Charles S. "Chuck" Modell

Franchise Attorney and Expert Witness

As a nationally recognized franchise attorney with over 45 years of experience, Chuck has been retained by both franchisors and franchisees to serve as an expert witness at trial and in arbitrations. This site shares some of his expertise and is designed to help you understand how the use of a franchise expert witness could help your case.

FRANCHISE EXPERT WITNESS

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Expert Witnesses

Franchise disputes between franchisors and franchisees can sometimes get ugly. The stakes can be high, especially when multiple franchisees are involved, or the issue goes to the heart of the franchise system. In these situations, the use of an expert witness can swing the pendulum in favor of one side or the other.

Chuck Modell's Personal Statement

Why I Enjoy Working as a Franchise Expert Witness and What to Expect

It was the fall of 2009. The late Jack Dunham, one of the premier franchise litigators in the country, called and asked me if I would be interested in being an expert witness for a large important case he had in federal court in Connecticut. I told him I had only served once before as an expert witness. Jack was undeterred. He described the case, and what I would need to do, and ended by asking me: “Does that sound like fun?” I responded by telling Jack that I had never considered pouring through documents, preparing a lengthy report, testifying in federal court, and being grilled by someone trying to trip me up to be fun, but I agreed to testify.

Experience You Can Count On

Chuck is Here When You Need Someone Who Understands the Business and Law of Franchising

Throughout his career as a franchise attorney, Chuck has worked with a variety of clients from small start-ups to some of the nation’s top international franchise companies. In addition to his practice, Chuck served for 11 years as a member of the Industry Advisory Committee to the NASAA Franchise Project Group. In this capacity, he acted as one of twelve attorneys who worked closely with franchise regulators to write commentaries interpreting and supplementing franchise disclosure laws. Attorneys on this committee also trained state franchise examiners on the interpretation of the disclosure requirements.

View Sample Expert Witness Experience
Distinguished Honors

Lewis G Rudnick Award - 2017

Considered one of the most distinguished recognitions in franchise law, The Rudnick Award honors franchise lawyers who have made substantial contributions to the development of the ABA Forum and to franchise law as a discipline and are recognized as accomplished practitioners of franchise law. Recipients of this lifetime achievement award are esteemed for comporting themselves in accordance with Lew Rudnick’s high standards of professionalism, decency and collegiality. Only twelve people have ever received this lifetime achievement award.

Other Services

We Have You Covered

Larkin Hoffman provides counsel to a wide variety of ‎organizations, from ‎small businesses and nonprofits to Fortune 500 companies, in ‎many areas of practice including franchising, ‎corporate and governance matters, litigation, real ‎estate, government relations, labor and employment, intellectual property, ‎information technology and taxation. The firm also serves the needs of individuals in many ‎areas ‎including trusts and estates, personal injury and family law.