Marks & Klein

What Marks & Klein does

Marks & Klein, LLP is a private U.S. law firm headquartered in Red Bank, New Jersey, with additional offices on Wall Street (New York), Northbrook and downtown Chicago (Illinois), and Boca Raton (Florida). The firm is organized as a Limited Liability Partnership and practices horizontally across franchise law, business transactions, commercial and class action litigation, appellate practice, estate planning and succession, estate litigation, employment law, and entertainment law. Its core franchise offering serves both franchisors and franchisees, including franchise disclosure document preparation, franchise and area development agreements, regulatory compliance, lease reviews, trademark protection, and franchisee-side class action litigation; the firm has secured over $330 million in cumulative settlements and awards for franchisee clients, anchored by the $206 million Quiznos class action settlement and the $125 million Snap-on settlement. The firm is recognized by Chambers USA as one of America's Leading Law Firms for Business, Franchise, and Justin M. Klein is one of only 138 U.S. attorneys listed in International Who's Who of Franchise Lawyers, alongside Franchise Times Legal Eagles distinctions.

The firm generates revenue through professional-services billing — partner-led legal representation, counseling, advisory work, and litigation — on a quote-based/fee-for-service model with no publicly disclosed pricing. Its go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven: business development is conducted through partner networks, professional referrals, industry recognition, and speaking engagements at franchise industry venues such as the International Franchise Association Legal Symposium, ABA Forum on Franchising, and the National Restaurant Association Show. The firm serves enterprise, mid-market, and SMB clients nationally, with attorneys admitted in state courts of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Illinois plus multiple federal courts including the U.S. Supreme Court, enabling it to handle matters across all 50 states.

Marks & Klein maintains a multi-practice horizontal structure rather than a unified technology platform, supported by content marketing through its 'Geared Up' newsletter and blog, PR placement in Franchise Times and the Wall Street Journal, and ecosystem activities including co-founding the Northern Illinois Franchise Association and the Garden State Franchise Association, and participation on the Illinois Attorney General's Franchise Advisory Board. The firm has approximately 12 attorneys listed across partners, of counsel, and associates, with a total employee count in the 11–50 range per firmographic data, and shows no evidence of external institutional investment or parent-company control.

Name

Marks & Klein

Legal name

Marks & Klein, LLP

Website

https://marksklein.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Marks & Klein, LLP is a private U.S. law firm specializing in franchise law, business transactions, commercial litigation, and estate planning, serving franchisors, franchisees, and emerging franchise concepts across all 50 states from offices in New Jersey, New York, Illinois, and Florida.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services - Franchise & Business Law

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) & Securities Law (BPAHAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Trademark Prosecution & Brand Protection (BPAHAMAB), Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law (BPAHAAAK), Transaction Services (Financial, Tax & Commercial Due Diligence) (BPAHAOAB)

Keywords

• Franchise law services
• Commercial litigation
• Business transactions
• Estate planning
• Legal counsel

Headquarters

HQ city

Red Bank

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Legal Services: The firm generates revenue through legal fees for franchise law, business transactions, commercial litigation, estate planning, and related legal services. Fee structures include professional service billing for legal representation, counseling, and advisory services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Marks & Klein is a law firm providing comprehensive legal services across franchise law, business transactions, commercial litigation, estate planning, and related practice areas. The firm represents franchisors, franchisees, businesses, and individuals with approximately 12 attorneys admitted to practice in multiple state and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. The firm has secured over $330 million in settlements and awards for franchisee clients.

Product overview

Marks & Klein is a law firm offering comprehensive legal services organized as distinct practice areas rather than a unified software product. The firm's core offerings include Franchise Law (serving both franchisors and franchisees), Business Transactions (corporate matters, M&A, governance), Commercial Litigation, Appellate Practice, Estate Planning & Business Succession, Estate Litigation, Employment Law, and Entertainment Law. Each practice area operates as a distinct service line with specialized attorneys, rather than a platform with modules or add-ons.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Franchise Law Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $330 Million in settlements and awards for franchisees
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northern Illinois Franchise Association (NIFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAndrew Bleiman co-founded NIFA which dedicates itself to supporting individuals and businesses in franchising at franchisor, franchisee and supplier levels. NIFA is committed to promoting, enhancing and fostering the success of franchisors and franchisees in Illinois through communication, political advocacy, networking, support services and educational programs.
• Illinois Attorney General's Franchise Advisory BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAndrew Bleiman serves as a member of the Illinois Attorney General's Franchise Advisory Board, providing guidance on franchise-related matters at the state level.
• Monmouth UniversityminorOthersGerald A. Marks serves as Adjunct Professor of Franchise Law at Monmouth University, teaching franchise law courses and presenting franchise seminars for the university and other educational organizations.
• Small Business AdministrationminorOthersGerald A. Marks presents franchise seminars for the Small Business Administration and other educational and business organizations.
• Lynn UniversityminorOthersGerald A. Marks presents franchise seminars for Lynn University and other educational and business organizations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP: Global firm with deep franchise, M&A, and commercial litigation capabilities competing for cross-border franchisor engagements and franchise system transactions.
• Snell & Wilmer: Southwest-based national firm with a recognized franchise practice across system creation and franchise disputes. Larger-scale incumbent competing for similar franchisor and franchisee mandates.
• Lathrop GPM: National full-service firm with a substantial franchise practice serving franchisors and franchisees — comparable on franchise specialization, though broader in scope and significantly larger.
• Foley & Lardner LLP: Major AmLaw firm with one of the largest national franchise practices, serving franchisors across system creation, M&A, and litigation. Direct competition at the upper end of franchise mandates.
• DLA Piper: Global law firm where managing attorney Andrew Bleiman previously practiced — provides a comparable background pathway and competes for multinational franchisor mandates.

Direct peers

• Phillips Nizer LLP: Mid-sized NY firm with a dedicated franchise and distribution practice serving both franchisors and franchisees — comparable on multi-jurisdiction franchise and entertainment/IP work.
• FisherZucker LLC: A Philadelphia-based franchise law boutique representing franchisors and franchisees in transactions, FDD preparation, and franchise disputes. Most direct U.S. comparator to Marks & Klein given similar boutique scale and franchise-side focus.
• Gray Plant Mooty: One of the longest-standing U.S. franchise law boutiques (Minneapolis), serving franchisors and franchisees with a full suite of franchise practice areas comparable to Marks & Klein's franchise offering.
• Zarco Einhorn Salkowski & Brito: Miami-based franchise boutique known for franchisee-side representation in major class actions against franchisors — directly comparable given Marks & Klein's franchisee-side franchise and class action track record.
• Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., LPA: Cleveland-based boutique with a longstanding franchise law and franchise collections practice representing franchisors on enforcement and franchisee-side disputes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/justin-m-klein-9a175b8
• Xx.com/MKFranchiselaw
• Facebookfacebook.com/marksandklein

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Marks & Klein