Business and Legal Advisor with 25 years experience in private and firm settings, who embraces the entrepreneurial mindset of business owners of all sizes. https://www.westfalllaw.com/team/john-pfannenbecker/

Teaching Franchise Law at my law school alma mater.

Providing project-based legal advisory and business consulting services to businesses on diverse legal matters: transactional and corporate law, M&A, legal operations, general counsel services.

Led and directed managers, attorneys, and legal staff as well as performed legal; work focused on global contracts, legal operations, corporate affairs, and brand protection. Advised on legal matters across enterprise. Sourced, negotiated, and drafted vendor contracts. As member of senior steering committee, managed strategic planning, P&L, personnel, technology, and operations on $25 million budget. Partnered with CLO and finance team to develop organizational objectives and company growth… Show more Led and directed managers, attorneys, and legal staff as well as performed legal; work focused on global contracts, legal operations, corporate affairs, and brand protection. Advised on legal matters across enterprise. Sourced, negotiated, and drafted vendor contracts. As member of senior steering committee, managed strategic planning, P&L, personnel, technology, and operations on $25 million budget. Partnered with CLO and finance team to develop organizational objectives and company growth plan. Drafted franchise system loan documentation. Performed franchisee financial workouts and legal settlements. Show less

Advised on all transactional matters including M&A, financing, negotiation and drafting of vendor contracts, including technology, employment, advertising, and legal services. Led 80 legal team members across global contracts, franchise enforcement, dispute resolution, company store sales, transfers, finance and operations teams. Reported to General Counsel.

Assumed hybrid role for Founder/CEO, simultaneously working on Subway’s legal and financial affairs in addition to safeguarding personal assets and business ventures as the GC in new family office. Built legal operations and transactional law unit from scratch, including hiring and training legal taskforce to draft, review, interpret, and challenge corporate legal/financial documents and contracts. As a member of the Legal Senior Leadership Committee, partnered with Legal and Risk Management at… Show more Assumed hybrid role for Founder/CEO, simultaneously working on Subway’s legal and financial affairs in addition to safeguarding personal assets and business ventures as the GC in new family office. Built legal operations and transactional law unit from scratch, including hiring and training legal taskforce to draft, review, interpret, and challenge corporate legal/financial documents and contracts. As a member of the Legal Senior Leadership Committee, partnered with Legal and Risk Management at HQ. Sat on crisis management team with PR, risk, and operations leaders to mitigate high-profile incidents. Show less

Transactional and corporate law practice focused on advising clients in corporate entity formation, taxation and governance, contract negotiation and drafting, franchising, commercial real estate, trusts and estates, IP, and M&A.

Counseled large chains and dealerships on commercial litigation, real estate transactions and foreclosures, leasing and licensing, entity formation, taxation and governance, technology, and franchising strategy.