Tao Xu devotes his practice to franchising and distribution matters, especially international franchising, licensing and distribution transactions.
Tao counsels a broad range of clients in their international expansions, including master franchising, multi-unit licensing, area development, single-unit licensing and direct investment (both joint venture and wholly owned). The transactions that he has handled range from routine international expansion transactions to some of the most sophisticated transactions in this area, in a number of different markets around the world.
Tao is particularly active in food and beverage, hospitality and leisure, and retail industries, having acted for a number of high profile US brands in cross-border transactional matters.
Tao is deeply involved in franchising activities in China, having both acted for a number of clients in entering the Chinese market and lobbied on behalf of the International Franchise Association in connection with the Chinese government's franchise regulations and their implementation rules.
Tao has written and spoken extensively on international franchising and the regulation of franchising in a number of countries. He currently serves as the co-chair of International Bar Association’s International Franchising Committee, having previously served as the Director of the American Bar Association Forum on Franchising's International Division.
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