The Hospitality Law Conference: Houston 2026 (Presented by HospitalityLawyer.com)

Marco Flores, Managing Partner | Stormlex Law Group

Marco D. Flores grew up in South Texas, shaped by family values that instilled in him a deep commitment to helping others whenever the opportunity arises. He began his legal career in 2000, joining a firm in Dallas, Texas, where he represented major corporations — including Exxon Mobil, in high-stakes complex litigation across the country, eventually chairing the litigation sections for two large corporate clients. In 2014, he and his family returned to South Texas, and he redirected his practice toward leveling the playing field between property owners and large insurance companies. Today, Marco focuses on representing homeowners, small businesses, and commercial property owners who are not receiving fair treatment from their insurers, helping them navigate the claims process to recover the benefits they are owed. He and his team have consulted on over 10,000 insurance claim disputes involving homes, school districts, condominium complexes, apartments, hotels, shopping centers, and industrial complexes. With more than 20 years of experience representing individuals, small businesses, and Fortune 500 companies, Marco brings a uniquely balanced perspective, having advocated for both plaintiffs and defendants, to every case he handles, from initial evaluation through jury trial.

• Education & Credentials

Marco earned his Bachelor of Arts from The University of Texas at Austin and his Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s University School of Law. He is also a certified mediator, holding a Mediation Certificate. In addition to Texas, Marco is licensed to practice law in Oklahoma and is admitted to practice in Texas Federal Courts, including the Northern, Western, and Southern Districts. He is a member of the State Bars of Texas and Colorado.

• Recognition & Leadership

Marco has been recognized by his peers as a Super Lawyers Rising Star and was featured as one of the Best S.A. Lawyers 2018 in San Antonio Scene Magazine. He serves on the Board of Directors of the San Antonio Housing Trust and on the Board of Directors of the San Antonio Hotel & Lodging Association. He is also a member of Class 42 of Leadership San Antonio and a member of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

• Professional Involvement

Marco maintains active professional relationships across the real estate, hospitality, and property management industries. He serves as an Allied Partner of the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association, the Real Estate Commission San Antonio, the San Antonio Apartment Association, the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association, and the Apartment Association Metro Denver.

• Experience

Marco has over 20 years of legal experience spanning complex commercial litigation, insurance disputes, and property damage claims. He launched his career in 2000 representing Fortune 500 companies such as Exxon Mobil in high-stakes litigation nationwide, ultimately chairing litigation sections for two major corporate clients. After relocating back to South Texas in 2014, he transitioned his practice to focus on insurance claim disputes on behalf of property owners — both residential and commercial. He has gained experience across all phases of litigation, from case evaluation to jury trial, and his background on both the plaintiff and defense sides equips him to craft targeted strategies aimed at achieving the best possible outcome for his clients. His team has consulted on over 10,000 insurance claim disputes spanning a wide range of property types, and his mission remains aggressive advocacy combined with efficient resolution, whether through negotiation, litigation, or trial.

David Parker, President | DPC Hospitality

David Parker is the President and Founder of DPC Hospitality, bringing more than 30 years of experience in the hotel industry, including over 25 years in hotel consulting and development. Prior to forming DP Consulting in 2001, Parker spent nearly a decade at PKF Consulting (now CBRE Hotels), where he developed methodologies for collecting market information on hotels and meeting facilities, and built multiple modeling techniques for projecting utilization, income, and expense. In addition to his consulting practice, Parker is an experienced real estate developer who has completed numerous ground-up projects spanning residential, retail, and hospitality uses, bringing a developer’s perspective to complex consulting engagements alongside the polish of a national firm.

• Education & Credentials

Parker holds a Texas Real Estate Broker’s License and is a licensed pilot. His dual credentials as both a licensed broker and a qualified hotel market consultant reflect a professional foundation that bridges transactional real estate and specialized hospitality advisory work.

• Recognition & Leadership

Parker has served as Past President of the Hospitality Financial Technology Professionals (HFTP) Houston Chapter, a leadership role that reflects his long-standing engagement with the financial and technology dimensions of the hospitality industry. He has also served as a Guest Lecturer at the University of Houston Conrad Hilton Hotel College, sharing his expertise with the next generation of hospitality professionals. • Professional Involvement Parker’s professional involvement spans both the private and public sectors. Through DPC Hospitality, he has assisted numerous cities and private developers in navigating the complexities of municipal incentives to attract new hotel and conference center developments, positioning him as a resource for public-private hospitality projects across the region.

