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This is Jim Butler, author of www.HotelLawBlog.com and hotel lawyer. Please contact me at Jim Butler at jbutler@jmbm.com or 310.201.3526.

« May 2009 | | July 2009 »
Posted On: June 26, 2009 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hospitality Lawyer: Hotel foreclosures on track to set new records in California and elsewhere.

For the most recent update on this topic, click here

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Hospitality Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com
26 June 2009

This is one of many articles on the subject of "troubled hotel loans - workouts, bankruptcies & receiverships" in the rich library at www.HotelLawBlog.com.

Hospitality Lawyer with new data indicating hotel foreclosures will set new records

On June 26, 2009, Atlas Hospitality released the results of its study on foreclosures in California We think these results have much broader implications for the hotel industry on a national basis. Here is the latest.

Continue reading " Hospitality Lawyer: Hotel foreclosures on track to set new records in California and elsewhere. " »

Posted In: Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: June 25, 2009 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hospitality Lawyer and Special servicers: Busy now? Realpoint says work will double by year end! Implications for all CRE loans.

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com
25 June 2009

This is one of many articles on the subject of "troubled hotel loans - workouts, bankruptcies & receiverships" in the rich library at www.HotelLawBlog.com.

Hospitality Lawyer with the latest Realpoint Research report on special servicing of CMBS loans. There are important implications of this data for all Commercial Real Estate or CRE loans

I have now had time to settle in and digest the latest June 2009, Realpoint Research report on CMBS loan delinquencies. The numbers paint a very serious and dramatic picture. A copy of the full report is attached, with my personal highlights to point out some facts I thought were particularly significant. Let me know if you would prefer a clean copy without my highlighting and lines, and I will email you a "clean" copy.

The Realpoint research is directed solely to CMBS delinquencies, but we think distress in this sector (roughly one third of all commercial real estate loans) is representative of stress that will be experienced in at least another third of the CRE loans made by commercial banks, if not all CRE loans.

So what does this all mean? Here are my thoughts.

Continue reading " Hospitality Lawyer and Special servicers: Busy now? Realpoint says work will double by year end! Implications for all CRE loans. " »

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Posted On: June 24, 2009 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hotel delinquencies predicted to exceed 8% by year end. Red Roof defaults on $361 million in loans. Are there lessons for hotel lenders and investors in the latest California market report?

For the most recent update on this topic, click here

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Hospitality Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com
24 June 2009

This is one of many articles on the subject of "troubled hotel loans - workouts, bankruptcies & receiverships" in the rich library at www.HotelLawBlog.com.

Hospitality Lawyer with some grim predictions and observations for hotel lenders and owners.

On June 24, 2009 the Federal Reserve left interest rates and its policies unchanged. Government forecasters predicted that unemployment will continue to rise from its already high level of 9.4% and will not begin a reverse trend until "some time next year." And today in CNBC and Bloomberg interviews, Warren Buffett said he sees unemployment continuing to rise. He does not seem to see "green shoots" of economic recovery in the United States.

Unfortunately this is all consistent with a much delayed recovery for the hotel industry, likely in 2011 or beyond. In today's Bloomberg article, Morgan Stanley analysts are quoted as saying "The hotel loan delinquency rate is currently 4.7 percent and is likely to reach 8.2 percent -- the peak rate in the 2001 economic downturn -- by the end of the year."

Here is some more information on the continuing crisis in the hospitality industry.

Continue reading " Hotel delinquencies predicted to exceed 8% by year end. Red Roof defaults on $361 million in loans. Are there lessons for hotel lenders and investors in the latest California market report? " »

Posted In: Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: June 16, 2009 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hospitality Lawyer: PKF says 2009 worst year in lodging history. Robust recovery likely but years away

For the most recent update on this topic, click here

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Hospitality Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com
16 June 2009

This is one of many articles on the subject of "troubled hotel loans - workouts, bankruptcies & receiverships" in the rich library at www.HotelLawBlog.com.

