Larry M. Weinberg

Partner

 | Toronto

Larry Weinberg* is a partner in the Business Law Group at Cassels and serves as Chair of the firm’s Franchise Group. Since 1989 he has had a practice concentrated in the area of franchise law and providing all necessary legal services to franchisors. He is a member of the Canadian Franchise Association, where he served as a member of the CFA Board of Directors and as CFA General Counsel, and the International Franchise Association, where he serves as Chair of the IFA International Committee, and previously served as a Member of the IFA Board of Directors and as Chair of its Supplier Forum Advisory Board. He is also a Past-Chair of the International Bar Association’s International Franchising Committee and is a Past-Chair of the Ontario Bar Association’s Franchise Law Section.

Larry was the founder of, and to date has organised and chaired four Ontario Bar Association annual franchise law conferences. He is a member of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Franchising, and in 2006, he was the first Canadian lawyer to be appointed Director of the ABA Forum’s International Division and to a leadership role on its Governing Committee. In 2009 he had the honour of being Co-chair of the ABA’s 32nd Annual Forum on Franchising conference.

In 2004 he acted as co-editor of the ABA Forum on Franchising’s book entitled Fundamentals of Franchising-Canada. In 2017, he again acted as co-editor of the 2nd edition of this publication. As well he was co-editor and co-author of the Canadian Franchise Association’s first and still only official book publication entitled, How To Franchise Your Business. He is a co-author of the chapter on Canada for the ABA Forum’s book entitled International Franchise Sales Laws.

From 2014 – 2018, and again from 2021 – 2024, Larry received the Lexology Index’s (formerly Who’s Who Legal’s®) one and only worldwide Lawyer of the Year award for Franchise law. And for 2021 Larry was named by Best Lawyers in Canada®, as Lawyer of the Year for Franchise Law in Toronto. In each year from 2009 to 2024 Larry was named by Franchise Times to their “Legal Eagles” list of the top franchise lawyers in the United States and Canada. He and Cassels are each listed in the Lexpert® Canadian legal directory as being among the leaders in Canada in franchise law, and in 2014 Larry received the Lexpert® Zenith Award.

He is currently an adjunct professor at Western University’s law school, where he teaches the first course in franchise law taught at a Canadian law school.

Larry was called to the Bar of the Province of Ontario in 1989.

*Services provided through a Professional Corporation

  • Best Lawyers in Canada (Franchise)
  • Best Lawyers in Canada, Lawyer of the Year (Franchise Law – Toronto) (2019 & 2021)
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (Franchise Law: Franchisor)
  • Chambers Canada (Franchising)
  • Chambers Global (Franchising)
  • Franchise Times (Legal Eagle)
  • International Who’s Who of Franchise Lawyers, Lawyer of the Year (2014-2017)
  • Lexology Index (Franchise) (Most Highly Regarded Individual for North America in 2015, Thought Leader in 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2022) (formerly Who’s Who Legal)
  • Lexology Index: Thought Leaders – Global Elite (Franchise) (formerly Who’s Who Legal)
  • Lexology Index Awards: Franchise Lawyer of the Year (2014-2018, 2021-2024)
  • Lexpert, Zenith Award (Practice Excellence) (2014)
  • Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-border Corporate Lawyers in Canada
  • Lexpert Special Edition, Litigation
  • Martindale Hubbell, Distinguished™ Rating
  • “Larry Weinberg is the best of the best, no question.” – Chambers Canada (Franchising)
  • “Larry Weinberg sets the bar that all franchise lawyers aspire to in terms of his knowledge and his commitment to his clients and the industry.” – Chambers Canada (Franchising)
  • “He is extremely responsive and has the ability to get us to the right person, even outside of franchising.” – Chambers Canada (Franchising)
  • “Larry Weinberg is personable, realistic in his advice and intuitive, and he spots issues.” – Chambers Canada (Franchising)
  • “Larry Weinberg offers awareness of what our business needs, offers changes in franchising markets and helps us with understanding the flexibilities that we have.” – Chambers Canada (Franchising)
  • “Larry is well attuned to the needs of our brand and provides quick and knowledgeable advice in the area of franchise law.” – Chambers Canada (Franchising)
  • “He is effective, practical and efficient.” – Chambers Canada (Franchising)
  • “A true expert in Canadian franchise law. An excellent counsellor and proactive in his advice.” – Chambers Canada (Franchising)
  • “Extremely knowledgeable and experienced in Canadian-US cross-border franchise matters.” – Chambers Global (Franchising)
  • “Larry is the top of the top – he is the name in franchise law in Canada.” – Chambers Canada (Franchising)
  • “He is number one in Canada.” – Chambers Global (Franchising)
  • “Widely known and respected in the franchising community and shines in all aspects.” – Chambers Canada (Franchising)
  • “A pre-eminent franchising lawyer with a high level of involvement in the hospitality sector.” – Chambers Canada (Hospitality)
  • “Without a doubt the go-to attorney in Canada for anything and everything related to franchising.” – Chambers Canada (Franchise)
  • “Good at explaining complex issues to business teams.” – Chambers Canada (Franchise)
  • “He is dynamite.” – Chambers Global (Franchise)
  • “He has a global reputation and an outstanding grasp of commercial matters.” – Who’s Who Legal (Franchise)
  • “Larry has an extremely sophisticated approach and unparalleled knowledge and experience.” – Who’s Who Legal (Franchise)
  • “One of the biggest names in franchise law.” – Chambers Canada (Franchise)
  • “He knows Canada laws inside and out.” – Chambers Global (Franchise)
  • “Extremely dedicated to his clients.” – Chambers Global (Franchising)
  • LL.B., Western University, 1987
  • Ontario, 1989
  • American Bar Association, Forum on Franchising International Division, Former Director
  • Canadian Bar Association
  • Canadian Franchise Association, General Counsel, Chair, Legal and Legislative Committee and Former Member, Executive and Board of Directors (2015)
  • International Bar Association, Former Co-Chair, International Franchising Committee
  • International Franchise Association, Vice-Chair, International Committee; Immediate Past-Chair, Supplier Forum Advisory Board
  • Ontario Bar Association, Past Chair, Franchise Law Section