New Zealand franchise law book set for November publication

A new legal reference for New Zealand’s franchise community is due to be published in November 2026. Written by franchise lawyer Stewart Germann, Franchise Law in New Zealand is also set to become the prescribed text for the University of Auckland’s dedicated franchise law course.

A New Zealand reference for franchise law

Franchise New Zealand reported on 13 October that Germann’s book is New Zealand’s first comprehensive text on the subject. Publication is planned for November, followed by a launch early in December.

The book will be published by Thomson Reuters and includes a foreword by former High Court judge Simon Moore KC. Its arrival follows Germann’s recognition earlier this year with an ONZM for services to franchise law.

For the franchise community, the publication’s distinguishing feature is its New Zealand focus. Rather than relying on overseas material that is only partly applicable, readers will have a text addressing how franchising operates within this country’s legal framework.

That distinction matters to the book’s original purpose: teaching students to understand the application of New Zealand law to franchise relationships, rather than asking them to translate guidance written for another jurisdiction.

University teaching prompted the project

The project grew out of Germann’s experience teaching franchise law to LLB and LLB Hons students at the University of Auckland. According to Franchise New Zealand, this is the country’s only dedicated university-level franchise law course.

Germann was frustrated by the shortage of New Zealand-specific teaching resources. Existing publications from the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom offered only partially relevant material for his students.

Approval for the Thomson Reuters text came in December 2025. Germann completed the manuscript and handed it to his editor by July 2026, ahead of the planned November publication.

The book is due to become the course’s prescribed text, giving it an immediate role in legal education as well as a place among reference materials for the wider franchise community. Its coverage brings together local legislation, case studies and franchise practice within one New Zealand-focused work.

General laws underpin franchise relationships

New Zealand has no franchise-specific legislation. Instead, franchise lawyers need to understand how general laws governing commerce, contracts, fair trading, intellectual property and privacy apply within the business format franchise model.

The absence of a dedicated franchise statute does not mean franchise arrangements sit outside the law. It means that understanding a franchise relationship involves considering several areas of law together, rather than looking to a single franchise-specific legislative framework.

The Franchise Association of New Zealand’s members’ Code of Practice and Ethics also provides guidance on best practice for franchisors and the legal profession. Germann was a founding member of that association and is a past Chair.

As Franchise New Zealand explains, however, that guidance does not provide a full account of the legal complexities. The new text addresses a different need: a comprehensive treatment of the law and its application to franchising in New Zealand.

Its publication is therefore a legal education development, not an announcement of new franchise regulation or a change to existing legal obligations.

From franchise planning to dispute resolution

The book’s scope extends from an introduction to franchising as practised in New Zealand to relevant Acts and case studies. It also covers franchise planning, documentation and dispute resolution from a legal perspective.

International context forms another part of the text, examining where New Zealand fits within differing franchise regulatory regimes overseas. That complements the local focus without treating overseas approaches as interchangeable with New Zealand law.

For franchisors and franchisees, these subjects concern both the establishment of a franchise relationship and the issues that can arise during it. For students, they connect the underlying legal rules with the practical structure of franchising.

Practical takeaway: Franchise owners and advisers looking for a New Zealand-specific legal reference can watch for the November publication. Use it to inform discussions and preparation, while seeking advice tailored to any particular agreement or dispute.