This is one of many articles on the subject of "troubled hotel loans - workouts, bankruptcies & receiverships" in the rich library at www.HotelLawBlog.com.

Hospitality Lawyer with the latest update from PKF on what lies ahead for the hotel industry.

Mark Woodworth and his colleagues at PKF Hospitality Research have released PKF's latest report on the U.S. lodging industry, it's turning points and prospects. I thought you might find it useful as you consider options for dealing with troubled hotel assets, and hope you will keep us in mind as you face coming challenges.

Continue reading " Hospitality Lawyer: PKF says 2009 worst year in lodging history. Robust recovery likely but years away " »

Posted In: Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: June 14, 2009 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hospitality Lawyer: What lies ahead for the hotel industry? When do values bottom? When do they recover? Which markets are worst and which will be the best? How to unlock hotel value with JMBM's SAVE® program . . .

For the most recent update on this topic, click here

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Hospitality Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com
14 June 2009

Hospitality Lawyer in New York at the NYU hotel investment conference with some interesting projections from Steve Rushmore of HVS.

One of my favorite presentations at the NYU hotel investment conference earlier this month was by Steve Rushmore, president and founder of HVS. His entire slides show is worth studying and you can view it in its entirety by clicking on the link at the end of this article.

But a few of the slides particularly caught my attention -- the ones on hotel values -- when they bottom, when they recover, best and worst markets for the next few years, and along with some good advice for buyers, lenders and owners.

Continue reading " Hospitality Lawyer: What lies ahead for the hotel industry? When do values bottom? When do they recover? Which markets are worst and which will be the best? How to unlock hotel value with JMBM's SAVE® program . . . " »

Posted In: Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: June 10, 2009 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hospitality Lawyer on California Requirements for Proprietary Security Guards

For the most recent update on this topic, click here

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Hospitality Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com
10 June 2009

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JMBM hospitality lawyer Jim Abrams has been practicing law for 40 years, specializing in lodging and hospitality law and in representing and advising trade associations and other non-profit entities. Jim is the author of the book Laws Pertaining to the California Innkeeper, which is published by the California Hotel & Lodging Association.

Continue reading " Hospitality Lawyer on California Requirements for Proprietary Security Guards " »

Posted In: Innkeepers Law

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Posted On: June 3, 2009 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hospitality Lawyer at the 2009 NYU hotel conference -- Sound bites

For the most recent update on this topic, click here

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Hospitality Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com
4 June 2009

Hospitality Lawyer with more from the New York hotel conference.

Earlier this week, we gave you our initial take on the NYU hotel conference. Now here are some of the things we heard that we thought worthy of note.

Continue reading " Hospitality Lawyer at the 2009 NYU hotel conference -- Sound bites " »

Posted In: Outlook and Trends

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« May 2009 | | July 2009 »

About the Authors

Jim Butler

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Jim Butler is recognized as one of the top hotel lawyers in the world. He devotes 100% of his practice to hospitality, representing hotel owners, developers and lenders. Jim leads the Global Hospitality Group®—a team of 50 seasoned professionals with more than $60 billion of hotel transactional experience, involving more than 1,300 properties located around the globe.
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Robert Braun

Robert Braun is a partner in JMBM's Corporate Department and a senior member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® -- a team of 50 seasoned professionals with more than $60 billion of hotel transactional experience, involving more than 1,300 properties located around the globe. Bob represents owners in both transactional and operational issues. He advises clients with respect to business formation, financing, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital financing, joint ventures and strategic partnerships. He has represented hotel owners in the negotiation of several hundred management agreements, as well as spa management and franchise agreements. Bob also advises hotel owners regarding telecommunications, software, internet, e-commerce, data processing and outsourcing agreements. To read Bob's articles, go to www.HotelLawBlog.com and select "Management Agreements." For more information, please contact Bob Braun at 310.785.5331 or rbraun@jmbm.com.

