Gurmeet Jakhu

Gurmeet is recognised as a leading franchise and commercial specialist with 25 years’ experience, including as company secretary at a leading franchisor company and a niche franchise law firm.  Gurmeet’s extensive experience and knowledge of franchising and commercial law includes advising on contractual documentation necessary to set up a franchise business and drafting and reviewing agreements.

Gurmeet also regularly advises on commercial and franchise disputes, resolution strategies, including business protection litigation and, where necessary, taking pre-emptive injunctive relief, including freezing orders, to protect clients’ interests & IPRs.  He has been involved in many leading heavyweight disputes at the High Court, Court of Appeal and at mediation including whilst acting for and against franchisee group actions. Gurmeet regularly offers litigation support to colleagues in the construction and employment teams.

Gurmeet also deals with a variety of other commercial agreements including agency, distribution and supply agreements.  His key focus is to ensure that clients’ trading agreements are sufficiently robust to minimise and mitigate against legal and business risk and that the agreements reflect modern commercial practice and are up to date with developments in the law.

Given his in-house experience, Gurmeet is familiar with issues and challenges encountered by businesses and can rely on this experience to provide timely and pragmatic advice so that clients are presented with cost-effective solutions.  Gurmeet is a keen advocate of early dispute resolution and ADR.  His extensive experience of bringing or defending claims in the High Court and Court of Appeal will ensure that your dispute, if not capable of being resolved early on, will be pursued with the necessary skill and tenacity.

Gurmeet is a member of the Birmingham Law Society Dispute Resolution Committee and was, until recently, an Executive Committee Member of the Asian Chambers of Commerce.  He has lectured on behalf of WIPO at numerous international conferences, on franchising and IP issues in Singapore, Mongolia and Italy and domestically on behalf of the BFA. He is a recognised author on franchising and commercial law and has been listed in Legal 500 and Chambers. Gurmeet is also a visiting lecturer at the University of Law on contract, commercial law and dispute resolution.