Erik B. Wulff

Representative Experience

• Represented the largest global athletic footwear retailer in acquiring a digitally led, premium athletic footwear company based in Japan with operations throughout Southeast Asia and the US
• Represented the largest global athletic footwear retailer in connection with tandem joint ventures with an Israeli company to develop retail stores throughout Europe and a subsequent pre-IPO investment in the Israeli company
• Represented a multi-brand retailer of apparel and personal care products in establishing retail sales and distribution systems throughout the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Latin America
• Represented multi-brand global hotel company in connection with worldwide exclusive development ventures for several hotel brands
• Represented multi-brand global hotel company in acquiring a hotel system operating in Europe and South America, coupled with long term co-development rights
• Represented multi-brand global hotel company in acquiring a US based regional competitor
• Represented a luxury apparel and accessories company in establishing a global distribution system, including retail sales and distribution arrangements in various countries in Asia (Japan, Korea, Philippines)
• Represented major real estate company in structuring master franchise arrangements in Brazil, India, China, Malaysia and Indonesia
• Represented multi-brand global hotel company in establishing a Maltese joint venture to develop and manage multiple hotel brands in countries throughout the Mediterranean, North Africa and Eastern Europe
• Represented multi-brand global hotel company in establishing operations in China through various means, including master franchise, joint venture, management license and direct cross-border franchise arrangements
• Represented various franchise companies in connection with acquisitions and divestitures of franchise systems and integration of acquired systems
• Represented international franchise and product distribution companies in connection with direct franchising, transnational franchising, joint venture, master franchise, multi-unit development and exclusive distribution transactions throughout the world, including Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East

• Chambers Global
  • Band 5, Global Market Leaders Franchising (2022-2023)
  • Band 4, Global Market Leaders Franchising (2021) 
  • Band 4, Global-wide Franchising (2019-2020) 
  • Band 3 Global-wide Franchising (2018)
• Chambers USA
  • Band 2, Nationwide Franchising (2020-2022)
  • Chambers USA comments, "Erik Wulff has an impressive franchise practice and advises on issues such as licensing, acquisitions and joint venture arrangements." Clients say, "Erik is an excellent business-oriented counselor - efficient and practical."
  • Band 3, Nationwide Franchising (2014-2019, 2023) 
  • Band 4, Nationwide Franchising (2012-2013)
• Listed in Who's Who Legal: The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers and Franchise Lawyers
• Listed as a Franchise Times Legal Eagle for many years
• Listed in Washington, DC's Best Lawyers for franchise law (2016)

Erik has been active in the ABA's Section of International Law, serving as the Liaison to the Bar Council of India and as a member of the ABA Task Force on International Trade in Legal Services. He has served as Chair of the Public International Law Division, co-chair of the India committee, chair of the International Commercial Transactions, Franchising and Distribution Committee, chair of the ILEX committee (including ILEX Cuba, ILEX India, ILEX South America and ILEX New Zealand/Australia), and former member of the Task Force on the International Criminal Court. Erik also is active in the ABA Forum on Franchising and is a former member of its Governing Committee and a former associate editor of the ABA Franchise Law Journal.