• Experience

Over the course of his career, Parker has completed more than 200 studies for new hotel development and hotel repositioning, resulting in nearly $2.0 billion in capital investment. His work encompasses market studies for both emerging and established brands, opining on market conditions as a qualified hotel market consultant, and executing ground-up development projects across residential, retail, and hospitality uses. In July 2020, he completed the acquisition of Sunway Hospitality, with a forward focus on developing quality projects in strong communities.

Jerrod Allen, Vice President | CBRE Hotels

Jerrod Allen is a partner at Allen Bryson Lamar, PLLC, a Texas law firm with offices in Dallas and Longview. A trial lawyer with twenty years of experience in and out of the courtroom, he represents both businesses and individuals in trial, arbitration, and mediation matters throughout Texas and beyond, with a focus on oil and gas and business-related matters. After spending the first seven years of his career litigating at some of Texas’s most prestigious law firms, Jerrod relocated to Longview in 2009 and founded West Allen Law Firm, PC. He later partnered with Brent Bryson for eight years before the two formed Allen Bryson Lamar, PLLC. His representative matters span oilfield collections, products liability, construction litigation, wrongful death defense, and civil rights claims, among others.

• Education & Credentials

Jerrod earned his Bachelor of Arts from The University of Texas at Austin in 1997 and his J.D., cum laude, from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in 2002. He is admitted to practice before the Texas Supreme Court, the United States District Courts for the Eastern, Northern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas, and all counties in the State of Texas.

• Recognition & Leadership

Jerrod has been recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters from 2021 through 2024, and previously as a Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters from 2010 through 2015. He served as President of the Gregg County Bar Association in 2021–2022, Vice-President in 2020–2021, and Treasurer in 2019–2020. He is a Sustaining Member of the Texas Bar Foundation, a distinction he has held since 2014.

• Professional Involvement

Jerrod has been an active member of the University of Texas Silver Spurs Alumni Association Board of Directors since 2005, the same organization he was part of as an undergraduate, where the Silver Spurs are responsible for handling BEVO. He served as a member of Phi Delta Phi from 2000 to 2002 and on the SMU Law Review from 2000 to 2002, where he was an Associate Editor of the Air Law Symposium. He has served on the Board of Directors of Wiseman Ministries Inc. since 2018 and served as President of the Administrative Council of First United Methodist Church in Longview, Texas in 2017–2018. He was also President of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity at The University of Texas at Austin in 1995–1996.

• Experience

Jerrod began his legal career as a litigation associate at some of the most prestigious law firms in Texas, including Strasburger & Price, L.L.P., where he presented at the firm’s Corporate Counsel Symposium, as well as Deary Montgomery Defeo & Canada, L.L.P. and Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. He founded West Allen Law Firm, PC in 2009 before forming Allen Bryson Lamar, PLLC alongside Brent Bryson. Throughout his career, he has presented on topics including oilfield collections for the Association of Energy Service Companies, post-judgment collections for the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, and tort reform legislation for Lorman Education Services.

Hector Medina, Senior Director | Ankura

Hector Medina is a Managing Director at Ankura, based in Houston, who specializes in hospitality and leisure related projects. With 19 years of combined hospitality and real estate experience across the U.S., Latin America, and Caribbean, he brings significant advisory experience in the areas of hotel market and feasibility studies, hotel operation diagnostics, market and operations due diligence, and interim asset management. He has served numerous clients, including government entities, multinational financial institutions, law firms, domestic and international developers, lodging operators, and private investors.

• Education & Credentials

Medina holds a Master of Science in Hospitality Management from the Hilton College at the University of Houston, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management from Louisiana State University, and a Culinary Diploma from the Art Institute of Houston. He holds several professional certifications, including the Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA), the Certification in Advanced Hospitality and Tourism Analytics (CAHTA), and the Certified Hotel Appraiser (CHA) designation. He has also completed eCornell programs in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management and in Real Estate Investment Modeling. He is a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) and is fluent in Spanish.

• Recognition & Leadership

Hector has authored articles on lodging market trends, the all-inclusive segment, and travel and tourism recovery. He has served as a panel moderator and speaker at the Hospitality Law Conference, and has participated as a guest lecturer for the Conrad N. Hilton College’s undergraduate and graduate programs.

• Professional Involvement

Medina is a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC). He has maintained an active role in the hospitality industry through speaking engagements, academic contributions, and published thought leadership on lodging market trends and tourism recovery.

