Kevin E. Maher
Biography
Kevin Maher currently leads the Dallas Office’s International Commercial Practice Group and is a member of the management committee for the Texas Offices. Kevin has a broad-based business-transactional practice focusing on complex cross-border corporate and commercial contract matters, with a heavy emphasis on global brand expansion and international business growth via franchising, licensing, joint ventures and direct investment. His broad experience extends to multiparty cross-border joint venture transactions, international franchise, master franchise and development transactions, licensing and distribution transactions, international mergers and acquisitions, international regulatory compliance, IP and tax structuring, multijurisdictional corporate reorganizations, international corporate formation and maintenance and international real estate and finance.
Kevin has been listed in both Chambers Global and Chambers USA as a leading franchise lawyer and was praised by clients as "a deal maker who is highly responsive and resourceful." Kevin is also a regular speaker and writer on topics dealing with international franchising and international joint ventures. Kevin is currently a member of the International Franchise Association’s International Committee and has been named as a Leading Lawyer and USA Thought Leader in Franchising by Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) and as a Franchise Times Legal Eagle.
Practice Focus
Representative Legal Matters
- Represents several leading franchised brands (including casual dining, fast casual and quick service restaurants, entertainment centers, hotels, fitness clubs, car rental companies, retail stores and service businesses) in their international franchise, joint venture and other international matters on a global level.
- Assists major hotel brands expanding internationally via franchising in connection with negotiating and documenting franchise transactions, conducting local due diligence and regulatory compliance.
- Assisted leading restaurant brand in opening new markets for company-owned and direct franchised locations.
- Advised multiple major consumer brands in analyzing and implementing offshore IP holding structures.
- Advised virtual kitchen operator with their global expansion and licensing structures.
- Represented private investors in the acquisition, financings, refinancing and sale of multiple ultra-luxury resort in Latin America.
- Assisted multiple major restaurant brands in conducting brand protection initiatives, including market testing events and pop-up stores.
- Advised multiple clients with respect to multijurisdictional secured lending facilities and related matters.
- Represented multinational corporation in connection with the acquisition of a competing multinational brand.
- Assists multinational corporation in coordinating global leasing portfolio, including new leases, renewals and terminations throughout Europe, Asia and Latin America.
- Advised multiple popular domestic retail store concepts with expanding internationally by licensing and franchising.
- Advised multiple multilevel marketing companies with establishing global footprints, including company formation, labor matters, tax planning, IP protection, regulatory compliance, leasing and commercial contract matters.
- Assisted various clients with respect to default, work-out, termination and de-identification of international franchisees and related dispute resolution proceedings in multiple jurisdictions.
Professional Honors
- Chambers Global, Franchising
- Chambers USA, Franchising
- Legal Eagle, Franchise Times
- Leading Lawyer, Who's Who Legal: Franchise
- Global Attorney of the Year, Global Chamber Dallas
- Order of the Coif
Admissions
- Texas~United States (2002)
Education
- Texas Tech University School of Law (J.D., summa cum laude) (2002)
- University of Dallas (B.A., cum laude) (1998)
Languages
- English