Joe H. Roda, Esq.

Mr. Roda represents and counsels clients on the various stages of business development including:

• Business formation
• Commercial lease review and negotiation
• Complex contracts
• Intellectual property protection
• Debt restructuring and
• Mergers and acquisitions

Joe focuses his practice on business and commercial law, while maintaining a heavy concentration in franchising, licensing, and distribution matters. 

While Mr. Roda places a heavy premium on compliance, management, and preemptive dispute resolution, he has represented and counseled clients in litigation and arbitration cases involving violations of federal and state franchise regulations and statutes, violations of non-compete covenants, theft of trade secrets, misrepresentation and fraud, unfair competition claims under the Lanham Act, and RICO claims, among others.  

Mr. Roda's franchising experience includes:

• Developing and structuring franchise and distribution systems.
• Developing and assisting in the implementation of regulatory compliance and sales training programs that adhere to federal and state franchising and business opportunity laws.
• Drafting and negotiating franchise and licensing agreements, area development agreements, master franchising agreements, asset purchase agreements, security agreements, promissory notes, and related commercial contracts.
• Counseling clients on cooperatives and drafting documents and contracts related thereto.
• Counseling clients on compliance with state and federal franchise regulatory issues.
• and assisting and representing clients in complex litigation and alternative dispute resolution matters related thereto. 

Prior to joining BHMK Mr. Roda co-founded The Charter Law Group, LLC in 2020. Since 2010, Mr. Roda has co-founded several business development companies and franchise systems including:

• St. Gregory Development Group (“St. Gregory”)
• CycleBar
• and Fueled Collective. 

Mr. Roda served as Vice President and General Counsel at St. Gregory, while overseeing the sale and compliance management of over 7,000 franchises worldwide. 

Following St. Gregory and CycleBar’s acquisition by TPG Growth, Mr. Roda served as a shareholder and board member to numerous franchise systems, including Xponential Fitness:

• Pure Barre
• Club Pilates
• CycleBar
• Row House
• Stretch Lab
• Yoga Six
• AKT Dance
• Stride.

Past Employment Positions

Between 2008 and 2010, Mr. Roda served as General Counsel at ITS Financial, LLC. Prior to his admittance to the Ohio bar, Mr. Roda served as the: - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Centrigroup, Inc. - Branch President for Allied Home Mortgage Capital Corporation - Vice President of Sales at Ohio Financial Group LLC, & the - Account Executive at Clear Channel Communications.    

Areas of Practice

• Business formation
• Commercial lease review and negotiation
• Complex contracts
• intellectual property protection
• Mergers and acquisitions
• and debt restructuring. 

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Ohio State Bar Association, Member
• Cincinnati Bar Association, Member
• American Bar Association
• ABA’s Forum on Franchising,
• International Franchise Association. 
• Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) designation from the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives in 2012.   

Pro Bono Activities

• Lighthouse Youth Services,
• Toys for Tots,
• Junior Ivy League of Cincinnati,
• American Heart Association,
• American Red Cross.

Outside the Office

When not serving the needs of his clients, Mr. Roda cherishes time spent with his two children, five Godchildren, and his extended family. Mr. Roda is an avid boater and enjoys traveling, coaching, attending and participating in sporting events, engaging in entrepreneurial interests and investments related thereto, and volunteering his time to various philanthropic organizations.