelling, and in other cases more substantial support in building a franchise concept. For those who are seeking both consultancy and legal support, our “one stop shop” facility avoids duplication of effort and can be highly cost-effective.