HAROLD L. KESTENBAUM is an attorney who has specialized in franchise law and other matters relating to franchising since 1977. From May 1982 until September 1986, Mr. Kestenbaum served as franchise and general counsel to Sbarro, Inc., the national franchisor of over 900 family-style Italian restaurants and, has been a director since March 1985. In addition, he currently sits on the Board of Directors of RezConnect Technologies, Inc., Ultimate Franchise Systems, Desert Moon Café Franchise Corp., and GarageTek, Inc. From September 1983 to October 1989, he served as President and Chairman of the Board of FranchiseIt Corporation, the first publicly traded company specializing in providing franchise marketing and consulting services and equity financing to emerging franchise companies, which he co-founded.

Mr. Kestenbaum is or has been franchise counsel to many regional, national and international franchise companies in many diverse industries. Some of which include the following:

Sbarro - The Italian Eatery, Boulder Creek Steaks & Saloon, Nathan’s Famous, Bagel Boss, Manhattan Bagel, New World Coffee, Chesapeake Bagels, Between Rounds, Fratelli Ravioli, Cascarino’s Pasta and Pizza, Dallas BBQ, Yogurteria, Hot & Crusty Bakery, Zaro’s Bake Shoppes, Firkin’s Pubs, Sylvia’s Soul Food Restaurant, Crescent City Beignets, Arthur Treacher’s Fish & Chips, Five Guys Burgers, Buttercup Bake Shops, Frats, Sedutto Ice Cream, Yogurt & Such, Wall Street Deli, BurritoVille, Original Ray’s Pizza, New York Subs & Sandwich, The Pizza Professor, Ranch*1, Desert Moon Café, Pudgie’s Famous Chicken, New York Burrito, CoolBrands International (Tropicana Smoothie’s, Swensen’s, Bresler’s, I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt, Golden Swirl and Yogen Fruz), Eskimo Pie Stores, Gator’s Dockside Restaurants, Camille's Sidewalk Café, Kudu Restaurants, Famous Famiglia, JRECK Subs, Jersey Mike’s, Sobiks, The Original SoupMan, Pacific Lawn Sprinklers, Zyng International, Packaging Plus Services, Fastbucks, Wicks ‘N Sticks, Marad Fine Art, Handyman Network, POP Goes America, America’s Cutting Edge Instant Appraisals, Hometown Threads, Marsha Scott’s Hair Loss Clinic for Women, Lemon Tree, Island Inkjet Systems, The Discount Party Warehouse, King Bear Auto Service Centers, GarageTek, Blasting Juices, Travel Network, ReCeil-It, Herman's World of Sports, FastTrain Computer Learning Centers, Uniforce Temporary Services, Dashing Diva, Spectank, DCAP Insurance, Re-Bath, DEI Franchise Systems, Cuts For Men, RezConnect, Crown Trophy, Folliage Design Systems, Ice Magic, Sea Tow Services International, The Ozon International, Medstock, Flexscan, Honest-1 Auto Care, Little Scoops, The Mad Matter, Energy Kitchen, Doogies, Saxbys Coffee, Rockin Baja Lobster, Rustic Ranch, The Gutter Guys, HealthSavers, EnergyCraft, Tasti D-Lite, Sushi Go!, Coffee Perks, Nationwide Delivery, Bevinco, Uncle Louie G, Cousins Paint Ball, Creative Playthings, Maki of Japan, i9 Sports, Move For Free.com, National Homecraft, National Jean Company, Under the Sun, A $49.95 Any Sewer and Drain, Banna Strows, Bilsteins Appliances, Blue Moon Mexican Café, City Wok, Clutterbusters, Clix, Edso Dental, Fresh Fruit Bouquet, Froots Smoothies, Fusion Wireless, HMHTTC, Humitech, IM=Pilates, Imagine This Sold, Innovative Stone, Knockout HairCuts for Men,; Sun Organization, Bubble Lounge, Trick Shots Billiards, Peterbrooke Chocolate, Tutor Doctor, Whata Lot A Pizza, Watch Hospital, West Shore Pizza, Zpizza, Smart Brain, Red Rock Chili Café, Pure Air, Porta Stor, Plate Escape, Personal Training Institute, My Kitchen Salad Bars, Parisi Speed School, Obees, Nothing Bundt Cake, Mandlers, Newks, Natures Pro, My Girl Friday; Mr. Greek, Main Dish Kitchen, Little Chefs, Fox Photography, Fun Expedition.

Mr. Kestenbaum’s expertise in franchise law is buttressed by his practical experience of serving as the Chief Executive Officer of a national franchisor and serving as a Director of six nationally and internationally known franchisors, experiences that are rare and unique in the area of franchise law.

Currently, Mr. Kestenbaum is Counsel to Farrell Fritz, P. C. and is engaged exclusively in the practice of franchise distribution and licensing law, representing exclusively franchisors only, both start-up and established. He is the chairman of the Farrell Fritz Franchise, Distribution and Licensing Practice Group.

Mr. Kestenbaum is a member of the American Bar Association’s Antitrust Section, a member of the Antitrust Section’s Forum Committee on Franchising since 1978, a member of the Subcommittee on Franchising of the American Bar Association’s Corporation Banking and Business Law Section, is a founding member and the current Chairman of the New York State Bar Association’s Franchise, Distribution and Licensing Law Section, he currently serves as Chairman for its Education and Seminar Subcommittee (he Chaired a Statewide seminar programs for New York State attorneys in 1997, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2005 and Chaired seminars on Franchise Law for the Nassau and Suffolk County Bar Associations) and he sits on the International Franchise Association’s Supplier Forum Advisory Board. He has published many articles related to franchising and frequently lectures and appears before numerous organizations and law schools speaking on various topics in franchising. He has been chosen one of the top 100 franchise attorneys in North America by Franchise Times in 2004 and 2005 and was named one of the three best franchise attorneys in the New York metro area by New York Magazine for 2005. In addition, he has written two articles for the ABA Forum Committee, one appearing in the Franchise Law Journal and the other appearing in the Franchise Lawyer. He has appeared on two International Franchise Association Legal Symposium panels, one in 2001 and the other in 2004. He also participates in the IFA Speakers Bureau and has spoken on its behalf, and has been a facilitator at five IFA Convention Roundtables. He has attended over 20 ABA Forum Committee annual programs since 1978 and over 25 IFA Legal Symposia.

Mr. Kestenbaum received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1971 from Queens College, Queens, New York and earned his Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Richmond School of Law, Richmond, Virginia, in 1975, where he was a member of Law Review. He is listed in “Who’s Who in American Law”, “The Best Lawyers in America” (Franchising), and is on the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers.