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Carlos L. White

Carlos White is an HBCU-bred, Ivy League Law-trained business optimizer and franchise developer with over 15 years of experience in franchise and distribution law.

Carlos counsels businesses -- from startups to mature companies -- in all matters relating to franchise and distribution systems. Carlos helps clients understand the value and indispensable part that legal strategy plays in sustaining and growing their concepts. Carlos has helped clients create dozens of franchise programs and strategic distribution and licensing arrangements, both domestically and internationally, across numerous sectors of business. 

Outside of work, Carlos enjoys traveling and studying 20th-century U.S. and sports history.

Representative Experience

Domestic and International Commercial Arrangements

  • Represented a multi billion dollar hotel company in restructuring U.S. franchise program and establishing franchise program in Mexico.
  • Represented a multi billion dollar hotel/hospitality company in establishing franchise and distribution networks in Australia, Barbados, Singapore, Russia, and Thailand.
  • Represented international real estate company in establishing distribution network in China.

Corporate, Private Equity and M&A

  • Served as lead franchise counsel on $650 million sale of oil services company.
  • Represented management team of consumer product company in connection with $1 billion private equity transaction.
  • Represented a multi billion dollar company in sale of restaurant concept to San Francisco–based private equity firm.

Operations

  • As in-house counsel, oversaw workforce expansions from 110 to 600 employees, total revenues from $80 million to nearly $400 million, and customer count from 5,700 to 25,000+ in a two-year period.
  • As in-house counsel, developed customer-driven automation processes allowing customers to obtain certain compliance reports and documentation about the company's infrastructure while protecting the confidentiality of such reports and documentation.
  • As in-house counsel, trained sales staff on the company's customer-related agreements.

Presentations

  • Opening Remarks and Roundtable Discussion Leader, "Emerging Franchisor Bootcamp," 2024 IFA Annual Convention, February 17, 2024
  • Opening Remarks, Mayor Eric Johnson's Franchise Initiative - Scalable Marketing & Branding Strategies Session, February 15, 2024
  • Roundtable Facilitator, "Your Dream Team: Assembling the Best Advisors to Help Scale Your Business," International Franchise Association's 2023 Emerging Franchisor Conference, November 2, 2023
  • Facilitator, "Evaluating and Addressing Inadvertent Franchise Issues in A Company's Distribution and Licensing Strategies," 2023 General Counsel Conference Southwest, September 21, 2023
  • Moderator, Multiple Sessions, Dallas Startup Week, September 14, 2023
    • "Franchising: The Most Overlooked Growth and Revenue Strategy For Startups & Emerging Companies,"
    • "What is Mayor Eric Johnson’s Franchise Initiative, and How Does It Benefit Entrepreneurs?"
    • "Franchising: The Ultimate Startup & Emerging Business Eco-System Builder For Scaling Companies In All Industries,"
  • Panelist, "Ask Me Anything," Dallas Startup Week event at Impact Ventures, July 11, 2023
  • Co-presenter, "ESG Essentials for Franchise Companies," Lathrop GPM Webinar, June 21, 2023
  • Co-presenter, "Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition," Texas Black Expo 2023, May 19, 2023
  • Panelist, "Franchisor Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Plans and Brand Standards," 2023 IFA Legal Symposium, May 8, 2023
  • Moderator, "Entrepreneurship and Scaling," The DEC Network's State of Entrepreneurship, March 29, 2023
  • Panelist, "Diversity Champions Forum," Project 23 Dallas, March 23, 2023
  • Podcast Guest, "Lathrop GPM, A Coast to Coast Franchising Legal Team," Pillars of Franchising, March 16, 2023
  • Panelist, "Roundtable: Operations Manual - The Overlooked 'Contract'," International Franchise Association Emerging Franchisor Conference, November 3, 2022
  • Speaker, "The Real ABCs To Helping Minority Business Enterprises Sustain & Grow," The DEC Network, February 16, 2022
  • Speaker, "How I Made It -- Power Moves To Create A Business Empire," Greater Houston Black Chamber of Commerce, November 15, 2021
  • Speaker, "Tech-Chising -- Why Franchising Is Such A Viable Growth Strategy For Tech Startups?" Global Entrepreneurship Week - Fort Worth, November 11, 2021
  • Speaker, "Being a Successful Franchise Boss -- Selecting the Right Franchise Opportunity and Building out Your Franchise Business," Dallas Startup Week, August 5, 2021
  • Speaker, "Franchise Your Business? An Overlooked Growth Strategy for Small & Emerging Businesses," Dallas Startup Week, August 3, 2021
  • Speaker, "Every Idea Is A Big Idea Beginning With the End in Mind," Empower Series Online, February 20, 2021
  • Podcast Guest, "Diversity in Franchising," Global Franchise Podcast, 2020
  • Speaker, "Economic Power of Franchising," Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce (DBCC), 2020
  • Speaker, "Systemizing Business Objectives to Optimize Growth," Financial Literacy Workshop - Empower Series, 2020
  • Speaker, "How to Franchise Your Business," Invest Atlanta Business Accelerator, 2019
  • Speaker, "Regulatory Issues Relating to Raising Capital for ACDBE Companies," Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) Annual Airport Business Diversity Conference, 2018, 2019
  • Facilitator, "Roundtable: Operations Manual: The Overlooked 'Contract'," IFA Emerging Franchisor Conference, November 3, 2022

Publications

Professional Affiliations

  • Dallas Franchise Impact Ambassador, Chair of Mayor's Franchise Initiative
  • Desoto Economic Development Corporation, Board Member
  • Southern Dallas Development Corporation (SDDC), Former Board Member
  • State Bar of Texas
  • American Bar Association

Community Involvement

  • B.U.I.L.D. Collaborative; a coalition of Dallas small business ecosystem partners that promotes equitable and inclusive entrepreneurial growth
  • Dallas Entrepreneur Center (DEC Network), Board Member

Honors

  • "Best Lawyers in Dallas," D Magazine, 2018, 2020-2023
  • "Rising Star," Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA), 2021
  • "Titans of Franchising," Franchise Journal, 2020
Photo of Carlos L. White
  • Dallas

    2101 Cedar Springs Road
    Suite 1400
    Dallas, TX 75201

Assistant

Kim Whittelsey
314.613.2827

Court Memberships

  • Texas

Education

University of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D.

Southern University, B.S.