Articles Posted in Hotel Finance − Hotel Debt & Hotel Equity

Published on: July 25, 2023

Hospitality Finance Breakfast Briefing: Bringing down the cost of capital and filling your capital stack

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®

25 July 2023

See how JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® can help you.

Earlier this week, the Global Hospitality Group® co-hosted a breakfast briefing in Los Angeles with CREDE, a leading real estate development and project management firm. The program focused on how hotel owners and developers can reduce their cost of capital and costs of construction while filling in gaps in their capital stack through a few critical construction management techniques and exploitation of both traditional and alternative financing options.

Luigi Major, Managing Director of HVS, opened the program with an economic overview, providing an inspiring update on the state of the industry. His data shows depressed urban markets like San Francisco and San Jose are now enjoying double digit RevPAR growth, and some formerly red-hot leisure markets such as Santa Barbara have softened (-24% RevPAR growth). Business travel continues to get stronger and leisure travel is slowing. Cap rates are rising, but only by 40-90 basis points, which is modest compared to the interest rate environment. Luigi believes this is due to hotels coming into favor as a class of real estate. CONTINUE READING →

Published on: February 11, 2022

Commercial PACE Financing on a Roll: $103 million C-PACE loan for Chinese Hospital in San Francisco

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®

11 February 2022
See how JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® can help you.
Click here for the latest articles on C-PACE Financing.

Hotel Lawyer: Another Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing closed

David Sudeck and his team at the Global Hospitality Group® at Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP assisted in structuring a $103 million loan for Chinese Hospital in San Francisco, a non-profit community hospital. This transaction is the largest ever C-PACE transaction in the United States.

photo: chinesehospital-sf.org

Property: Chinese Hospital
Location: San Francisco, CA
Size of C-PACE Loan: $103 million

How we can help with Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing

C-PACE lending has become an important and fast-growing sub-specialty in our hotel finance capabilities. We work with C-PACE providers/lenders and borrowers. In fact, we have been fortunate enough to work with one of the leading providers of C-PACE financing as they expand their national platform.

We welcome inquires to see if we can help you evaluate potential PACE financing opportunities. CONTINUE READING →

Published on: January 18, 2022

GHG Selected for Law360 Award in Hospitality

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®

18 January 2022

See how JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® can help you.

“Practice Group of the Year” awarded to
JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group
by Law360

Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP (JMBM) is proud to announce that the Global Hospitality Group® (GHG) has been selected as one of Law360’s Practice Groups of the Year. This award “honors the practices behind the litigation wins and major deals that resonated throughout the legal industry in 2021” and winners are chosen out of hundreds of submissions. The recognition is a result of the unsurpassed experience of the GHG team members who, for the past 30 years, have helped clients with more than 4,500 hospitality properties, valued at more than $112 billion.

Some notable accomplishments by members of the GHG in 2021 include:

Workout, recapitalization, and repositioning of a $1 billion mixed-use lifestyle hotel project
Sale of an NYSE-traded hotel REIT’s entire portfolio of 15 upscale, select-service hotels for $305 million
Closing more than $210 million in Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy loans (C-PACE)
Assisting clients with hotel management and franchise agreements for properties worth more than $1.5 billion
Serving as primary counsel for lenders on more than $2.2 billion in the distressed hotel, retail, and office loans during the global pandemic, including over $500 million for a single client

CONTINUE READING →

Published on: November 16, 2021

JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® releases updated hotel Credentials with 2021 Transactions

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®

16 November 2021

See how JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® can help you.

LOS ANGELES—The Global Hospitality Group® (GHG) of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP (JMBM) has released an updated version of its Hospitality Credentials, detailing unsurpassed experience by providing representative clients and properties the GHG has worked on over the past 30 years. These Credentials show how the GHG has helped clients with more than 4,500 hospitality properties, valued at more than $112 billion.

