We worked with the team at Scotwork International to renew their entire global network of licences

Scotwork delivers professional training of negotiating skills to international clients. Its business model runs like a global franchise, using licences governed by Scots law. The network operates in over 40 countries, with some markets engaging numerous licencees. The renewal exercise involved around 600 new licences across the world.

The project was managed by our corporate lawyers who worked with local lawyers from the USA, via Poland and Romania in Europe, to Singapore, Hong-Kong and China in the Far East.

Key highlights

• Our legal experts project managed the renewal of licences in more than 40 countries, over 6 continents. 
• This process was business critical to our client as it protects the intellectual property vital to its continued success.
•  The licences are designed to manage the franchise relationship and specify operational requirements, including brand standards and succession planning.
• We co-ordinated input from local counsel around the world, with a focus on jurisdictions where issues with Scots law contract enforcement have been identified or local franchisees have needed greater management.  

Outcome

Scotwork's complex network of licences are a key competent to the continued success of the organisation, maximising licence compliance and managing risk, particularly in relation to infringement of Scotwork's intellectual property, which represents much of the value of the business and drives its revenue. Our work on the project to refresh, update and renew global licences was of critical strategic importance to Scotwork.

As a long-standing client of Brodies, we were able to use our in-depth understanding of Scotwork's licencing network and operational methods to help update the terms of all licences both for changes in law and practice since the last update, but also to improve business efficiency.

We have extensive experience of international franchise projects and co-ordinating input from local counsel around the world. As such, we were able to utilise this expertise to help Scotwork International achieve its goals for this project.