Sign In
Free Newsletter
DAVID CAHN
OFFIT KURMAN, ATTORNEYS AT LAW
David Cahn, principal at Offit Kurman, Attorneys At Law, brings more than 25 years of experience to a national practice built around franchise law. He advises franchisors and franchisees on launching brands, growing businesses and protecting legal rights across a wide range of industries, including restaurants and food service, fitness, education, transportation, cosmetology, senior care, physical rehabilitation, boating, home services and improvements, and child enrichment.
Cahn works with companies seeking growth to determine whether their intended business relationships constitute franchises and, where possible, structures arrangements to avoid coverage by franchise sales or relationship laws.
More than 35 companies have trusted him to prepare franchise disclosure documents and franchise agreements, and numerous franchisors have relied on him to improve their offerings and navigate regulatory hurdles, particularly around Maryland franchise registration. Beyond franchising, his contract work spans the sale and purchase of closely held businesses, LLC operating agreements, corporation shareholders agreements, product distribution, commercial real estate leases, and agreements involving licensing and the purchase and sale of trademark rights.
He began his career as a full-time litigation and trial attorney, and continues to represent both franchisors and franchisees in disputes, with particular experience in covenants not to compete and other restrictive covenants.
In addition, Cahn has served as an expert witness in cases related to hotel and restaurant franchises.
A significant portion of his practice involves serving as outside general counsel for businesses across sectors, with particular expertise in representing restaurants and food service businesses on matters of franchising, trademarks, real estate leasing, employment, construction and governmental licensing. He also serves as outside general counsel to a pharmacy group purchasing and administrative services organization.
Cahn has been named a Franchise Times Legal Eagle every year since 2016 and has been recognized as a Franchise Times Legal Eagle Hall of Fame member since 2022. He has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America in corporate law, franchise law and real estate law from 2020 through 2026, and received the Maryland State Bar Association President’s 2024 Award for Outstanding Service as chair of the Business Law Section.
His bar service spans decades within the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA), including past chair of the MSBA’s Franchise Law Committee and current co-chair, chair emeritus of the Committee on Laws, and executive committee membership in the Business Law Section. He is the founder and co-chair of the Legal Clinic for Small Businesses in Maryland, a joint program of the MSBA and Civil Justice, Inc. He also serves on the United Way of Central Maryland’s Baltimore City Region United Network Advisory Board and its Public Policy Committee.
“I use my accumulated skills and knowledge to help entrepreneurs and small business owners succeed, particularly those who establish and run their businesses in Baltimore and Maryland,” Cahn said.
