Nicola Broadhurst

Nicola specialises in commercial law helping businesses to scale up and expand whilst minimising legal risk in the supply chain. Her practice has a particular focus on international expansion through franchising, as well as licensing, agency and distribution. Much of her work involves fashion and luxury brands as well as the casual dining sector where she also provides general commercial advice often on a retainer basis. She looks for solutions to issues and understands the need to weigh up risk versus reward when advising.

Nicola joined Stevens & Bolton as a commercial partner in 2011 to head up the firm’s franchise practice having trained and spent time at City law firms.

Nicola is an acknowledged legal expert in the franchise sector, providing the full range of advice to franchisors and franchisees including the setup of franchise networks and franchise agreements, the review and adaptation of international franchise agreements for compliance with English law and the British Franchise Association’s Code of Ethics and advising multi unit franchisees on their franchise investments. She regularly advises clients in the retail and hospitality sectors on their choice of expansion method including template agreements to help standardise relationships, customer services issues and advertising and marketing compliance. Nicola has a particular interest in ESG and sustainable business practices as well as social enterprise models and is head of up the firm’s retail, luxury and hospitality sector.