Some notable accomplishments by members of the GHG over the last 12 months include:

Workout, recapitalization and repositioning of a $1 billion mixed-use lifestyle hotel project
Sale of a NYSE-traded hotel REIT’s entire portfolio of 15 upscale, select service hotels for $305 million
Closing more than $210 million in Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy loans (C-PACE)
Assisting clients with hotel management and franchise agreements for properties worth more than $1.5 billion
Serving as primary counsel for lenders on more than $2.2 billion in distressed hotel, retail and office loans during the global pandemic, including over $500 million for a single client

CONTINUE READING →

Published on: June 7, 2021

Commercial PACE Financing on a Roll: $10+ million C-PACE loan for TETRA Hotel and AC Hotel Sunnyvale

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®

7 June 2021
See how JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® can help you.
Click here for the latest articles on C-PACE Financing.

Hotel Lawyer: Another Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing closed

The GHG Team worked with a C-PACE financing source to secure an over $10 million loan for the 190-room TETRA hotel, which includes a fitness center, full-service restaurant, and bar, and the 160-room AC Hotel by Marriott in Sunnyvale, CA.

photo: marriott.com

Hotel: TETRA Hotel, Autograph Collection, and AC By Marriott Sunnyvale Cupertino
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Size of C-PACE Loan: $10+ million

How we can help with Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing

We welcome inquires to see if we can help you evaluate potential PACE financing opportunities.

Webinar and more on C-PACE financing

To learn more about C-PACE, check out our free on demand webinar, “Why so many are looking at Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing now.”

You can also find more information on this topic on the Hotel Law Blog under the topic C-PACE Financing. Here are a few select articles and some representative transactions we have handled.

Is C-PACE the “new EB-5″ financing?

Retroactive C-PACE frees hotel investment capital

C-PACE Financing – Now an accepted tool for hotel lenders and borrowers

Should you be looking at Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing now?

C-PACE Financing Lawyer: New York opening Commercial PACE – a big opportunity!

Some of our deals: C-PACE Financing on a roll!

David Sudeck is a senior member of JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® and JMBM’s real estate department. His practice primarily involves the complex issues associated with hotels, resorts, vacation ownership properties (including shared ownership, destination clubs, timeshares, fractionals and private residence clubs), restaurants (including chef consulting agreements), golf courses and spas.

A seasoned real estate attorney, David has extensive legal experience involving all types of residential and commercial properties. He represents owners – including hospitality clients – in the purchase and sale, development, construction, financing, leasing, and sale-leaseback of properties, and advises them on their operations and management agreements, including hotel management agreements. Contact David Sudeck at 310.201.3518 or dsudeck@jmbm.com.

This is Jim Butler, author of www.HotelLawBlog.com and founding partner of JMBM and JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group®. We provide business and legal advice to hotel owners, developers, independent operators and investors. This advice covers critical hotel issues such as hotel purchase, sale, development, financing, franchise, management, ADA, and IP matters. We also have compelling experience in hotel litigation, union avoidance and union negotiations, and cybersecurity & data privacy.

JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® has helped clients around the world with more than 4,300 hospitality properties worth more than $104.7 billion. Contact me at +1-310-201-3526 or jbutler@jmbm.com to discuss how we can help.

How can we help? Brochure Credentials Photo Gallery

Published on: June 1, 2021

Commercial PACE Financing on a Roll: $2.3 million PACE loan for the Tapestry Suncoast Hotel in Anaheim, CA

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®

1 June 2021
See how JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® can help you.
Click here for the latest articles on C-PACE Financing.

Hotel Lawyer: Another Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing closed

David Sudeck and his team at the Global Hospitality Group® at Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP worked with a C-PACE financing source to secure a $2.3 million loan for the 174-room Tapestry Suncoast Hotel in Anaheim, CA. The property includes a restaurant, meeting space, and outdoor pool.

photo: hilton.com

Hotel: : SunCoast Park Hotel Anaheim, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
Location: Anaheim, CA
Size of C-PACE Loan: $2.3 million

How we can help with Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing

We welcome inquires to see if we can help you evaluate potential PACE financing opportunities.

Webinar and more on C-PACE financing

To learn more about C-PACE, check out our free on demand webinar, “Why so many are looking at Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing now.”

