ATLANTA (April 14) – Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton announced today that attorneys Chris Bussert, Marc Lieberstein, and Kathryn Shipe were named 2020 Franchise Times Legal Eagles, a recognition of accomplished attorneys who have a deep understanding of legal and business issues impacting the franchise industry. 

Franchise Times Legal Eagles are selected based on nominations from clients, peers, and other legal professionals. The nominations are then judged by Franchise Times editors. 

This is Mr. Bussert’s seventh time, Ms. Shipe’s fourth time, and Mr. Lieberstein’s third time receiving this recognition, highlighting the strength and depth of Kilpatrick Townsend’s franchising practice. 

Mr. Bussert is Senior Counsel in the firm's Trademark & Copyright Team. He has more than 30 years of experience in helping clients protect and defend their most important assets and brands. Mr. Bussert represents clients in trademark, franchise, copyright, and unfair competition litigation, including proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, and in licensing and trademark clearance and prosecution matters. He is a former Editor-in-Chief of the Franchise Law Journal and formerly served on the Governing Committee of the ABA Forum on Franchising. 

Mr. Lieberstein is co-chair of the firm’s Retail & Consumer Goods Industry team. His practice focuses on intellectual property licensing and franchising in the retail/consumer goods and services areas, fashion/apparel and accessories, food and beverage, and commercial/industrial design, including the drafting, negotiation, and enforcement of license and franchise documents and agreements, as well as implementation of branding and commercialization objectives for clients via licensing and franchising. In conjunction with the services above, Mr. Lieberstein counsels clients on creating effective strategies for procuring, protecting and enforcing their global intellectual property assets. He has also participated in and used alternative dispute resolution forums such as arbitration and mediation to enforce and/or resolve disputes in licensing and other transactional matters. 

Ms. Shipe has assisted dozens of companies in structuring, forming, launching, and growing successful franchise programs in numerous industries for over 20 years. She routinely counsels franchise companies and private equity on the purchase and sale of franchise systems, and represents individual owners in the purchase and sale of existing businesses. In addition, she counsels clients on the purchase of franchise rights, assisting in the review of franchise disclosure documents, franchise agreements, development agreements, area representative agreements, and master rights agreements.

For more information on Kilpatrick Townsend’s Franchise Team, please click here. 

Follow the firm on Twitter: @KTS_Law.

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