Franchise Times has featured Haynes Boone Partners Deb Coldwell, Maral Kilejian, Rob Lauer and Elizabeth Weldon in its Legal Eagles listing of the top franchise practitioners in the U.S. This is Coldwell’s 21st time to be named a Legal Eagle.
Legal Eagles are “star legal professionals” who have been nominated or recommended by peers, clients and the publication’s editors. According to Franchise Times, “With a keen mind for both the legalese and business, they understand the gravitas of every legal battle, every transaction and the importance of every document.”
“These lawyers live and breathe franchising and truly understand the nuances of the unique business model. In a world of chaos and uncertainty, these exceptional professionals are more necessary than ever,” the publication states.
Coldwell, co-chair of the Franchise and Distribution Practice Group, represents franchisors, distributors, joint ventures, limited liability companies, partnerships and the individuals who run those companies in jury trials, bench trials and arbitrations. Deb will help bring a business solution to a dispute when possible and is skilled in representing clients in mediations and other settlement proceedings. But when litigation is inevitable, she is fully prepared to go to trial or arbitration and to fight for a company and its officers.
Kilejian focuses her practice in the areas of franchise and distribution law and advertising, marketing and promotional law. She is a nationally recognized franchise attorney who provides practical initial and ongoing counsel and legal support to franchisors in the structuring and operation of domestic franchise programs and international expansion.
As co-chair of our Franchise and Distribution Practice Group, Lauer devotes 100 percent of his practice to domestic and international franchise matters. He is active on the ABA’s Forum on Franchising as an editor, writer and speaker at events, and he is currently serving on the Forum’s governing committee through August 2025.
Weldon is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group in Haynes Boone’s Orange County office. She is a Certified Specialist in Franchise and Distribution Law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Weldon’s practice focuses on business litigation and franchise litigation at trial, judicial reference and arbitration and she is passionate about representing franchisors in all kinds of dispute resolution. She is serving a two-year term as the Chair of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Franchising, after previously serving on the governing committee as finance officer.
