{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Barna, Guzy &amp; Steffen, LTD.","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.bgs.com\/blog","author_name":"Barna, Guzy &amp; Steffen, Ltd.","author_url":"https:\/\/www.bgs.com\/blog\/author\/bgs\/","title":"Beware of the Franchise - Barna, Guzy &amp; Steffen, LTD.","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"JQMfAOMhCu\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.com\/blog\/2010\/07\/08\/beware-of-the-franchise\/\">Beware of the Franchise<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.com\/blog\/2010\/07\/08\/beware-of-the-franchise\/embed\/#?secret=JQMfAOMhCu\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Beware of the Franchise&#8221; &#8212; Barna, Guzy &amp; Steffen, LTD.\" data-secret=\"JQMfAOMhCu\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(c,d){\"use strict\";var e=!1,o=!1;if(d.querySelector)if(c.addEventListener)e=!0;if(c.wp=c.wp||{},c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage);else if(c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if(!t);else if(!(t.secret||t.message||t.value));else if(\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret));else{for(var r,s,a,i=d.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),n=d.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),l=0;l<n.length;l++)n[l].style.display=\"none\";for(l=0;l<i.length;l++)if(r=i[l],e.source!==r.contentWindow);else{if(r.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message){if(1e3<(s=parseInt(t.value,10)))s=1e3;else if(~~s<200)s=200;r.height=s}if(\"link\"===t.message)if(s=d.createElement(\"a\"),a=d.createElement(\"a\"),s.href=r.getAttribute(\"src\"),a.href=t.value,!o.test(a.protocol));else if(a.host===s.host)if(d.activeElement===r)c.top.location.href=t.value}}},e)c.addEventListener(\"message\",c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),d.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",t,!1),c.addEventListener(\"load\",t,!1);function t(){if(o);else{o=!0;for(var e,t,r,s=-1!==navigator.appVersion.indexOf(\"MSIE 10\"),a=!!navigator.userAgent.match(\/Trident.*rv:11\\.\/),i=d.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),n=0;n<i.length;n++){if(!(r=(t=i[n]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\")))r=Math.random().toString(36).substr(2,10),t.src+=\"#?secret=\"+r,t.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",r);if(s||a)(e=t.cloneNode(!0)).removeAttribute(\"security\"),t.parentNode.replaceChild(e,t);t.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:r},\"*\")}}}}(window,document);\n<\/script>\n","description":"by Kip R. Peterson and Dainel D. Ganter, Jr. Spring 2010\u00a0 In Brief Newsletter Believe it or not, your business could be a FRANCHISE.\u00a0 If so, failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations could result in serious consequences.\u00a0 Ignorance of these laws and regulations is no defense. When most people think of a franchise they think of fast-food restaurants, fitness chains and hotels.\u00a0 However, Minnesota law broadly defines the term &#8220;franchise,&#8221; potentially expanding the reach of the franchise laws and regulations to include legal arrangements such as license agreements, consulting agreements, and distribution agreements.\u00a0 It is important to note that it doesn&#8217;t matter what the parties call their relationship.\u00a0 If the elements of a franchise are met, the parties must comply with the franchise laws and regulations. Minnesota law defines a &#8220;franchise&#8221; as a contract or agreement between two or more persons which satisfies the following elements: (1) a franchisee is granted the right to engage in the business of offering or distributing goods or services using the franchisor&#8217;s trade name, trademark, service mark, logo or other commercial symbol or characteristics; (2) the franchisor and franchisee have a &#8220;community of interest&#8221; in the marketing of goods or services; and (3) the franchisee pays a franchise fee. Two of the three elements of..."}