Who owns the rights to the Marks used by Christies International Real Estate?
Christies_International_Real_Estate Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Except for the limitations described in this Section, you acknowledge and agree that you do not have any right to exclude, control or impose conditions on our development of future licensed, franchised, company or affiliate-owned CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE businesses, or other company owned businesses at any time or at any location.
1.3. Rights Reserved to Us. We reserve (for ourselves and our affiliates) reserve all rights to engage in all activities associated with CHRISTIES INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE Marks, and all rights to engage in any business, licensing, franchising, or other activities associated with other brands, marks, and real estate brokerage systems, anywhere in the world, not specifically granted to you under this Agreement or expressly prohibited under this Agreement, or expressly prohibited from us engaging in under this Agreement. Without limiting the preceding sentence, we (for ourselves and our affiliates) specifically reserve the right, from any location at any time, without any compensation to you or any other Affiliate and regardless of whether it competes with the Business, the following rights:
(a) To own and operate, and grant licenses or franchises to others to own and operate, CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE offices outside of the Protected Territory;
(b) To own and operate, and grant licenses or franchises to others to own and operate, any business of any kind (other than an office located within your Protected Territory selling the same services as a CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE businesses) under the Marks at any locations within or outside of your Protected Territory, including by electronic means such as the Internet, applications, by websites we may establish, catalog sales, telemarketing, or other direct marketing sales;
(c) To own and operate, and grant licenses or franchises to others to own and operate, any business of any kind, including a real estate business selling the same or similar services as CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE businesses, under any names, trademarks, service marks, logos and other commercial symbols other than the Marks, regardless of where such businesses are located, including within the Protected Territory;
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 54–177)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Christies International Real Estate FDD, Christies International Real Estate and its affiliates retain all rights associated with the CHRISTIES INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE Marks. This means the company reserves the right to engage in any business, licensing, franchising, or other activities associated with the brand and other brands, marks, and real estate brokerage systems, globally, except for the specific rights granted to the franchisee in the franchise agreement.
Christies International Real Estate specifically reserves the right to operate and franchise offices outside the franchisee's protected territory. They can also operate any type of business under the Marks, including through electronic means like the Internet, regardless of location, without compensating the franchisee. This includes businesses that compete directly with the franchisee's Christies International Real Estate business.
Furthermore, Christies International Real Estate retains the right to use the franchisee's, their employees', and their agents' names and likeness for advertising and trade purposes without providing compensation. The franchisee is prohibited from representing that they own any of the Marks and must adhere to specific guidelines when using the Marks, including using them only in the phrase "CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE" and in combination with other marks as specified by Christies International Real Estate.