You can also find more information on this topic on the Hotel Law Blog under the topic C-PACE Financing. Here are a few select articles and some representative transactions we have handled.

Is C-PACE the “new EB-5″ financing?

Retroactive C-PACE frees hotel investment capital

C-PACE Financing – Now an accepted tool for hotel lenders and borrowers

Should you be looking at Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing now?

C-PACE Financing Lawyer: New York opening Commercial PACE – a big opportunity!

Some of our deals: C-PACE Financing on a roll!

How can we help? Brochure Credentials Photo Gallery

Published on: May 26, 2021

Commercial PACE Financing on a Roll: $23.8 million PACE loan for the Vista Collina Resort Napa

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®

26 May 2021
See how JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® can help you.
Click here for the latest articles on C-PACE Financing.

Hotel Lawyer: Another Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing closed

David Sudeck and his team at the Global Hospitality Group® at Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Mitchell LLP worked with a C-PACE financing source to close a $23.8 million PACE loan for the 145-room Vista Collina Resort Napa in California, which includes a full-service restaurant, fitness center, tasting rooms, and meeting space.

photo: meritagecollection.com

Hotel: Vista Collina Resort Napa, part of the Meritage Collection
Location: Napa, CA
Size of C-PACE Loan: $23.8 million

How we can help with Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing

We welcome inquires to see if we can help you evaluate potential PACE financing opportunities.

Webinar and more on C-PACE financing

To learn more about C-PACE, check out our free on demand webinar, “Why so many are looking at Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing now.”

You can also find more information on this topic on the Hotel Law Blog under the topic C-PACE Financing. Here are a few select articles and some representative transactions we have handled.

Is C-PACE the “new EB-5″ financing?

Retroactive C-PACE frees hotel investment capital

C-PACE Financing – Now an accepted tool for hotel lenders and borrowers

Should you be looking at Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing now?

C-PACE Financing Lawyer: New York opening Commercial PACE – a big opportunity!

Some of our deals: C-PACE Financing on a roll!

How can we help? Brochure Credentials Photo Gallery

Published on: May 18, 2021

Commercial PACE Financing on a Roll: $5.8 million C-PACE loan for Fairfield Suites

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®

18 May 2021
See how JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® can help you.
Click here for the latest articles on C-PACE Financing.

Over the past five years, Commercial PACE (or C-PACE) financing has gained wider acceptance and moved from a novel technique to a mainstream practical solution for financing. For more background on what C-PACE financing is, why it can be attractive, why it is becoming more popular and how JMBM’s attorneys can help, see C-PACE Financing – Now an accepted tool for hotel lenders and borrowers.

Now that New York City has released guidelines for C-PACE financing, there are even more opportunities to make the most of this strategy–see our post on the upcoming rules here.

The GHG team recently closed a $5.8 million Commercial PACE (C-PACE) loan for the 103-room Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites in Camarillo, CA, which includes a fitness center with outdoor pool and meeting space.

photo: marriott.com

Hotel: Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Camarillo
Location: Camarillo, CA
Size of C-PACE Loan: $5.8 million

How we can help with Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing

We welcome inquires to see if we can help you evaluate potential PACE financing opportunities.

Webinar and more on C-PACE financing

To learn more about C-PACE, check out our free on demand webinar, “Why so many are looking at Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing now.”

You can also find more information on this topic on the Hotel Law Blog under the topic C-PACE Financing. Here are a few select articles and some representative transactions we have handled.

Is C-PACE the “new EB-5″ financing?

Retroactive C-PACE frees hotel investment capital

C-PACE Financing – Now an accepted tool for hotel lenders and borrowers

Should you be looking at Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing now?

C-PACE Financing Lawyer: New York opening Commercial PACE – a big opportunity!

Some of our deals: C-PACE Financing on a roll!

How can we help? Brochure Credentials Photo Gallery

Published on: May 4, 2021

Commercial PACE Financing on a Roll: $42 million C-PACE loan for citizenM Los Angeles

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®

4 May 2021
See how JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® can help you.
Click here for the latest articles on C-PACE Financing.

