Perspectives on Hospitality

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed a new rule aimed at eliminating certain “hidden” and “junk” fee practices. The FTC said that these fees, which may be undisclosed until late in the transaction process, are estimated to cost consumers 10s of billions of dollars annually.

As we enter the final quarter of 2023, the ArentFox Schiff Hospitality Industry group has identified several opportunities and challenges that could impact the hospitality industry.

Persistent turmoil in the debt and equity markets continues to impact the hospitality industry. This article addresses the state of the hospitality market as we enter into the final months of 2023 and look forward to 2024.

California state legislators have joined the arena in the fight relating to advertised rates in the hotel industry and beyond. If the recent legislation is signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, the law will have significant ramifications for hospitality companies nationwide.

Generative AI (GenAI) tools are rapidly gaining traction in virtually every sector of the global economy, including the hospitality industry. From the reservations and booking process to check-in and check-out to increasing customer retention and improving sales, there are virtually endless use cases for machine learning and GenAI.

Generative AI is a rapidly developing technology that will revolutionize the way business is conducted.

On August 18, 2023, Travelers United, a traveler advocacy organization, filed a class-action lawsuit against Hyatt Hotels Corporation and its affiliates, accusing Hyatt of falsely advertising hotel room rates and cheating customers out of millions of dollars through hidden fees.

ArentFox Schiff Partners Amal Dave, Kristen Hosack Pace, and Ankit Shrivastava collaborate with UBS Private Wealth Management to present a panel on succession and generational transfer at AAHOA Washington, DC Regional Conference & Trade Show.

Artificial intelligence promises to transform the way we live and work and its impact will undoubtedly stretch to every business sector across the globe. This next generation of technology brings exciting possibilities and unknown legal risks.

The Federal Reserve’s most recent Financial Stability Report addressed what many industry watchers had been convinced of for some time: the commercial real estate sector is in a precarious state.

For better or worse, generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already transforming the way we live and work.

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce that 70 attorneys were recognized as leaders in their field and 24 practices spanning the firm’s litigation, regulatory, and transactional capabilities were ranked in the 2023 edition of Chambers USA.

With USD LIBOR expected to end on June 30, 2023, there are numerous legal and financial implications to consider, especially as the pace of remediation of leveraged loans (and other commercial loans) needs to progress further according to the Alternative Reference Rates Committee (ARRC).

Partner Jay Halpern was quoted on the major challenges and opportunities facing the restaurant industry in 2023, such as supply constraints, construction delays, and an ongoing labor shortage.

With the start of the new year, the ArentFox Schiff Hospitality Industry team reviews 10 of the most pressing legal issues for hospitality companies in 2023.  

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce that Hospitality Practice Group Leader Ann MacDonald has been appointed chair of DRI’s Retail & Hospitality Committee.

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce that 121 attorneys have been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America 2023, with an additional six attorneys highlighted as “Lawyers of the Year” and 40 attorneys listed as “Ones to Watch.”

The Metaverse stands to disrupt nearly every industry – fashion, media and entertainment, real estate, sports, the list goes on – presenting immense possibilities and potential risks. We have created the ArentFox Schiff Industry Guide to the Metaverse to answer questions and anticipate concerns.

Although the emergence of virtual “real” estate in the metaverse presents a unique opportunity for the commercial real estate industry, there are risks associated with virtual real property.

The Federal Reserve will likely raise its target federal funds rate by another 0.75 percentage point as early as next week, according to news reports. Fed officials have already raised benchmark short-term borrowing rates 1.5 percentage points this year.

Partner Ann MacDonald, Vice Chair of DRI’s Retail and Hospitality Committee, is presenting at the organization’s 2022 Retail and Hospitality Litigation Seminar on June 24, 2022 in Atlanta.

The 2022 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business has recognized 66 ArentFox Schiff attorneys as leaders in their field.

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce that four attorneys have been named to BTI’s Client Service All-Stars 2022 for delivering superior client service: Partners Paula Morency, Caroline Turner English, Ann MacDonald, and Matthew Prewitt.

If yours is one of the many companies considering new employment incentives, enhanced benefits, and retention bonuses, you should also consider taking another look at your non-compete covenants at the same time. They might already be outdated and unenforceable.

The metaverse, regarded by many as the next frontier in digital commerce, does not, on its surface, appear to offer many benefits to an industry with a core mission of providing a physical space for guests to use and occupy. However, there are many opportunities that the metaverse may offer.