• Experience

Hector Medina began his corporate career at Alvarez & Marsal within the firm’s hospitality and leisure group, where he spent approximately 10 years advising on hospitality and real estate matters. His work there included supporting AREA’s valuation management practice through independent reviews of hospitalityfocused appraisals for major institutional clients; advising on Advent International’s acquisition of Grupo Hotelero Londoño (GHL) Hotels, the largest third-party hotel operator in the Andean Region and Central America; and supporting Aimbridge Hospitality’s expansion into the Mexican lodging market, including the acquisition of Grupo Hotelero Prisma, a hotel management platform comprising more than 40 mid-scale branded hotels across 13 markets. He also collaborated with a private equity firm to develop a growth strategy for a major all-inclusive resort company and travel wholesaler operating more than 30 resorts throughout Mexico and the Caribbean. Additionally, he was part of a four-person team that assumed operational control of a resort and devised a wind-down plan supporting a bankruptcy filing in Mexico (Concurso Mercantil), while identifying synergies to aid Citi Bank with the asset management and restructuring of more than $200 million tied to an 800-acre master-planned resort in Baja California, Mexico.

Prior to joining Ankura, Medina served as Senior Manager of New Market Development at Apple Leisure Group, North America’s largest vertically integrated, all-inclusive brand management company and tour operator provider, with a resort portfolio spanning Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and Spain. In that role, he supported the expansion of the resort portfolio into new destinations through data-driven strategies that provided actionable investment and operational recommendations to the senior executive team.

Manuel Bremont, Managing Director | Ankura

Manuel Bremont is a Managing Director and leads the Hospitality & Leisure Group at Ankura, based in Dallas, Texas. He brings over 20 years of experience in real estate, hospitality, tourism, and other leisure products across the U.S., Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe. His advisory expertise spans market and feasibility analysis, strategic planning, performance improvement, operational diagnostics, interim and asset management, due diligence, restructuring, litigation support, and mergers and acquisitions. Throughout his career, he has advised public entities, multinational development companies, financial institutions, private equity firms, law firms, and international lodging companies. Prior to joining Ankura, he served as a senior director at a global professional services firm and previously spent four years working in hotel operations in Houston. Manuel joined Ankura alongside Senior Director Hector Medina to bolster the firm’s hospitality and leisure capabilities. Ankura • Education & Credentials Manuel earned a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management, magna cum laude, from the Conrad N. Hilton College at the University of Houston. He also holds a Certificate in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management from Cornell University. He is proficient in Spanish.

• Recognition & Leadership

Manuel was recognized among The Top 25 Travel and Hospitality Consultants and Leaders of 2024 by The Consulting Report. He leads the Hospitality & Leisure Group at Ankura and has established himself as a thought leader in the field, authoring articles on lodging market trends across various destinations in the Americas.

• Professional Involvement

Manuel has served as panel moderator and/or speaker at the Hospitality Law Conference, the ULI Hotel Development Council for North Texas, the Dallas Hotel Conference, and the IMN Forum on Real Estate Opportunity & Private Fund Investing. He has also participated as guest lecturer for the Conrad N. Hilton College’s undergraduate and graduate programs on numerous occasions.

Experience

Manuel’s career includes extensive M&A advisory work across some of the industry’s most significant transactions. He has been active in the M&A space working in different capacities across transactions involving Aimbridge Hospitality, Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Two Roads Hospitality, Belmond Hotels, Sage Hospitality, Grupo Hotelero Prisma (Mexico), and Hoteles GHL (Colombia). He assisted with pre-acquisition due diligence and integration planning for the two largest third-party hotel operators in North America, representing a combined portfolio of more than 1,400 hotels across 49 states and 20 countries, and delivered commercial and operational due diligence for a luxury lodging portfolio that traded in 2018 for $3.2 billion. He performed an operational diagnostic for a Middle Eastern hotel investment and management firm overseeing 30 hotels and over 80 entertainment centers in Saudi Arabia, identifying EBITDA uplift opportunities of $25 to $35 million. His contributions also extend to litigation matters including wrongful contractual termination claims, HMA disputes, and company valuations. Manuel also served on the team that managed the Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc. bankruptcy estate, which included approximately $5 billion in hospitality assets, and participated in the real property settlement negotiations and claims evaluation process associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. He additionally supervised the interim management of an 8,000-acre, mixed-use resort development, overseeing hotel and golf course operations, public relations, construction activities, and the coordination of the company’s bankruptcy filing in Mexico.

Jennifer Nellany, Attorney | Cozen O’Connor

With nearly 25 years as a practicing attorney, both as in-house counsel for public and private companies and in private practice at a full-service international law firm, Jennifer Nellany combines deep experience in real estate matters with practical corporate knowledge. She assists clients with drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements, structuring debt and equity transactions including M&A transactions and joint ventures, advising on corporate governance matters, drafting compliance materials, and advising on domestic and crossborder legal and regulatory issues. She has extensive experience providing legal advice on hospitality-related matters, both as in-house counsel and in private practice.

