Where will arbitration occur for disputes related to the Bigfoot Forestry Franchise Agreement?

According to the 2025 Bigfoot Forestry Franchise Disclosure Document, the location of arbitration for disputes related to the Area Development Agreement is determined by the dispute resolution provisions outlined in the Initial Franchise Agreement. Specifically, Item 10 of the Area Development Agreement states that any dispute between the parties will be resolved according to the dispute resolution provisions in the Initial Franchise Agreement, and that these provisions are incorporated by reference into the Area Development Agreement.

This means that a prospective Bigfoot Forestry area developer needs to carefully review the dispute resolution section of the Initial Franchise Agreement to understand the process for resolving conflicts. This includes where mediation or arbitration will take place, what rules will govern the process, and who will bear the costs. Since the Area Development Agreement incorporates these provisions by reference, they are legally binding on the area developer as well.

It is common in franchising for dispute resolution processes to be standardized and specified in the franchise agreement. Franchisees should pay close attention to these clauses as they can significantly impact their rights and obligations in case of a disagreement with the franchisor. For example, some franchise agreements require arbitration to take place in the franchisor's home state, which could create additional expenses for the franchisee.