Marta Fernandez

Marta Fernandez is a partner in JMBM's Employment and Labor Department and a senior member of JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® -- a team of 50 seasoned professionals with more than $60 billion of hotel transactional experience, involving more than 1,300 properties located around the globe. As a management labor lawyer with more than 20 years of experience, Marta specializes in representing hospitality industry clients in all aspects of labor and employment including labor-management relations such as union prevention, collective bargaining for single as well as multi-employer bargaining units, neutrality agreements and defense of unfair labor practice charges before the NLRB. She defends employers in administrative and litigation claims, such as employee claims of sexual harassment and discrimination and counsels clients in preventative strategies such as executive training, arbitration enforcement, and policies and procedures. To read Marta's articles, go to www.HotelLawBlog.com and select "Labor & Employment." For more information, please contact Marta Fernandez at 310.201.3534 or at mfernandez@jmbm.com.

Catherine DeBono Holmes

Catherine DeBono Holmes is a partner in JMBM's Corporate Department and a senior member of JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® -- a team of 50 seasoned professionals with more than $60 billion of hotel transactional experience, involving more than 1,300 properties located around the globe. Cathy assists hotel clients with hotel management and franchise agreements, purchase and sale transactions, and condo hotel regime structuring. She has taken hotel owners through complex RFP processes involving all the major hotel brands. She has significant expertise in condo hotels and advises clients in the specific business and legal aspects of condo hotel regime structuring and documentation, including CC&Rs, HOA docs, unit management agreements, shared facilities agreements, rental management agreement programs and securities compliance matters (structuring, documentation and training). To access Cathy's articles on www.HotelLawBlog.com, click on the topics "Condo Hotels" or "Green Hotels" For more information, please contact Cathy Holmes at 310.201.3553 or cholmes@jmbm.com.

Guy Maisnik

Guy Maisnik is a partner in JMBM's Real Estate Department and a senior member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® -- a team of 50 seasoned professionals with more than $60 billion of hotel transactional experience, involving more than 1,300 properties located around the globe. Guy's deep and broad transactional practice includes complex real estate finance and venture capital transactions, including project finance, commercial finance, leveraged leasing and real estate acquisitions. He assists clients with development, leasing and disposition, loan portfolio acquisitions, loan and debt restructure, workouts and real estate exchanges. Go to www.HotelLawBlog.com for current information in these areas. For more information, please contact Guy Maisnik at 310.201.3588 or mgm@jmbm.com.

David Sudeck

David Sudeck is of Counsel in JMBM's Real Estate Department and a senior member of JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® -- a team of 50 seasoned professionals with more than $60 billion of hotel transactional experience, involving more than 1,300 properties located around the globe. David has significant experience in the vacation ownership arena, focusing on the formation and registration of condominiums, timeshares and fractional interest regimes. He negotiates hotel, spa and restaurant management agreements, and assists client in the development, acquisition, sale and leasing of hotels, golf courses and restaurants. For David's take on current issues in the timeshare arena, go to www.HotelLawBlog.com and click on the topic, "Timeshare." For more information, please contact David Sudeck at 310.201.3518 or dsudeck @jmbm.com.

Robert Kaplan

Robert Kaplan is a partner in JMBM's Bankruptcy, Insolvency and Restructurings Group and a senior member of the Global Hospitality Group® -- a team of 50 seasoned professionals with more than $60 billion of hotel transactional experience, involving more than 1,300 properties located around the globe. Bob represents lenders, special servicers, hard money lenders, community banks, national banking associations, distressed debt investors, and equity investors, positioning them for the best possible outcome by acting expeditiously to preserve value and increase cash flow. His industry experience and his knowledge of the current capital markets -- where distressed assets often include complex deal structures and securitized loans -- allows him to bring creative and effective strategies to the table. When aggressive litigation is the best strategy, he is a vigorous and effective advocate for his clients. Bob represented the securitized lender in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case filed by the Clift Hotel in San Francisco, and in the subsequent negotiations and successful sale of the loan to a third party. The lender -- acting by and through GMAC Commercial Mortgage Corporation as special servicer -- was the holder of a $60 million loan secured by a Deed of Trust on the Clift Hotel. He has also served as counsel to CapMark, J.E. Robert Company, Inc., AMRESCO Management Inc. and Midland Loan Servicer in their capacity as special servicers on troubled hotel loans in CMBS pools. For more information, contact Robert Kaplan at 415.984.9673 or rkaplan@jmbm.com.

