THE BUSINESS SIDE

In addition to his extensive work helping individual clients, Mike Schwartz has worked with many businesses during his 27 years of legal practice. He has served as chief outside counsel to Venture Development Corp., a franchise marketing, sales and real estate firm, and has been a principal and outside general counsel in the creation, development and operation of The Venture Group, Inc., a franchise development and holding company. He has served a wide array of franchise companies, including:

During the course of his representation of franchise companies, Mike has dealt extensively with the Small Business Association (SBA) and other lenders on behalf of the franchisees of the various companies. He has also represented numerous franchisees throughout his career.

Earlier, Mike was chief outside counsel (then Vice President and General Counsel) to Discovery Zone, Inc., All American Indoor Sports, Inc., Preferred Physicians Mutual Risk Retention Group, and U.S. Physicians Mutual Risk Retention Group (beginning in March, 1989). Prior to that, he was a partner in two Kansas City area law firms.

He began his legal career in 1976 as assistant county attorney for Jefferson County, Kansas. Mike received his B.A. in political science from the University of Kansas in Lawrence (1974), and his J.D. from Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kansas (1977).

He is a member of the Kansas Bar Association, the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, the Johnson County Bar Association, the American Arbitration Association, the American Bar Association, the ABA Forum on Franchising, the American Association of Franchisees and Dealers, and other professional organizations.