Why Keris Legal
What Sets Specialist Counsel Apart
In a market where many law firms offer franchise and licensing services as a secondary practice, working with a firm whose entire focus lies in this area produces materially different results.
Back to HomeOur Advantages
Core Reasons Clients Choose Keris Legal
Concentrated Expertise
Every matter we handle is a franchise or licensing matter. This narrow focus produces depth that general commercial practice cannot replicate.
ASEAN Regional Awareness
We understand how franchise agreements and licensing arrangements need to be structured to function across different ASEAN regulatory environments.
Both-Sides Perspective
Having acted for both franchisors and franchisees, we understand the concerns on each side — which makes our advice more pragmatic and commercially grounded.
Transparent Fee Structure
Fixed-scope fees for our core services mean you know what you are paying before work begins. No unexpected invoices at the conclusion of a matter.
Senior Lawyer Involvement
Your matter is handled by qualified solicitors, not delegated entirely to junior staff. The people you meet are the people who do the work.
Plain Language Delivery
Legal advice is most useful when it is understood. We communicate in clear terms, with explanations of what legal provisions mean in practical business terms.
01 — Expertise
Franchise and Licensing as a Primary Practice
Many commercial law firms in Singapore offer franchise and licensing services within a broader corporate or commercial practice group. For the majority of those firms, such matters represent a small proportion of total work. The practical consequence is that the lawyers handling your matter may be less current on industry norms, less familiar with the specific nuances of franchise relationship structures, and less aware of how similar matters have been approached in recent transactions.
At Keris Legal, franchise and licensing law is not a supplement to something else — it is the entirety of what we do. Our team stays current with FLA Singapore developments, ASEAN regulatory changes, and the evolving commercial practices of the franchise sector across the region.
Franchise agreement drafting and review as a daily practice
Disclosure document preparation across ASEAN standards
IP licensing structuring for trademarks, software, and content
Current awareness of FLA Singapore code of ethics
Cross-border royalty and withholding tax considerations
Structured document management for multi-jurisdictional matters
Secure digital delivery of draft and final documents
Consistent document templates refined across multiple engagements
Version control and change tracking throughout the drafting process
02 — Process
Organised, Efficient Engagement
Legal work that is disorganised creates unnecessary cost and delay. Our process for each engagement is structured: an initial briefing to understand the commercial context, a clear scope of work agreed in writing, regular updates during the drafting or review process, and a final discussion to ensure the client understands the document they are receiving.
Document templates refined over multiple engagements mean we are not starting from a blank page on each matter — which keeps fees and timelines within reasonable bounds without compromising on tailoring to the specific engagement.
03 — Service
Accessible and Attentive
Clients working through a franchise or licensing transaction often have questions that arise at unexpected moments — when they are reviewing a document late in the evening, or when a counterparty raises an issue at short notice. We aim to be accessible and responsive within the normal bounds of our working hours, and to provide clear guidance when questions arise rather than deferring responses until a formal meeting can be scheduled.
We take the time to understand each client's broader commercial context, not just the immediate legal task. This means the advice we provide tends to be more useful in practice, rather than narrowly technical.
Responsive to queries within agreed timeframes
Initial briefing to understand commercial objectives
Ongoing availability through the transaction process
Clear explanation of legal terminology in plain language
Published pricing for standard service engagements
Written engagement letters before work commences
No billing for minor clarification calls or brief queries
Scope variations discussed and agreed before incurring additional cost
04 — Value
Predictable Fees, No Surprises
Legal fees that are difficult to predict make it harder for clients to manage their budgets and erode trust in the engagement. For our three core services — franchise agreement drafting and review, franchise disclosure document preparation, and licensing agreement structuring — we work to fixed fees that are discussed and agreed before work commences.
Where a matter involves unusual complexity or additional scope beyond what was initially discussed, we will raise this with the client before incurring additional time, rather than presenting a larger invoice at the conclusion of the work.
How We Compare
Specialist vs General Practice
A practical comparison of what working with a specialist franchise and licensing firm looks like against a general commercial practice.
| Consideration | General Commercial Practice | Keris Legal |
|---|---|---|
| Franchise law focus | One of many practice areas | Entire practice focus |
| ASEAN disclosure knowledge | Variable by lawyer | Current across key markets |
| Fixed fee availability | Typically hourly billing | Fixed fees for core services |
| Franchisor and franchisee experience | Often one-sided | Both sides represented |
| IP licensing for cross-border royalties | May require separate tax advice | Integrated within service |
| Senior lawyer engagement | Often delegated to juniors | Qualified solicitors throughout |
Distinctive Features
What Makes Keris Legal Different
Network Perspective
We understand franchise systems as networks — where the strength of individual agreements affects the health of the whole. Advice informed by this systems perspective helps franchisors build more resilient networks.
Documented Commentary Format
Rather than providing verbal feedback alone, our agreement reviews include structured written commentary with referenced clauses and specific suggested amendments — giving clients a clear record of the legal analysis.
Tax Considerations Within Licensing
Royalty structuring cannot be properly done without considering withholding tax obligations. We address these considerations as part of the licensing engagement rather than treating them as a separate matter.
FLA Singapore Alignment
Our work references the Franchising and Licensing Association Singapore's code of ethics, helping franchisors structure relationships that meet recognised industry standards for transparency and fairness.
Track Record
Milestones & Recognitions
180+
Clients served across Singapore and ASEAN
9
Years of specialist franchise and licensing practice
320+
Franchise and licensing agreements prepared or reviewed
6
ASEAN markets covered through regional engagements
FLA Singapore Member
Franchising and Licensing Association Singapore
Singapore Law Society
All solicitors hold valid practising certificates
ASEAN Regional Network
Local counsel relationships across key ASEAN markets
Work With Us
Put Specialist Experience to Work
Whether you are drafting your first franchise agreement, reviewing one before signing, or structuring an IP licence for regional distribution, Keris Legal brings considered expertise to the matter.
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