Over the past five years, Commercial PACE (or C-PACE) financing has gained wider acceptance, and moved from a novel technique to a mainstream practical solution for financing. For more background on what C-PACE financing is, why it can be attractive, why it is becoming more popular and how JMBM’s attorneys can help, see C-PACE Financing – Now an accepted tool for hotel lenders and borrowers.

Now that New York City has released guidelines for C-PACE financing, there are even more opportunities to make the most of this strategy–see our post on the upcoming rules here.

David Sudeck and his team at the Global Hospitality Group® at Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Mitchell LLP handled a $42 million Commercial PACE loan for the 315-room citizenM hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. The property includes a restaurant, meeting space, and a 24-hour fitness center.

photo: citizenm.com

Hotel: citizenM Los Angeles Downtown
Location: Downtown Los Angeles, CA
Size of C-PACE Loan: $42 million

CONTINUE READING →

Published on: April 30, 2021

C-PACE Financing Lawyer: New York opening Commercial PACE – a big opportunity!

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®

30 April 2021

See how JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® can help you.
Click here for the latest articles on C-PACE Financing, as well as other Hotel Finance strategies.

Commercial PACE (C-PACE) financing guidelines are finally available for New York City, and while the program has not officially launched yet, hotel owners and developers in the area should start planning how to use these loans to retrofit their properties. My Partner David Sudeck discusses the program requirements, below.

New York City Releases Commercial PACE Program Guidelines :
A Big Step Toward Opening a Big Market for C-PACE Financing

by
David A. Sudeck, Partner & Senior Member of
JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group®

The NYC Commercial PACE Financing Program has finally released its program guidelines! Prospective qualified C-PACE lenders are now carefully reviewing the guidelines, applying for approval to be a C-PACE lender in New York City, and seeking projects that may benefit from C-PACE financing. It is time to get ready, but the official launch date for the program is being delayed a bit and has not yet been set. We expect the launch soon.

New York’s Law Will Motivate Building Owners to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

While C-PACE financing has been available throughout the country for years, the C-PACE program for New York State was enacted in 2019 as part of the Climate Mobilization Act. As part of that law, Local Law 97 (which has been subsequently amended by Local Law 147 and Local Law 95), established greenhouse gas emission limitations for certain large buildings in New York City. Buildings covered by the law will be required to report greenhouse gas emissions commencing in 2024, and penalties will be assessed for exceeding the established limitations. The legislature enacted the law with the expectation that it will be more expensive to pay the penalties than to renovate the building to reduce emissions.

New York’s C-PACE Program Will Provide the Financing to Retrofit Buildings

The State’s Commercial PACE Program was then concurrently implemented to provide building owners with a low-interest (usually around 6+/-%), long-term (usually 20-30 year amortization) financing option to support the required energy efficiency retrofits and to support renewable energy projects generally. It is also a form of financing that will result in significant mortgage tax savings (there is not mortgage recorded with C-PACE Financing) and other benefits. CONTINUE READING →

Jim Butler

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 JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® — a team of seasoned professionals who have helped clients around the world with more than 4,700 hospitality properties worth more than $125 billion.
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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 seasoned professionals who have helped clients around the world with more than 4,700 hospitality properties worth more than $125 billion. 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 seasoned professionals who have helped clients around the world with more than 4,700 hospitality properties worth more than $125 billion. 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.

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 seasoned professionals who have helped clients around the world with more than 4,700 hospitality properties worth more than $125 billion. 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 a Partner in JMBM's Real Estate Department and a senior member of JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® -- a team of seasoned professionals who have helped clients around the world with more than 4,700 hospitality properties worth more than $125 billion. 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 seasoned professionals who have helped clients around the world with more than 4,700 hospitality properties worth more than $125 billion. 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 seasoned professionals who have helped clients around the world with more than 4,700 hospitality properties worth more than $125 billion. Marty specializes in representing hospitality industry clients in Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance and defense. He has represented more than 500 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.comand select "ADA." For more information, please contact Marty Orlick at 415.984.9667 or morlick@jmbm.com.

