Eleanor Vaida Gerhards

Associate

Eleanor has created a well-respected corporate practice, representing clients in the Bucks County and Philadelphia region of Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey as well as nationally in a broad range of matters with an emphasis on: 

• Mergers and acquisitions
• Venture capital and angel financing
• Insurance and insurance regulator matters
• Entity formation
• Corporate finance
• Franchising
• Securities and private placements  

Eleanor is a Certified Franchise Executive, a designation received from the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives, an academic branch of the International Franchise Association’s Educational Foundation.  As an experienced franchise attorney, Eleanor works with start-up and established franchise clients in the structuring of franchise programs, drafting of franchise disclosure documents, franchise agreements, and related contracts and counseling clients on regulatory compliance matters including obtaining and renewing state franchise registrations. She also handles matters related to master franchising, multi-unit licensing and area-development business arrangements.  Eleanor also represents franchisors and franchisees in connection with the acquisitions and sales of franchise businesses. 

Eleanor also works with entrepreneurs and start-up companies as well as established and emerging growth companies in the particular requirements, challenges and opportunities of their businesses.  She has experience drafting operating and shareholders' agreements, non-competition agreements, private offering documents, supply and vendor agreements, commercial agreements and asset and stock purchase agreements. In addition, clients rely on Eleanor’s counsel in insurance regulatory and compliance matters.

Representative Matters

Franchise Matters

• Represented an appraisal car service company in its national franchise system expansion as well as its annual franchise renewal registrations and updates.
• Represented a successful barbeque restaurant service business in its conversion from a licensing to franchising structure.
• Represented a start-up organizational and de-cluttering business in the structuring of its franchise programs and drafting of franchise related documents.
• Represented a well respected caterer in the structuring of a licensing program for online party and event planning.
• Secured an Exemption by Order from Maryland’s Franchise Law for a client offering fractional franchises.
• Represented a licensor of cupcake stores in its business arrangements with bakery licensees located in 3 major cities.
• Represented a New York City high end restaurateur in utilizing state and federal franchise exemptions from registration and disclosure.
• Represented a provider of youth amateur sports leagues and camps in the organization of its franchise system and preparation of its franchise disclosure documents and agreements. 
• Represented a holding company of food service franchises in the sale of 12 of its store locations in two separate transactions. 

General Corporate Matters

• Represented a Pennsylvania based glass manufacturing company in the sale of its bullet-proof glass division in a $37 million cash sale.
• Represented an international parts cleaning business in the $4 million acquisition of a competitor.
• Represented a borrower in a $23 million acquisition financing.
• Represented a New York Stock Exchange company in a number of acquisitions and divestitures.
• Represented the buyer in a $2.5 million stock purchase of a marketing and direct sales advertising company in the Philadelphia region. 
• Represented a local municipality in the sale of its water system in a $4 million transaction.
• Counsel and advise a UK based pharmaceutical company in the negotiation of its supply and vendor agreements in the United States.
• Counsel and advise a manufacturer of flame retardant products in the negotiation of its vendor terms and conditions.

Before Fox Rothschild

Beyond Fox Rothschild

Client Resources

Honors and Awards