Dr. Mark Abell Email Address

Partner

Bird & Bird is an international law firm. We have over 1200 lawyers in 28 offices across Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.

A world leading expert in international education and international and domestic Franchising, Mark has a PhD in his field of expertise. With over 40 years experience working as a highly regarded international lawyer, expert to the United Nation’s WIPO and sometime expert adviser to the EU Parliament, he is author of 13 books on his field of expertise and is rated as an international thought leader in The Who's Who in Franchising directory (published by LBR). Mark has been described by the U.K. Government’s DTI as the UK's leading legal expert on the international expansion of educational institutions. He has advised over 60 schools and several universities on the formulation and implementation of their international expansion strategy. Described by the Chambers International Legal Directory as “the Guru of Franchising”, Mark has also worked for many years advising world leading franchise brands such as Domino’s Pizza, Papa John’s, Pizza Express, McDonalds, Burger King, Five Guys, Nando’s, Starbucks, Costa Coffee, Cafe Nero, Itsu, Jamie Oliver, Ottolenghi, Body Shop, Mothercare, Hamley’s, H&M, Gap, Timberland, Victoria Secrets, Marks & Spencer, Marriott Hotels, Ramada, Tempur, Neighborly, Enterprise Rent a Car, Hertz, Ferrari, Land Rover, Mercedes, Petronas, BP, Total and HomeInstead. Mark has acted as an expert witness in a number of high value international franchise arbitrations in the LCIA and other forums. Mark now works with a select portfolio of the UK’s leading schools and a number of world leading franchise brands on the development and implementation of their international strategy.