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Updated: 12/29/2023
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Falls Church Franchising Lawyer
Overview
Lee has extensive experience counseling distributors and franchisors, including drafting and negotiating franchise agreements for complex international and domestic transactions and advising clients on all aspects of franchise and distribution law.
Lee also counsels clients on the application of technology to franchise and distribution systems. He focuses his attention on matters such as social networking and social media issues, e-commerce, data use and security policies, cybersquatting and domain name disputes, consumer complaint and cybersmear sites, as well as software and hardware licensing. In addition, he serves as an expert witness and also represents clients in matters before the Federal Trade Commission.
About Lee Plave
Current Employment Position(s)
- Partner
Practice Areas
- Franchising
- Distribution & Supply Chain
- International
- Domain Names, Internet & Technology
- Advertising & Trade Regulation
Qualifications
Bar Admissions
- District of Columbia
- New York
- Virginia
Other Affiliations
- American Bar Association Forum on Franchising: Director, International Franchise and Distribution Division (2012-14), Forum on Franchising
- International Bar Association (Officer, Committee on International Franchising)
- International Franchise Association (Vice-Chair, Legal Legislative Committee (2019-2021); Revenue Recognition (FASB ASC 606) Task Force; Merchant-Cybersecurity Working Group on Cyber Risk Mitigation (IFA representative); President’s Council on Year 2000 Conversion (IFA representative to the White House); Information Technology Committee; FASB FIN46 Working Group; Social Media Task Force; PCI Compliance Task Force; Convention Planning Committee (2012).)
- Bar Association of the District of Columbia
- New York State Bar Association Subcommittee on Revisions to the N.Y. Franchise Law
- Virginia State Bar Association
Classes and Seminars
- FTC Proposes to Ban Enforcement of Non-Compete Clauses in Current and Future Employment Contracts, January 2023
- Coming To America: So You Think Your Franchise Is Ready For the U.S. Market?, November 2022
- WEB 2.0: Social Networks, Branding, and Franchising – 2022 and Beyond!, June 2022
- Geopolitical Risks in International Franchising, May 2022
- Risk to Trade Secrets During the Age of Zoom, February 2022
- Report from the United States - News Around the World, May 2021
- PRO Act - Lee Plave and Ron Gardner ltr to US House and US Senate, March 2021
- Update on FASB’s Proposal to Simplify How Private Franchisors Apply Revenue Recognition Guidance under ASC 606: "The Practical Expedient", December 2020
- Ghost Kitchens, Third Party Delivery, and Franchising, November 2020
- Franchise Council of Australia: Coming to America!, November 2020
- Comeback of a Lifetime: Politics in Franchise Advertising During 2020, October 2020
- The New World of Franchising: Bringing Clarity and Perspective to the Post-Crisis Post-COVID Business Model, August 2020
- Joint Ventures in International Franchising, September 2019
- Revenue Recognition for Franchisors: What Every Franchise Attorney Should Know, June 2019
- New FASB Revenue Recognition Guidance for Franchisors, February 2019
- FASB Issues Revenue Recognition Clarity, December 2018
- Web 2.0: Technology + Franchising, Data, Cybersecurity, Social Media and Social Networking, October 2018
- The New FASB Rules: Revenue Recognition, October 2018
- System Standards & Joint Employer, Vicarious Liability, and Anti-Poaching, September 2018
- Web 2.0: Social Networking + Data in Franchising, May 2018
- Disruptive New Technologies and Franchising (Delivery Services: Uber Eats, Grubhub, and more), May 2018
- Disruptive New Technologies and Franchising: Delivery Services, May 2018
- First Steps in Data Privacy Cases: Article III Standing, Spring 2018
- Franchising: Investing In & Managing Family Owned Business Opportunities, March 2018
- Guest Lecturer: “Franchise Law", March 2018
- Web 2.0: Social Networking + Data in Franchising, November 2017
- Cybersecurity Exposure, May 2017
- Real Estate Site Selection Services – Roundtable, February 2017
- SBA Announces Changes for Franchisee Financing, December 2016
- Coming to America: EB-5 Programs and Franchising, November 2016
- Franchise Law Summary 2016: Joint Employment and Globalization, November 2016
- Web 2.0: Technology + Franchising, Data, Cybersecurity, Social Media and Social Networking, October 2016
- Taking International Franchising to the Next Level, May 2016
- The FTC Ruling in Wyndham and How it Impacts Franchising, March 2016
- What the NLRB’s Recent Rulings Really Mean for the Franchise Business Model, February 18, 2016
- Key Issues, Decision Points for International Expansion to Cuba: Moving Beyond "Close But No Cigar", Report from the United States: The NLRB and Cuba, September 2015
- Vicarious Liability and the NLRB "Joint Employer" Issues in Franchising, May 19, 2015
- Submission to US Small Business Administration on Pending Franchise Affiliation Rules, April 7, 2015
- Cybersecurity and Franchising: Breaches can transform a business headache into a legal nightmare, March 2015
- Vicarious Liability and Joint-Employer - Ten Practical Tips to Execute Today, November 2014
- Unique and Often Overlooked Issues and Limitations on Doing Business in International Franchising, October 2014
- Key Issues and Decision Points for a Franchisor Wishing to Expand Internationally, October 2014
- Web 2.0: Technology + Franchising: Data, Cybersecurity, Social Media and Social Networking, October 2014
- The NLRB Decision - What Does It Mean for Franchising?, September 9, 2014
- Web 2.0: Technology + Franchising: Data / Social Media and Social Networking Policies, June 2014
- Franchising (Guest Lecturer), March 2014
Past Positions
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission Bureau of Consumer Protection, Enforcement Division
- Brownstein & Zeidman PC
Education
- New York Law School, New York, New York
J.D.
Honors: cum laude - Clark University
B.A.
Fees
Accepts Credit Cards
Office Information
Address
3120 Fairview Park DriveSuite 420 Falls Church, VA 22042
Phone
Fax
- 703-774-1201
Websites
Achievements
Other Sources of Feedback About Lee Plave
Included on the 2021 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2020 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2019 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2018 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2017 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2016 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2015 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2014 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2013 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2012 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2011 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2010 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2009 Washington DC Super Lawyers list
- 2008 Virginia Super Lawyers list
Honors
- Who’s Who Legal Thought Leaders – Global Elite
- Who’s Who Legal Global Franchise Lawyer of the Year (2018, 2019, and 2020) Top Practitioner, North America (through 2017)
- Lexology Client Choice Award, Top Franchise Lawyer, United States (2023)
- American Bar Association, Lewis G. Rudnick Award, 2019
- Certified Franchise Executive (IFA)
- Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business (Band 1)
- Chambers Global (Band 2)
- Best Lawyers in America Franchise Lawyer of the Year, Washington, D.C. (2011, 2016, 2018)
- International Journal of Franchise Law, Co-Edictor (2015-2017)
- International Who’s Who of Information Technology Lawyers
- Franchise Times “Legal Eagles” – Hall of Fame
- Who’s Who in America
- Who’s Who in American Law
- Who’s Who in the South and Southwest
- Washington, DC Super Lawyers
- Virginia Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers – Corporate Counsel Edition
- Smart CEO – Legal Elite
- Board of Trustees, Clark University (2016-2026)
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