# Sotos LLP

> Sotos LLP is a Canadian boutique business law firm founded in Toronto in 1980. It made its name in franchising, licensing and distribution, then built a wider practice around the recurring legal needs of branded networks: corporate work, intellectual property, employment, real estate, transactions, securities and disputes. The result is a specialist firm that can follow a franchise system from launch through growth, maturity and exit, while also serving clients in automotive, grocery, restaurants, retail, cannabis, mining and other regulated sectors.

- **Founded:** 1980
- **Headquarters:** Toronto, Canada
- **Founders:** John Sotos (Founding Partner)
- **Team size:** 66 employees in supplied company data; LinkedIn publicly lists 11-50 employees, so the current total is not independently confirmed.
- **Products:** Franchising, Licensing and Distribution, Corporate and Commercial Law, Litigation and Class Actions, Intellectual Property, Mergers, Acquisitions and Finance
- **Notable:** Founded in 1980 and has operated for more than four decades., Named Canada's Boutique Law Firm of the Year at the Chambers Canada 2021 Awards., Ranked Band 1 nationwide for franchising in Chambers Canada 2025, with five ranked franchise lawyers.

## Products & services

- **Franchising, Licensing and Distribution** — Advice across launch, disclosure, agreements, expansion, system change, disputes and exit for franchisors and franchisees.
- **Corporate and Commercial Law** — Business formation, structuring, contracts, governance, transactions and commercial advice.
- **Litigation and Class Actions** — Commercial, franchise, securities, privacy and competition disputes, alternative dispute resolution and plaintiff-side class actions.
- **Intellectual Property** — Trademark searches, registration, portfolio work, oppositions and enforcement in Canada and abroad.
- **Mergers, Acquisitions and Finance** — Private and public transactions, restructurings, private equity, securities offerings and financing.
- **Employment, Real Estate and Regulatory Advice** — Workplace, leasing, privacy, consumer protection, advertising and sector-specific compliance support.

## Achievements

- Founded in 1980 and has operated for more than four decades.
- Named Canada's Boutique Law Firm of the Year at the Chambers Canada 2021 Awards.
- Ranked Band 1 nationwide for franchising in Chambers Canada 2025, with five ranked franchise lawyers.
- Ranked Band 2 nationwide for plaintiff-side class actions in Chambers Canada 2025, with four ranked lawyers.
- Recognition archive states the firm held Chambers Band 1 franchising status for a tenth consecutive year in the 2025 guide.
- John Sotos was inducted into the Franchise Times Legal Eagles Hall of Fame in 2017.

## Latest updates

- **2026-08** — Published guidance on control of customer data in franchise systems.
- **2026-07** — Published an update featuring Harold Geller on life and health managing general agencies.
- **2026-06** — Added Harold Geller, according to the firm's current updates and site media.
- **2026-05** — Welcomed litigation associate Oleyna Strigul, whose practice includes IP and commercial disputes in regulated and technical industries.
- **2025-01** — Welcomed Karine Bédard to the litigation department, adding bilingual complex class-action experience.
- **2024-08** — Added Michael Sabusco as a corporate partner to expand M&A, securities and financing capabilities.

## Links

- Website: https://www.sotosllp.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sotos-llp
- Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/sotosllp
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sotosllp

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/sotos-llp
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-23