Scott Brink

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

Travis Gemoets

Travis Gemoets is an experienced trial attorney and represents management in all facets of labor and employment law, including wage/hour class actions, claims of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, trade secrets and unfair competition, union/management relations and workplace violence. He is a member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group(r), in which capacity he negotiates union contracts and resolves labor disputes throughout the country, defends class action claims, develops strategies for the mass onboarding and separation of employees, and recommends proactive changes to employers' policies and practices in order to minimize potential liability risks. Reach him at 310.785.5387 or tgemoets@jmbm.com.

Mark S. Adams

Mark S. Adams is an experienced trial lawyer and a member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® and Chinese Investment Group™. He focuses his practice on business litigation including contracts, corporate and partnership disputes, and hospitality disputes and litigation. On behalf of hotel and resort owners, Mark has successfully litigated the termination of long-term, no-cut, hotel management agreements, franchise agreements, fiduciary duty issues, investor-owner disputes, TOT assessments, and more. He has wide-ranging trial experience in a variety of commercial disputes, including complex multi-party litigation and class actions. He has tried numerous cases in state courts, federal courts, and in domestic and international arbitrations, and is a frequent author and speaker on trial practice. Mark's trial wins have been covered by Forbes, Reuters, and other publications. He has obtained two of California's annual 50 largest jury verdicts in the same year. Mark has taken or defended nearly 1,000 depositions throughout North America, Europe and the Middle East. He has been quoted as an expert on noncompete agreements in the Wall Street Journal. For more information, contact Mark at 949. 623.7230 or markadams@jmbm.com.

Bennett Young

Bennett Young is a partner in JMBM's Bankruptcy, Insolvency and Restructurings Group and a senior member of the Global Hospitality Group® -- a team of seasoned professionals who have helped clients around the world with more than 4,700 hospitality properties worth more than $125 billion. His clients include lenders, financial institutions, secured and unsecured creditors, distressed investment funds, businesses, receivers, special servicers and creditors' committees. Ben represented the owner of a partially completed multi-billion dollar resort property in the restructuring of its finances and has represented lenders to hotels and casinos. For more information, contact Ben Young at 415.984.9626 or byoung@jmbm.com

Sheri Bonstelle

Sheri Bonstelle is a partner in JMBM's Government, Land Use, Environment and Energy Department, and a member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group®. She represents owners and developers in land use, zoning, environmental, litigation and construction matters. She manages all aspects of the entitlement process, including representing clients before local and state agencies, commissions and councils. Sheri also represents clients in a variety of land use and real estate litigation matters in state and federal courts, including cases arising under CEQA and other environmental laws. Her hotel experience includes handling the adaptive reuse of an historic office building as a luxury boutique hotel. For more information, please contact Sheri Bonstelle at 310.712.6847 or SBonstelle@jmbm.com.

Kevin McDonnell

Kevin McDonnell is a partner in JMBM's Government, Land Use, Environment and Energy Department, and a member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group®. Kevin represents developers and owners of hotels in a broad range of land use and zoning issues including entitlements, code enforcement, easements and parking requirements, as well as related Parcel Map and Tract Map subdivision issues. His hospitality experience includes hotels, condo-hotels and mixed-use projects. A registered Civil Engineer and Structural Engineer in California, and a former building official for the City of Los Angeles, Kevin brings unique experience and insight in Zoning and Building Code applications and Code Enforcement issues. For more information, please contact Kevin McDonnell at 310.201.3590 or kkm@jmbm.com.

Jamie Ogden

Jamie Ogden is a tax lawyer at Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP. He advises individuals and businesses on a range of tax planning, tax controversy and estate planning matters. Jamie’s experience includes all tax aspects with respect to the hospitality industry, including acquisitions and dispositions (including Section 1031 exchanges), financing and management agreements. He also serves as lead tax counsel on M&A transactions, financing, internal corporate restructurings and deferred compensation matters. Jamie also works frequently with litigators on the tax aspects of litigation, judgments and settlements. Jamie has extensive experience with foreign compliance matters, including each variation of the IRS amnesty programs. In addition to his experience in private practice, Jamie also brings several years of service from both state and federal government. For more information, contact Jamie at JOgden@jmbm.com or 310.201.3510.

