Mr. Thomas R. Brule, Esq.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Office: (216)789-4229;

Home: (440)349-3303;

Email: BruleT@gmail.com;

Website: www.BruleLaw.com

CURRENT PROFESSION

Brule Law Firm, LLC – Boutique law firm dealing with all aspects of franchising, licensing, litigation, corporate formations and entities, distribution, non-competition agreements, trade secrets, restaurants, service companies, liquor licenses, retail, and acquisition and divestiture of companies.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Managing Partner at Brule Law Firm, LLC, 2009-present; Partner at Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP, Cleveland, Ohio 2003-2008; Partner at Buckingham Doolittle & Burroughs LLP, Cleveland and Akron, Ohio 1996-2003; Senior Vice President/General Counsel of PWLC, et al., 1992-1996; U.S. Franchise and Litigation Attorney/Senior Executive for Kentucky Fried Chicken (subsidiary RJR and PepsiCo, sister companies Taco Bell and Pizza Hut); Former Adjunct Professor at the University of Akron School of Law and the University of Louisville School of Business in franchising.

EXPERIENCE

Chief of Franchise Practice and Partner with two large northeast Ohio law firms with multi-state and international offices focusing on all issues related to franchising and licensing, including administration, advertising, and purchase and sale of businesses; Franchise Disclosure Document (formerly UFOC) preparation and review; alternative distribution strategies; foreign franchising and licensing; intellectual property.

National Counsel with Kentucky Fried Chicken handling all franchise and litigation issues in the United States. Examples include all Contract Administration, Nation Supply issues, National and Locla advertising, Chair of Royalty Collection Committee.

PUBLICATIONS

Published in the Corporate Counsel’s International Advisor with article “China Franchising – The New Frontier”; Quoted in the Wall Street Journal in the Small Business section regarding Franchisees. Other articles including - Franchising – A New Way to Grow Your Business.

EDUCATION

University of Louisville, Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, 1980, J.D.; University of Kentucky, 1977, M.B.A. (Graduate Assistant); Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1976, B.S., Accounting.

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION & LITIGATION EXPERIENCE

Member of the Commercial Panel of the American Arbitration Association; Chaired multiple arbitration panels or have attentively served as sole arbitrator. Arbitrations include handling franchise, shareholder/intellectual property matters, partnership disputes, development, and other matters. Former mediator for a major U.S. corporation.

Handled multi-party complex civil federal and state litigation and mediation. Administrative matters. Secured and defended injunctive relief in both franchisor and franchise contracts, and other related matters.

MEMBERSHIPS, AFFILIATIONS, AND HONORS

Multi-year member of International Franchise Association; Commercial Arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association; Visiting Board at Cleveland State University School of Business. Past Trustee at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

PROFESSIONAL LICENSES

States of Ohio and Commonwealth Kentucky; U.S. District Court Admissions: Admitted to the Bar for the Northern and Southern District of Ohio, 1994, 2007; Western District of Kentucky, 1982; Central District of Illinois, 1983; U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 1983.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

American Bar Association; ABA Forum on Franchising; Ohio State Bar Association; Kentucky Bar Association.

CITIZENSHIP

United States of America.

LEGAL PRESENTATIONS AND OTHER SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Ohio State University – Franchising Panel Moderator, 2008; International Franchise Association, Cleveland Seminar, 2008; Ohio State Bar Association, Commercial Real Estate Law, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007; International Franchise Association, Panel Moderator, 2006; Akron Regional Development Board, 1998; SCORE, U.S. Small Business Administration, 1999; Cleveland Intellectual Property Law Association, 1999; Ohio State Bar Association – Business Lawyers Institute, Franchising, Cleveland and Columbus, 1999; Ohio State Bar Association, Northeast Ohio, Non-Traditional Development, 1997; The New Uniform Offering Circular, 1996; Financial Executive Seminar, 1998; PriceWaterHouseCoopers – General Counsel Forum, 1999; Multiple speaking engagements at KFC; University of Akron, College of Business Administration, Professor of the Day, 1999, 2000; How to Buy a Franchise Business, Multiple Presentations, Cuyahoga Public Library System; National Summit Urban League – Legal Aspects of Franchising, 1997; Protect Your Franchise; Franchise Sales – A Primer, 2005; Franchise Marketing Practices, 2007; Franchising’s New Rules (FDD), 2007; Franchising 101 for Franchisors, 2006; Franchising 101 for CPA’s, 2006; Franchising 101, 2005; Franchising 101 for Building Sales through Local Advertising, 2007.