IFA Hires Sarah Bush as First-Ever General Counsel

Government Relations

Business and franchising law veteran joins government relations team, signaling a strategic direction for the organization

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The International Franchise Association (IFA) today announced that Sarah Bush, J.D., will join its staff as the organization’s first ever in-house general counsel. Signaling a strategic priority for the association, Bush will provide critical support for the organization’s government relations efforts and additional member value at a consequential time for franchising.

“Sarah Bush is an extremely accomplished attorney, and her addition to the IFA team is welcome news to the entire franchise community,” said Matt Haller, IFA President and CEO. “Never in IFA’s 65 years has franchising faced as many existential policy threats as we see today. Her depth of experience will provide critical support in IFA’s mission to protect franchising and serve as an invaluable resource for our members to navigate today’s business landscape.”

Serving on the government relations team, Bush’s extensive business experience and legal expertise will expand the organization’s capacity to address the consistent challenges to the franchise business model on the federal, state, and local level, including an expanded joint employer standard, state-level threats such as California’s FAST Act, and franchise relationship legislation. In addition, she will provide added member value to support IFA members as they navigate the ever-changing legislative and regulatory landscape.

Bush is a seasoned attorney with a wealth of experience in legal, regulatory, and compliance policy. She has extensive experience in franchising, serving as General Counsel for Mayweather Brands and Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in addition to serving as Counsel in the franchise practices at DLA Piper, Foley & Lardner and Perkins Coie, among others. Bush’s expertise includes franchise regulatory compliance, domestic and international franchise transactions, franchisor-franchisee relationship issues, global supply chain management, and mergers and acquisitions. Sarah has worked with both emerging and mature franchisors spanning the full spectrum of policy issues facing the business model today. Bush holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Tennessee College of Law with a concentration in Business Transactions and is a member of the State Bar of Texas.

“It is an honor and privilege to join the IFA at such a pivotal time for the franchise model,” said Bush. “I’m grateful to have the opportunity to serve the franchise community in this role.”

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About the International Franchise Association:

Celebrating over 60 years of excellence, education, and advocacy, the International Franchise Association (IFA) is the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations, and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the approximately 790,492 franchise establishments that support nearly 8.4 million direct jobs, $825.4 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy, and almost 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees, and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology, and business development.

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