Antonia counsels a diverse spectrum of clients on corporate and transactional matters, in particular within the franchise and distribution industry. Her practice principally focuses on complex business transactions, ranging in size from public company mergers and acquisitions to the sale of a single-unit franchise. Antonia’s services extend to contract negotiations, equity investments and joint ventures, cross-border transactions, corporate restructuring, financing and lending transactions, and the acquisition or divestiture of assets. Antonia also supports franchise brands in all stages of growth, including preparing franchise disclosure documents and agreements, negotiating and documenting franchise sales, transfers and terminations, and handling the wide array of other issues arising in the evolution of a franchise system.
Prior to joining Cheng Cohen, Antonia practiced at a large firm, where her practice focused on mergers and acquisitions, securities and governance, commercial finance and general corporate matters. Much of Antonia’s passion for business and entrepreneurship also comes from having started her own pet care company, which she operated for two years prior to enrolling in law school.
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Education
- Juris Doctor, The University of Chicago Law School
- Bachelor of Arts, with honors, The University of Chicago
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Associations
- International Franchise Association
- Women’s Franchise Committee
- American Bar Association Forum on Franchising
- Northern Illinois Franchise Association
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Awards & Recognitions
- Best Lawyers Chicago – Franchise Law “Lawyer of the Year” (2024)
- Future Leader Award, ABA Forum on Franchising (2016)
- International Who’s Who Legal – Franchise Law
- Best Lawyers in America® – Franchise Law
- Franchise Times “Legal Eagle”
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Speaking & Publications
- Moderator and Speaker, “Using the FDD as a Sales Tool,” IFA Emerging Franchisor Conference (November 2023)
- Speaker and Author, “Drafting FPRs: Lessons Learned from Two Years of Upheaval”, ABA Forum on Franchising (Nov. 2022)
- Speaker, “What you need to know about the Pros and Cons of Equity Crowdfunding: Whether You’re a Franchisee or Franchisor”, KoreSummit (Mar. 2022)
- Speaker, Author, “Annual Developments”, ABA Annual Forum on Franchising (Oct. 2020)
- Co-Author and Speaker, “Avoiding and Litigating Claims in Advertising Franchised Products and Services”, ABA Annual Forum on Franchising (Oct. 2019)
- Author and Speaker, “Between You and Me: A Toolkit to Counsel in and to Smaller Systems”, ABA Annual Forum on Franchising (Oct. 2017)
- Author, “Plenary with Griffin and Weil Looks at Joint Employer Liability”, The Franchise Lawyer (Winter 2016)
- Speaker, “Hot Topics in the 2015 Franchising Registration and Disclosure Season”, ABA Forum on Franchising Webinar (March 2015)
- Co-Author, “Are You Ready to Franchise?”, Food Industry News (Dec. 2015)