The 5th Annual Hospitality Law Conference

Register by January 22, 2007 for Early Registration Rates!

"The Conference is the only program in the country devoted exclusively to legal issues impacting the hotel and restaurant industries. As a former participant and attendee of the Conference, I can assure you this event is worth attending. Please mark your calendars."
Richard Barrett-Cuetara, Esq.
Cowles & Thompson, P.C.

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February 8-9, 2007
Houston, TX
Hilton Post Oak

A few of the presentations:

  • Union Organizing in the Hospitality Industry
    Mike Mitchell with Fisher & Phillips will give the latest advice on what unions are trying to accomplish and how to keep your property union-free.

  • Immigration Reform Rocks Your World
    David C. Whitlock with Fisher & Phillips will focus on recent developments in immigration law and enforcement; dealing with the SSA mismatch letter; preparing for government investigation of immigration compliance; public demonstrations and employer response; and immigration reform legislation.

  • Management Contract Litigation Survey
    David Moseley of the law firm Moseley Law and Nir Margalit, Executive V.P. & General Counsel, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, will highlight a variety of significant cases from 2006 that illustrate new applications of contract litigation in hospitality law.

Complete Schedule
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Franchisor Not Liable for Hotel Guest's Death

By: Christian Stegmaier
Collins & Lacy, P.C.
(803) 255-0454
cstegmaier@collinsandlacy.com

In a case with a nationwide application, the Mississippi Court of Appeals held recently that a hotel franchisor could not be held financially liable for the murder of a guest at a franchisee’s hotel.

In Allen v. Choice Hotels International, Inc., 2006 Miss. App. LEXIS 859 (November 21, 2006), William and Darlene Allen returned to their room at the Gulfport Comfort Inn after an evening at a local casino. The Gulfport Comfort Inn was a franchise location of Choice Hotels International, Inc.

Unbeknownst to them, a trio of individuals was surveilling the casino parking lot looking for someone to rob. Upon seeing a Texas tag on the Allens’ van, the trio followed the Allens back to the Comfort Inn. Presumably by pretense, one robber got William to answer the door. After the door was opened, the robber and an accomplice pushed their way into the Allens’ room and struggled with William over his wallet. During the struggle, William was fatally shot, and Darlene was injured.

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Announcements

Graham & Dunn Seeks New Associate

Graham & Dunn is seeking a highly-motivated law school graduate to join its nationally-recognized hospitality law practice. The best applicant will have demonstrated educational success and will possess strong writing and drafting and excellent oral communication skills. In addition, we are seeking applicants with business experience in and knowledge about the hotel industry and a specific interest in working with hotel industry clients and related transactions. We place especially high value on undergraduate or graduate degrees in hotel management and direct hotel management experience.

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Looking for Legal Information for Virginia?

Look to the Virginia Law Library Sponsored by:

McGuire Woods
http://www.mcguirewoods.com/default.asp

Court Square Building
Charlottesville, VA
T: 434.977.2500
F: 434.980.2222

World Trade Center
Norfolk, VA
T: 757.640.3700
F: 757.640.3701
One James Center
Richmond, Virginia
T: 804.775.1000
F: 804.775.1061
McLean, VA
T: 703.712.5000
F: 703.712.5050


Poll Questions

Hotel operators: How often do you wash/clean your comforters for your hotel rooms?

Vote Now!

Results From Previous Poll

How many hours of alcohol service training per year do you require for your employees?

1-5 49%
6-10 32%
11-15 11%
More than 15 9%

Meaningful Dialogue Should Be the ‘Best First Step’ to Dispute Resolution

Fair franchise agreements are not impossible to negotiate or terminate – and in most cases, litigation can be avoided. Sometimes is just takes talking less, listening more and hiring an impartial third party to help along the way

By: Steven J. Belmonte
The Lexington Collection
(973) 598-0201
sbelmonte@LexingtonHotels.com

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "Fifty cents," replied the waitress. The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.


"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.


"Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied. The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.


The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.


You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

What lesson should we learn from this story?

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HospitalityLawyer.com is proud to introduce our Editor and Associate Counsel, Diana Singson. Located in the Houston office, Diana is available to help us and our clients meet their goals. Diana is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Baylor University (2003), and she recently received her law degree from the University of Houston. She looks forward to learning more about the hospitality industry. Diana will be working closely with our state library sponsors to ensure updated content is available to in-house counsel and private attorneys who utilize HospitalityLawyer.com. In addition, Diana is the editor of the HospitalityLawyer.com e-newsletter, which has more than doubled in subscribers over the past 6 months. She will work with GAHA members and industry publications coordinating educational articles for publication and law firm branding. We consider her a valuable resource and welcome her to the HospitalityLawyer.com staff.

Contact information:
diana@hospitalitylawyer.com

(713) 864-6944


HospitalityLawyer.com
P.O. Box 22888
Houston , TX 77227
HospitalityLawyer@hospitalitylawyer.com

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