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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.

Outlook and Trends

Posted On: May 8, 2009 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hospitality Lawyers: Mark Woodworth's 'Night has fallen. Waiting for sunrise'. WOW!

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

Hospitality Lawyers with Mark Woodworth's "Night has fallen. Waiting for sunrise" presentation-- Meet the Money® presentation May 6, 2009

Meet the Money® is the annual hotel finance conference presented by the hotel lawyers of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group®. These slides were presented at the 19th annual Meet the Money® conference held in Los Angeles on May 5-7, 2009.

Continue reading " Hospitality Lawyers: Mark Woodworth's 'Night has fallen. Waiting for sunrise'. WOW! " »

Posted In: Meet the Money® , Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: May 8, 2009 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hospitality Lawyers: The latest "Optimistic Views" from Smith Travel Research

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

Hospitality Lawyers with "U.S. Lodging Industry Overview" by Mark Lomanno -- Meet the Money® presentation May 6, 2009

Meet the Money® is the annual hotel finance conference presented by the hotel lawyers of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group®. These slides were presented at the 19th annual Meet the Money® conference held in Los Angeles on May 5-7, 2009.

Continue reading " Hospitality Lawyers: The latest "Optimistic Views" from Smith Travel Research " »

Posted In: Meet the Money® , Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: May 8, 2009 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hospitality Lawyers present JEWELS from Meet the Money® 2009 -- the "best ever" hotel conference

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

Hospitality Lawyers with the latest information from Meet the Money® 2009

Typical comments at Meet the Money® this year were "Best ever conference!" and "I am never going to miss this conference again. It's different than all the others."

For all of our industry friends -- whether or not you were able to attend Meet the Money® 2009 -- we will present some of the invaluable information delivered at the conference. We will present both the "raw data" of the PowerPoint presentations, and will also have some commentary in the next few days.

Continue reading " Hospitality Lawyers present JEWELS from Meet the Money® 2009 -- the "best ever" hotel conference " »

Posted In: Meet the Money® , Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: April 19, 2009 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hotel Lawyer: Nutrition disclosure laws. The latest in California.

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

Hotel Lawyer: "I am from the government and I am here to help you . . ."

As the old joke goes, this was one of the three biggest lies (along with "the check is in the mail" and "that's my Porsche and I own it."). But however you view it, the government is certainly taking a bigger role in all our lives. Part of the latest regulation requires nutritional information to be provided to customers of hotels and restaurants. Here is the latest from our Jim Abrams.


Continue reading " Hotel Lawyer: Nutrition disclosure laws. The latest in California. " »

Posted In: Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: April 6, 2009 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Ask the Hotel Lawyer™: Hotel executives today and the "bedbug letter" . . . Who's the "idiot"? You be the judge.

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

Ask the Hotel Lawyer™: What can we learn from the bedbug story? Bedbugs have plagued the hospitality industry for centuries and seem to be making a resurgence.

But there is an iconic story about a "bedbug letter" which is also instructive on the importance of treating people with respect and dignity, and the embarrassment (and financial costs) "important people" can cause to their colleagues and their companies when they forget these lessons.

Here's the story, as told by Hotel Lawyer Robert Braun for www.HotelLawBlog.com readers, and a real life lesson from last week.

Continue reading " Ask the Hotel Lawyer™: Hotel executives today and the "bedbug letter" . . . Who's the "idiot"? You be the judge. " »

Posted In: Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: March 17, 2009 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hotel Attorneys: Looking for a way to significantly increase your hotel's cash flow... NOW? Here's one of the most overlooked approaches. "TINSTAAFL" suspended?

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

Hotel Attorneys with a potentially critical tip for owners and lenders -- instantly increasing your hotel's cash flow. It is often overlooked. Who says "There Is No Such Thing As a Free Lunch" ("TINSTAFL") ?

Hotel attorneys know that times are tough and getting tougher. Moody's Economy.com and PKF are now projecting a deeper and more extended downturn and a more delayed recovery. Hotel Lawyer with new data from Moody's Economy.com and deteriorating projections for the lodging industry. and Jim Butler quote in USA today More hotels are facing foreclosure, bankruptcy.

So here is a rock-solid tip that could instantly boost cash flow for savvy borrowers and lenders who qualify. This will be particularly valuable to hotels bought or built in the last 5 to 10 years . . . or maybe longer.

Continue reading " Hotel Attorneys: Looking for a way to significantly increase your hotel's cash flow... NOW? Here's one of the most overlooked approaches. "TINSTAAFL" suspended? " »

Posted In: Global Financial Crisis & Recovery , Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: March 17, 2009 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hotel Lawyer with new data from Moody's Economy.com and deteriorating projections for the lodging industry. Experts say Improvement won't even start until 2011.

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

Hotel bankruptcies, restructurings, and receiverships are likely to increase substantially before things get better. That's the conclusion the hotel lawyers at JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® reach with new data released by Moody's Economy.com and new projections from PKF Research.
Here are the headlines

Continue reading " Hotel Lawyer with new data from Moody's Economy.com and deteriorating projections for the lodging industry. Experts say Improvement won't even start until 2011. " »

Posted In: Outlook and Trends

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

Hotel Attorney: How will the Stimulus Bill help tribal governments finance hotel projects in Indian Country?

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

Hotel Attorneys with an important and different perspective on the Stimulus Bill: How will it help tribal governments finance hotel projects in Indian Country

On March 15, Hotel Attorney, Catherine Holmes, sat down with our good friend, Valerie Red-Horse of Red-Horse Financial Group, to talk about how the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will help tribal governments finance new hotel developments on tribal land.

Continue reading " Hotel Attorney: How will the Stimulus Bill help tribal governments finance hotel projects in Indian Country? " »

Posted In: Global Financial Crisis & Recovery , Outlook and Trends

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

Hotel Lawyer: New star rating system for hotels in Italy. What does it mean?

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

Hotel Lawyer with the new standards for rating hotels in Italy. Why should we care?

Many travelers refer to the AAA or Mobil ratings for hotels and restaurants for reliable information about the quality of an establishment. As most folks know, AAA uses the diamond rating system and Mobil uses the star rating system.

While these tried and true rating systems are unlikely to be replaced anytime soon, I was fascinated to receive a recent message from a lawyer friend in Italy. It talked about the new star rating system recently promulgated by the Italian government on February 11, 2009.

Here's the scoop ...

Continue reading " Hotel Lawyer: New star rating system for hotels in Italy. What does it mean? " »

Posted In: Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: March 9, 2009 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hotel Lawyer: Latest legislation affecting hospitality

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

Hotel Lawyer with an update on the latest legislation and proposals affecting the lodging industry from hotel lawyer Jim Abrams.

What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens in California spreads like wildfire. That's why the lodging industry tends to pay such close attention to what is brewing in the California legislature. So, "heads up!" The California legislature is back in session. A number of new laws have already taken effect and a lot of bills are in the hopper. The City of Anaheim (home of Disneyland) has hit Internet travel providers with a whopping TOT bill.

This article by Jim Abrams will tell www.HotelLawBlog.com readers about these and other developments facing the lodging industry in California and quite probably beyond the state's boundaries.

Continue reading " Hotel Lawyer: Latest legislation affecting hospitality " »

Posted In: Outlook and Trends

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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 1,000 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 1,000 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 1,000 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 1,000 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 1,000 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 1,000 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 1,000 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 1,000 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 is Of Counsel at JMBM and is 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 1,000 properties located around the globe. Jim has served the hospitality industry for 40 years and specializes in lodging and hospitality law and in representing and advising trade associations and other non-profit entities. Jim 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.

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.