Melissa Cattini, Ahmed Malik and Matt Barnes to speak at The National Franchise Show in Regina

On May 2–3, 2026, MLT Aikins lawyers Melissa Cattini, Ahmed Malik and Matt Barnes will be attending the 2026 National Franchise Show in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Melissa, Ahmed and Matt will each be presenting a session over the two-day conference:

How to Franchise your Business

At a special pre-show session on Saturday, May 2, Melissa will present How to Franchise your Business, a limited-seating workshop designed to guide attendees through the process of converting their existing business into a successful franchise system.

This session will cover each stage of the franchising process – from assessing franchise readiness and designing a scalable franchise model to understanding key legal requirements and developing strategies for sourcing and onboarding qualified franchisees.

Understand your Franchise Agreement

On Saturday, May 2, Ahmed will present Understand your Franchise Agreement, where attendees will learn about the standard clauses found in franchise agreements.

Session participants will learn:

• What information must be included under Canadian franchise legislation, including corporate details, litigation history, fees, territory rights, trademarks and financial statements
• Tips and guidelines for how to interpret and evaluate disclosure materials and use them to meaningfully evaluate the franchise opportunity
• Franchisee rights and remedies and the consequences of incomplete or inaccurate disclosure for franchisors and learn practical strategies to keep disclosure document accurate, current and fully compliant with statutory timelines in all applicable provinces

Protecting the Brand: IP Issues and Considerations in Franchise Agreements

On Sunday, May 3, Matt will present Protecting the Brand: IP Issues and Considerations in Franchise Agreements, where attendees will learn about important considerations when it comes to IP in franchise agreements.

Session participants will learn:

• Methods to protect and commercialize technology, brands and processes
• Best practices for building a resilient, future-ready IP strategy
• The importance of understanding IP rights in your franchise agreement
• How to avoid costly surprises in IP transactions, including protecting yourself from third party claims

About the MLT Aikins Franchising team

Our team of franchise lawyers represents and advises franchisors, franchisees and master franchisees, area representatives and licensors to help them understand, manage and navigate the legal and regulatory requirements that apply to Canadian franchises.

Our primary focus is on advising corporate and franchised brands on establishing, structuring, developing and expanding in Western Canada. We work closely with our clients across a range of industries (from quick-service restaurants to regulated professions) at each of the stages of the “franchise cycle” – from launch, set-up for long-term growth and impact, ongoing management and operations, through to maturity, exit strategy planning and the sale of businesses.

MLT Aikins is a member of the Canadian Franchise Association.

Registration for the National Franchise Show Regina is open now. Secure your seat today.

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