Does the agreement to attempt internal dispute resolution for 360 Painting survive the termination or expiration of the Franchise Agreement?

According to the 2025 360 Painting Franchise Disclosure Document, the agreement to first attempt internal resolution of disputes survives the termination or expiration of the Franchise Agreement. Before a franchisee can bring a claim or dispute before a third party, the franchisee must first bring the claim to 360 Painting's Chief Executive Officer, after providing notice as set forth in Section 26 of the agreement. The franchisee must make every effort to resolve the dispute internally and exhaust this procedure before pursuing other avenues.

This requirement to attempt internal dispute resolution even after the franchise agreement ends could benefit both 360 Painting and the franchisee. It provides a structured way to address disagreements and potentially avoid costly and time-consuming litigation or arbitration. For the franchisee, this could mean a chance to resolve issues more quickly and directly with the franchisor, even after the formal business relationship has concluded.

However, it's important to note that this internal dispute resolution is only the first step. If the dispute cannot be resolved internally, the franchisee may then proceed to other methods such as non-binding mediation or litigation. The survival of this clause ensures that both parties have an opportunity to find common ground before resorting to more formal and adversarial processes, even after the franchise term has ended.