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The HMA Handbook, Hotel Management Agreements for Owners, Developers, Investors & Lenders Apr 8, 2023: The Global Hospitality Group® of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP (JMBM) today announced the release of The HMA Handbook, Hotel Management Agreements for Owners, Developers, Investors & Lenders. This e-book is a practical guide for decision makers who want pragmatic advice from veterans with business and legal perspectives on getting great hotel operators, negotiating a fair hotel management agreement (HMA), and terminating a bad one when the operator deserves it..

Checklist: Conducting a Hotel Site Inspection Mar 29, 2023: What to look for and smart questions to ask

How to Handle an ADA Lawsuit and How Not to Do It - By Jim Butler, Author of Www.HotelLawBlog.com Aug 3, 2021

The hotel lawyers at JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® see a lot of ADA cases and believe the claims will increase tremendously in the next few years as a result of the current political climate, new regulations, higher priorities assigned by the Department of Justice, and passionate private litigants seeking to make the world ADA-compliant.

Hotel Security: Navigating concerns and identifying solutions Jul 26, 2021: Business and recreational travelers demand safe and secure hotel accommodations, as well as responsive and friendly customer service. How can hoteliers ensure that their property provides as secure an environment as possible, while maintaining friendly customer service?

As Warren Buffet said, “it takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”

With that said, here are nine things to consider when it comes to blending hospitality and security.

How to Recognize Suspicious Slip-And-Fall Claims Jul 23, 2021

Slip and fall accidents are often not witnessed and usually result in soft tissue - or "invisible" - injuries. Because of these characteristics, such incidents are prime candidates for fraud. Whether perpetrated by a "professional claimant" or by an employee seeking unwarranted Workers' Compensation benefits, insurance fraud is a serious and costly issue.

Five Legal Problems and How to Avoid Them Jan 4, 2021: Five Legal Problems and How to Avoid Them

Small businesses (including hotels) are often sitting ducks for money-hunters seeking awards or settlements. Some may be real, others bogus, but all are costly in terms of time, legal fees, and payouts (if the business loses or settles). Knowing the problem spots can help you devise strategies for avoiding trouble.

Here are the key problem areas and some ideas for staying out of trouble.

Reasonable Care interview with John Hogan Feb 5, 2020: John Hogan discusses recent cases

Effectively Interacting with the Media - Keys to Success Feb 12, 2019

There are many times in this global economy when our hotel or hospitality business might become the news, rather than be featured in it and that realization is the reason behind this column. The five major points in this column are offered as a primer for positive contact and professional relations with the media.

Baker's Dozen of REASONABLE CARE Strategies Mar 20, 2018

Hoteliers must remember the Lessons of Reasonable Care! REASONABLE CARE - The degree of care that a reasonably prudent person would use under like circumstances.

Legally Speaking, By: Karen Morris Hotel and Motel Management Sep 9, 2017

Selecting a lawsuit to write about is akin to going on a safari. The message from both cases here is not new but seems to regularly trip up hospitality facilities: Always, always be alert to conditions at your hotel that can cause
injury, and do what's necessary to remove the danger.

Karen Morris is a lawyer, municipal judge and Distinguished Professor at Monroe Community College in Rochester, N.Y., where she teaches hospitality law. Contact her at judgekaren@aol.com.

A Dozen Ways to Protect Your Business from Lawsuits Dec 7, 2016: A Dozen Ways to Protect Your Business from Lawsuits

Small businesses are sitting ducks for legal actions. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, abusive lawsuits cost small businesses $88 billion a year.

Even if you are in the right, it can cost you serious time and money to defend yourself. And sometimes, you can be forced to pursue legal action to enforce your rights. According to an SBA report, legal fees of small businesses can range from $3,000 to $150,000. A better course of action is to avoid legal problems. Here are a dozen ways to keep your business safe, or at least as safe as possible.

Choosing the "right" Hotel Brand and Operator - HMA PRO™ Checklist from Jim Butler Oct 4, 2016

Everyone agrees that the choice of the “right” hotel brand and operator may be one of the most significant decisions affecting the financial success and value of a hotel. The right operator will add significant value to the property, both on a current basis through better operations, and by enhancing the long-term value of the property. At the same time, the wrong brand or the wrong operator will reduce the current earnings of the property and the value of the property, making it harder to finance and resulting in a lower sales price.