The Hospitality Practice Group has extensive experience in transactional work involving hotels, tourism, restaurants, entertainment venues, car rental companies, timeshare, condominium and golf courses. That experience involves representation of real estate funds, lenders, owners, developers, franchisors and management companies and includes acquisitions and sales of hotel and resort real estate, joint venture agreements, management agreements, franchise agreements, public and private financing arrangements, mergers and acquisitions and general securities matters.

In addition to a strong transactional base, the Hospitality Group has unique industry experience representing hotel managers, developers, lenders and owners in day-to-day operational matters including service contracts, concession agreements, leases, in-room entertainment and technology systems, sales and catering agreements, service marks, employee relations matters, employee benefits issues, guests issues, premises liability, crisis management and administrative licensing.

As part of its operational experience in the hospitality industry, the firm’s attorneys have significant experience in advising and representing clients in employee relations matters with the goal of preventing problems. That practice includes helping clients to establish policies and procedures and controls to create a harmonious relationship between hotel companies and their employees. When those relationships have broken down, the firm has handled numerous EEOC and litigation matters stemming from the employment issues. The Hospitality Group also has taken part in numerous collective bargaining negotiations with the hotel and restaurant workers’ unions throughout the country and regularly counsels clients on union related issues.

Finally, the Hospitality group also has a team of litigators with hotel and restaurant experience to advise and consult with clients to achieve practical business solutions to disputes among hotel owners, franchisors and managers and, when necessary, represent clients in general commercial litigation, defends clients in litigation involving guest claims, as well as in employment disputes at the administrative and judicial levels.