Wei Deng

Wei Deng is General Counsel of Bosen American Capital, Inc. where in addition to his legal duties, he is responsible for sourcing, evaluating and proposing United States investment opportunities to the company. Wei was previously with JMBM, where he focused on transactional and litigation matters.

Jay Thompson

Jay Thompson has extensive experience representing private companies, business owners, family offices and investors in mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital transactions and private securities offerings. Jay serves as general counsel to many of his clients, their management, and board of directors, helping to shape and execute their business strategies, facilitate growth and liquidity, as well as to advise them on day-to-day legal and other strategic issues. He is known for his practical approach to business issues. Contact Jay at JThompson@jmbm.com or 949.623.7258

Marianne Martin

Marianne Martin has nearly fifteen years of experience advising clients on a variety of commercial, financing, bankruptcy, restructuring and M&A matters, with a particular niche dealing with distressed and/or turnaround situations. Her clients frequently include private equity and hedge funds, independent sponsors, family offices, public and private corporations, financial institutions and banks, healthcare-related companies, municipalities and venture capital funds. She has represented clients in various capacities, including as borrowers/debtors, lenders, acquirers, and agents/trustees in negotiating and documenting complex commercial transactions, out-of-court restructuring transactions and advising on purchasing considerations in secondary market debt transactions. Contact Marianne at MMartin@jmbm.com or 310.201.3531

Trevor Countryman

Trevor Countryman is an associate in the firm's Real Estate Department. He advises clients in all aspects of real estate transactions including property acquisitions and dispositions, financing, leasing, development and construction. Trevor's clients range from large funds to individual developers and opportunistic investors, engaged in deals involving office, retail, multi-family, single-family, mixed-use and hotel properties. Contact Trevor Countryman at 310.201.3546 or TCountryman@jmbm.com.

Vanessa Han

Vanessa Han is an associate in JMBM's Corporate group. Vanessa can be reached at VHan@jmbm.com or 310.785.5383

Vince Farhat

Vince Farhat is Chair of JMBM's White Collar Defense and Investigations practice. Vince has extensive jury trial experience and focuses his practice on representing companies and individuals in criminal and civil investigations and prosecutions by government enforcement agencies, as well as complex federal litigation. He also advises companies in connection with complex and sensitive internal investigations. Prior to joining JMBM, Vince served as an assistant United States attorney in the Major Frauds Section of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. Contact Vince Farhat at 310.785.5382 or VFarhat@jmbm.com.

Sarah G. Hartman

Sarah G. Hartman is a partner in JMBM's Litigation Group and a member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® -- a team of seasoned professionals who have helped clients around the world with more than 4,700 hospitality properties worth more than $125 billion. Sarah is an experienced litigator who advises and represents clients through all aspects of litigation, from inception through trial and appeal. She advises and represents clients in the hospitality industry, including the termination of hotel management agreements and franchise agreements. Sarah also advises and represents clients on women's health technology issues, intellectual property matters, and complex commercial disputes, including breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, breach of contract, unfair competition, products liability, employment litigation, class action defense, false advertising and other complex financial disputes. Contact Sarah Hartman at 949.623.7243 or SGHartman@jmbm.com.

Michael H. Strub, Jr.

Michael H. Strub, Jr. is a partner in JMBM's Litigation Group and a member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® -- a team of seasoned professionals who have helped clients around the world with more than 4,700 hospitality properties worth more than $125 billion. He is a highly skilled trial and appellate attorney who has handled high-stakes, complex commercial and business cases for 30 years including disputes arising out of hotel construction, lending, and bankruptcy. In addition, he has represented plaintiffs and defendants in business and commercial disputes in a variety of areas. Contact Michael H. Strub, Jr. at 949.623.7233 or MStrub@jmbm.com.

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.

“Practice Group of the Year” awarded to JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group by Law360

“Practice Group of the Year” awarded to
JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group
by Law360