What Plave Koch does

Plave Koch PLC is a specialized franchise and distribution law firm headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, co-founded in 2007 by Lee Plave and Dave Koch, both former Federal Trade Commission alumni. The firm operates as a professional services boutique focused exclusively on franchise and distribution law, with 23 professionals (12 partners, 3 associates, 1 of counsel, and 7 staff). Its practice spans ten integrated service areas: franchising, licensing, litigation and dispute resolution, trademarks and copyrights, distribution and supply chain, international franchise law, domain names/internet/technology, business and finance transactions, advertising and trade regulation, and vehicle rental / mobility services law. The firm serves franchisors across the United States and internationally, including foreign franchisors entering the U.S. market.

The business model is a traditional professional services structure generating revenue through legal fees — both retainer agreements for ongoing franchisor representation and project-based engagements for specific matters such as FDD preparation, franchise registration, dispute resolution, and M&A transactions involving franchise companies. Client acquisition is primarily sales-led, driven by industry reputation, referrals, conference presence (ABA Forum on Franchising, IFA Legal Symposium, International Car Rental Show), and thought-leadership content via the firm's website, blog, and legal library. The firm does not sell technology products, has no disclosed AI capabilities, and operates from a single office location serving a global client base.

The firm positions itself as "one of the largest franchise law practices in the country," with senior partners bringing 20–40+ years of franchise and distribution law experience, including several former in-house general counsel. Notable sub-niches include vehicle rental and mobility law (led by a partner brought in from outside in 2016) and complex post-merger franchise litigation. No institutional investors, parent company, or external ownership structure is indicated; the firm is partner-owned as a professional limited liability company.

Name

Plave Koch

Legal name

Plave Koch PLC

Website

https://plavekoch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Plave Koch PLC is a Falls Church, Virginia-based franchise and distribution law firm serving franchisors across the U.S. and internationally through 10 practice areas, including franchising, litigation, trademarks, international, and vehicle rental law, with 12 partners and 23 total professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Franchise Legal Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411)

akta.pro primary industry

IP Due Diligence & Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) Analysis (BPAHAMAG)

Keywords

• Franchise law services
• Trademark registration
• Franchise litigation
• Licensing legal counsel
• Distribution law advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Vausseroux

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Professional Fees: Law firm generates revenue through legal service fees charged to franchisors for legal representation, including transactional work, litigation, regulatory compliance, trademark registration, and dispute resolution.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Plave Koch PLC is a franchise and distribution law firm that provides comprehensive legal counsel to franchisors across the U.S. and worldwide. Its core offering spans ten practice areas—franchising, licensing, litigation and dispute resolution, trademarks and copyrights, distribution and supply chain, international law, domain names/internet/technology, business and finance transactions, advertising and trade regulation, and vehicle rental law—delivered by 12 partners and supporting attorneys through direct attorney-client engagements.

Product overview

Plave Koch PLC is a franchise law firm offering a comprehensive suite of legal services rather than a technology product. The firm operates as a single-service legal practice focused exclusively on franchise and distribution law, providing transactional, regulatory, and litigation services through ten practice areas including franchising, licensing, litigation, trademarks, international law, vehicle rental law, and business transactions. All legal services are delivered through the firm's attorneys at its Falls Church, Virginia office.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Franchising Legal Services
• Licensing Legal Services
• Litigation and Dispute Resolution
• Trademarks and Copyrights
• Distribution and Supply Chain
• International
• Domain Names, Internet and Technology
• Business and Finance Transactions
• Advertising and Trade Regulation
• Vehicle Rental Law

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• BakerHostetler: Large national firm with a franchise and distribution practice serving franchisors across transactional, regulatory, IP, and litigation work — a broader incumbent competitor.
• DLA Piper: Global law firm with a franchise and distribution practice that competes for franchisor-side mandates; offers broader geographic and cross-disciplinary reach than a boutique like Plave Koch.
• Faegre Drinker: Large national law firm with a dedicated franchise and distribution practice group; broader portfolio than Plave Koch but directly overlapping on franchisor-side representation and cross-border matters.

Direct peers

• Quarles & Brady: Mid-size law firm with a recognized franchise and distribution practice group providing franchisor-side counsel on transactions, regulation, and disputes similar to Plave Koch.
• Sirote & Permutt: Regional law firm with a dedicated franchise practice group representing franchisors — comparable in specialty focus though smaller in geographic footprint than Plave Koch.
• Dinsmore & Shohl: Multi-office law firm with a substantial franchise and distribution practice representing franchisors on system formation, regulatory compliance, and disputes.
• Lathrop GPM: National law firm with one of the largest dedicated franchise and distribution practice groups in the U.S., competing head-to-head for franchisor-side representation across transactional, regulatory, and litigation matters.
• Akerman LLP: Law firm with a top-ranked multi-office franchise and hospitality practice serving franchisors on transactions, regulatory compliance, and disputes — a close specialist competitor to Plave Koch.
• Snell & Wilmer: Full-service firm with a recognized franchise and distribution practice group representing franchisors across transactional, IP, and litigation matters similar to Plave Koch.
• Wiggin and Dana: Boutique-to-mid-size firm known for its franchise and distribution practice group, providing franchise law, trademark, and international franchising services comparable to Plave Koch.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PlaveKoch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plave-koch-plc
• Xx.com/PlaveKoch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Plave Koch