Court Admissions
- Virginia
- U.S. District Court, Columbia
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Education
- University of Maryland, B.A.
- American University, J.D.
Pat Cardwell, Of Counsel with the firm, has a wide range of experience in general civil litigation and franchise law.
Pat is the former general counsel of Realogy Corporation, the franchisor of six of the most recognized brands in the real estate industry: Coldwell Banker, Century 21, ERA, Sotheby’s International Realty, Better Homes and Gardens Realty, and Coldwell Banker Commercial. Combined, these real estate companies had approximately 15,000 company-owned and franchised offices in the US and other countries and territories around the world.
Following his ten years representing Realogy, Pat represented franchisors and franchisees in various industries. On the franchisor and master franchisor side, Pat assists companies in preparing Franchise Disclosure Documents and other regulatory filings and represents them in domestic and international franchise negotiations, renewals, assignments, and disputes. On the Franchisee side, Pat assists franchisees of all sizes to review Franchise Disclosure Documents, and in negotiations of new franchise agreements, franchise renewals, compliance, assignment of franchise agreements, and approval of new franchisees. Pat’s practice is nationwide as he has represented clients in Arizona, California, Washington, Iowa, Texas, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, New York, Connecticut, Virginia, Maryland, and Florida among others. He even has represented a company in the United Kingdom. Pat believes that franchisors and franchisees should be guided by the principle of growing their respective businesses together, and works towards reasonable legal solutions designed with the best business plan to obtain the best result for the franchisor and the franchisee.
Pat applies this vast array of “franchise knowledge and business practice” to assist franchisors and franchisees in negotiating their new agreements and renewals and any other issues that may arise during the franchise relationship. Should dispute resolution, arbitration or litigation become necessary, Pat brings sufficient franchise and commercial considerable litigation experience to bear on behalf of franchisors and franchisees.