Martin Orlick

Martin Orlick is a partner in JMBM's Real Estate Department and a senior member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® -- a team of 50 seasoned professionals with more than $60 billion of hotel transactional experience, involving more than 1,300 properties located around the globe. Marty specializes in representing hospitality industry clients in Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance and defense. He has represented more than 300 businesses in ADA issues, many of them hotels and restaurants, as well as hotel mixed-use properties. Marty is a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL) and a frequent speaker on the ADA and other topics. To read Marty's articles, go to www.HotelLawBlog.com and select "ADA." For more information, please contact Marty Orlick at 415.984.9667 or morlick@jmbm.com.

James Abrams

James Abrams has significant experience in government affairs at the national level, the state level – including the California Legislature and scores of state agencies – and with local governments and agencies. He has authored successful ballot measures and scores of bills for his clients. Jim served as the President and CEO of the California Hotel & Lodging Association from January 1, 1991 through December 31, 2008 and is currently an adjunct professor in the Hospitality Industry Management Program at the University of San Francisco. He is a frequent speaker and writer on all aspects of the law relating to the lodging and hospitality industries, and he is the author of the book Laws Pertaining to the California Innkeeper, which is published by the California Hotel & Lodging Association. To read Jim’s articles, go to www.HotelLawBlog.com. For more information, please contact Jim Abrams at 415.398.8080 or jabrams@jmbm.com.

Eudeen Chang

Eudeen Chang is a lawyer in the Litigation Department of JMBM's Orange County office and a member of the Global Hospitality Group®. He represents hotels in a variety of litigation matters, including ADA defense. He is well-versed in all aspects of litigation, from pre-lawsuit strategizing to trial, post-judgment collection and through appeal. He also serves as outside general counsel for a number of small and mid-sized companies and high net-worth individuals. Contact Eudeen at EChang@jmbm.com or 949.623.7232.

Victor Shum

Victor Shum is a corporate and securities partner in JMBM's Corporate Department and a member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® and Chinese Investment Group™. He has advised clients on EB-5 matters since 1999 andassists hotel developers on EB-5 financing as well as public and privatesecurities, mergers and acquisitions, cross-border issues, and otherstrategic business transactions, including real estate transactions andintellectual property and technology licensing matters. For moreinformation, contact Victor Shum at 415.984.9611 or vshum@jmbm.com.

Scott Brink

Scott Brink is a senior member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® anda partner in JMBM's Labor & Employment Law Department. Scott is amanagement labor lawyer with more than two decades of experiencerepresenting employers in all aspects of labor relations and employmentlaw including union prevention, collective bargaining negotiations,defense of unfair labor practice charges before the NLRB, wrongfuldischarge litigation, individual and class action employmentdiscrimination and wage-and-hour claims, sexual-harassment litigation,arbitrations, personnel policies, California wage and hour law, andemployee discipline and discharge. An experienced trial attorney, Scotthas litigated a number of high-profile and complex cases involving awide range of labor and employment law matters. For more information,contact Scott Brink at RSB@jmbm.com or 310.785.5365.

Global Hospitality Group®
1900 Avenue of the Stars
7th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Direct: (310) 201-3526
Direct Fax: (310) 712-8526
E-mail: jbutler@jmbm.com

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Ask The Hotel Lawyer ™

Ask the Hotel Lawyer™ is a quarterly column that I write for JMBM's Global Hospitality Advisor®. If you have a question you would like to submit to Ask the Hotel Lawyer™ please use the comments box below. While your question may not be of sufficient general interest for the column, I will try to respond to you individually if you leave your contact information below. Jim Butler.