CALL FOR SPEAKERS

DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR SUBMISSIONS: May 19, 2023 

The Co-Chairs of the 2023 CFA Franchise Law Day Committee are seeking proposals for speakers and topics for the 2023 CFA Franchise Law Day, which will be themed “Building for the Future.” The 2023 Co-Chairs are Dixie Ho, VP Legal, MBI Brands; Sukhdeep Sidhu, Partner, KMB Law; and Peter Snell, Partner, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP. The 2023 CFA Franchise Law Day will take place on September 21, 2023, at the Old Mill Toronto.

The CFA Franchise Law Day educational programming will focus on key legal issues with a strong business focus. The intended outcome for Franchise Law Day programming is to share new ideas, insights, and guidance that will help franchisors and their franchisees seize opportunities today to scale their business now and in the future.

The 2023 CFA Franchise Law Day Co-Chairs are looking for speakers who are keen to speak on a variety of topics. The topics proposed by the 2023 Franchise Law Day Co-Chairs are listed below. Please ensure that your submission indicates which topic(s) you would be interested in speaking on.

PROPOSED TOPICS: 

• Case Law Update: The always well-attended and popular case law update session will kick-start the CFA Franchise Law Day
• Opportunities: Building for the Future: This will be a panel discussion with franchise in-house counsel that will focus on the question: “What keeps you awake at night?” Concerns and current affairs from the franchise legal landscape will be addressed.
• The Franchise Agreement of the Future: Keeping up with changes in the law and business. This topic will be focused on best practices, tips and traps, and new provisions to consider in Canadian franchise agreements.
• The Emergence of AI: What is artificial intelligence, and does it have a role in franchising? This topic will feature an AI expert in dialogue with lawyers, focusing on
• recognizing and pursuing opportunities, and assessing the risks associated with AI in franchising.
• Litigation: Managing Disputes: Here’s a chance for the franchise litigators to shine! This topic will cover managing disputes and cost-effective solutions.
• Financial Performance Representations: Every franchise system wants to know what financial representations they can make, and what they should steer clear of.This session will highlight the best practices of communicating financials, and empower salespeople with information that they can use.
• Setting Yourself Up for Success: This session will be directed at emerging franchisors by providing key, need-to-know information about the franchise legal process in Canada. It will focus on the fundamental responsibilities of franchisors.
• There are Laws Outside of Ontario: Here is a chance for the lawyers that are from outside of Ontario to speak up. This session will discuss laws that affect franchise businesses beyond the existing franchise disclosure laws.

We are also open to receiving proposals for additional topics. If you are proposing your own topic, please ensure that your proposal meets the following criteria:

• Proposal topics align with the Franchise Law Day theme, focusing on growth/sales, business resiliency, fresh ideas and innovation, or insights and trends for the future regarding artificial intelligence.
• Panel presentation proposals should align with the following:
  • Have a moderator and two-to-three panellists (ideally including at least one franchisor panellist)
  • Panellists should be from different organizations or have different areas of expertise to provide more comprehensive and varying perspectives on a topic
  • Include panellists that reflect the diversity of our community and include speakers of all backgrounds
  • All speakers must be CFA members in good standing
• · Proposals are educational and are not self-promotional

While completing your proposal, we suggest that you address the following key points in your submission:

• What is the topic/title? 
• Why is this important to the audience? What’s in it for them? 
• What are the learning outcomes of the session? What are the three key learnings that attendees will take away from this session? 
• Who will present the session? 
• What makes the presenters qualified to speak on this topic?

SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON YOUR COMPANY THROUGH SPONSORSHIP!  

Put your brand at the forefront of legal issues faced by the franchise industry through sponsorship opportunities for the 2023 CFA Law Day. To learn more, contact Lou Gervasi (lgervasi@cfa.ca) or Om Mehta (omehta@cfa.ca).