Marisa Rauchway Sverdlov has devoted her professional career to serving as a strategic legal advisor and partner to the franchise and business community, handling matters involving tens of thousands to hundreds of millions of dollars.

As both a seasoned corporate attorney and litigator, Marisa has years of experience assisting clients navigate legal issues both in and out of court, including countless prospective franchisees, emerging concept franchisors, current single and multi-unit franchise operators, and businesses across a wide range of industries.  Leveraging years of practice at two of New Jersey’s largest law firms, as well as with a nationally recognized franchise boutique law firm, she provides practical, cost-effective advice with a keen eye always on a client’s bottom line, business objectives.

In her franchise practice, Marisa routinely advises potential and existing franchisees during virtually every phase of their relationship with a franchisor, including throughout the purchase process, FDD/franchise agreement/area development agreement review and negotiation, lease negotiations, multi-unit/area development expansion, sales and transfers, and throughout the course of their business.  She also counsels franchisors at each stage of the franchise development life cycle. 

By both being “in the trenches” with her clients, as well as by pursuing rigorous relevant coursework, Marisa has developed a deep and broad knowledge-base in franchising.  Marisa has achieved the designation of Certified Franchise Executive, a designation granted by the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives, an academic branch of the International Franchise Association’s Educational Foundation.  Marisa is also a graduate of the Georgetown University Franchise Management Program and is the Co-Chair of the New York/New Jersey Chapter of the Women’s Franchise Network sponsored by the International Franchise Association. 

Aside from her transactional work, Marisa also has a wealth of experience as a litigator who routinely represents a broad spectrum of clients in pre-litigation and litigation matters.  She has handled cases in state and federal courts, as well as before domestic and international arbitration tribunals.  Marisa’s litigation matters routinely include: landlord-tenant disputes,  breach of contract claims, construction disputes, as well as a variety of other commercial business matters.  She also handles disputes among distributors, retailers, suppliers and manufacturers, often where a business’ very survival may be at stake, and advises businesses on the extent to which their business relationships may be a “hidden franchise” governed by the New Jersey Franchise Practices Act.  Marisa has presented on the intricacies of the New Jersey Franchise Practices Act on several occasions and has been published in the New Jersey Law Journal on the nuances of this powerful law.

Marisa has also received recognition  throughout her career.  Recently, the New Jersey Law Journal named Marisa as a 2019 "New Leader of the Bar."  This comes after being selected for inclusion in the 2017 and 2018 editions of the New Jersey Super Lawyers – Rising Stars for Business Litigation.  

Marisa was also appointed by the New Jersey Supreme Court to the District V-C Ethics Committee for a four year term starting in September 2014, which she completed in 2018.

Marisa graduated from Princeton University with honors and received a J.D. from Boston University Law School, where she competed on Boston University’s National Appellate Advocacy Moot Court team.  Marisa also interned at Yale Law School’s Jerome N. Frank Legal Services Organization in its Community and Economic Development Clinic.

Marisa is admitted to practice in the state of New Jersey, state of New York, and before the United States District Court of New Jersey and the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.