Lee Plave

Experience

Lee has extensive experience counseling distributors and franchisors, including drafting and negotiating franchise agreements for complex international and domestic transactions and advising clients on all aspects of franchise and distribution law.

Lee also counsels clients on the application of technology to franchise and distribution systems. He focuses his attention on matters such as social networking and social media issues, e-commerce, data use and security policies, cybersquatting and domain name disputes, consumer complaint and cybersmear sites, as well as software and hardware licensing. In addition, he serves as an expert witness and also represents clients in matters before the Federal Trade Commission.

Bar Admissions

• District of Columbia
• New York
• Virginia

Professional Associations

• American Bar Association Forum on Franchising: Director, International Franchise and Distribution Division (2012-14), Forum on Franchising
• International Bar Association, Vice-Chair, Committee on International Franchising
• International Franchise Association, Vice-Chair, Legal Legislative Committee (2019-2021); Revenue Recognition (FASB ASC 606) Task Force; Merchant-Cybersecurity Working Group on Cyber Risk Mitigation (IFA representative); President’s Council on Year 2000 Conversion (IFA representative to the White House); Information Technology Committee; FASB FIN46 Working Group; Social Media Task Force; PCI Compliance Task Force; Convention Planning Committee (2012).
• Bar Association of the District of Columbia
• New York State Bar Association Subcommittee on Revisions to the N.Y. Franchise Law
• Virginia State Bar Association

London-based Who’s Who Legal recognized Lee its global “Franchise Lawyer of the Year” for 2018, 2019, and 2020, as ranked by his peers. In 2025, as in the last few years, he has again been listed among the Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders – Global Elite.