• Education & Credentials

Nellany earned her B.S. in Accounting from the University of Delaware, her J.D. with a Tax Honors Certificate from Rutgers University School of Law, and her LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law. She is admitted to the New York State Bar and is a member of the New York Bar Association.

• Recognition & Leadership

In her personal time, Jennifer is passionate about fundraising and advocating for sarcoma research and awareness. She previously served as president of the board of directors of the Sarcoma Alliance and currently sits on the board of the Sarcoma Foundation of America. • Professional Involvement Nellany has been an active participant in the hospitality and real estate legal communities, appearing at events including the Hospitality Law Conference in both Washington D.C. and Houston, the Family Office Formation and Structure Panel, the Family Office Real Estate Investment Breakfast, and a panel on alternative risk strategies for real estate and hospitality owners. She has also participated in programming focused on creating and managing effective outside counsel relationships.

• Experience

Jennifer Nellany began her career as a financial analyst and senior tax consultant. After law school, she spent eight years as an associate with an Am Law 100 firm, concentrating on corporate law including real estate matters. She went on to serve as general counsel for a public hotel company, where she was an integral part of the acquisition and transition of a significant expansion asset, and as global general counsel and secretary for the world’s largest independent provider of directory assistance, where she managed a patent and trademark portfolio, oversaw significant domestic and European patent litigation matters, and successfully completed several acquisitions during her tenure.

Before joining Cozen O’Connor, Jennifer served as general counsel for a national diversified real estate owner, developer, and operator, where she was responsible for all legal matters at the company including managing its litigation portfolio. Prior to that, she was general counsel and chief compliance officer for a privately held real estate and investment company, where she oversaw legal and compliance matters across multiple business lines and launched the company’s first third-party fund. She also provided legal services to the family office function at both organizations.

Her practice areas at Cozen O’Connor encompass real estate joint ventures, real estate acquisitions and dispositions, real estate development, and fund formation, with a focus on the hospitality industry sector.

Jason Kron, Exchange Director | Kensington Vanguard

Jason A. Kron is the Executive Vice President of Business Development at Legal 1031 Exchange Services, LLC, a subsidiary of Kensington Vanguard National Land Services, where he also serves as Exchange Director. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, he brings over two decades of experience in the title industry, with a focus on expanding Legal 1031’s presence through strategic partnerships and tailored client services. His background includes serving as Agency Manager and Attorney at BridgeTrust Title Group a multi-state title insurance operation that was acquired by Kensington Vanguard in March 2022 and fully integrated into the KV platform in October 2024 — as well as owning and operating a regional title insurance agency. In his current role, Jason is dedicated to driving Legal 1031’s growth and enhancing its reputation as a trusted advisor in the 1031 exchange industry.

• Education & Credentials

Jason earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky and his Juris Doctor from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University. He is an active member of the Kentucky Bar, combining his legal foundation with deep expertise in IRC §1031 tax-deferred exchange transactions and complex multistate real estate matters.

• Professional Involvement

The verified public sources do not list bar association leadership roles, board memberships, or professional organization affiliations for Jason A. Kron beyond his active membership in the Kentucky Bar. No additional professional involvement details are available from the reviewed sources.

• Experience

Jason’s career spans over two decades in the title and real estate industry. He previously served as Agency Manager and Attorney at BridgeTrust Title Group, where he led business development and oversaw transactions across multiple states. Prior to that role, he owned and managed a regional title insurance agency. Following BridgeTrust’s acquisition by Kensington Vanguard in March 2022, Jason joined the Kensington Vanguard family in his current capacity with Legal 1031 Exchange Services. Legal 1031 Exchange Services employs a team of seasoned experts, attorneys, and Certified Exchange Specialists providing clients and their advisors with IRC §1031 qualified intermediary services, enabling them to defer capital gains tax upon the sale of investment properties. PR Newswire In this role, Jason leverages his legal expertise and extensive knowledge of 1031 exchanges to support clients in meeting their exchange needs and navigating complex real estate transactions across the country.

Daniel Lesser, Co-Founder, President, CEO | LW Hospitality Advisors

Daniel H. Lesser has more than forty years of specialized experience worldwide in hospitality-related real estate appraisals, economic feasibility evaluations, investment counseling, asset management, receivership, and transactional services spanning hotels, resorts, conference centers, casinos, mixed-use facilities, spa and wellness properties, and timeshare and fractional ownership properties. Offering a 360-degree, cross-functional, and multi-disciplinary lodging industry perspective, he serves as a third-party advisor and independent expert witness, neutral arbitrator, business model canvasser, asset manager, property and business receiver, and as a principal investor, borrower, guarantor, and franchisee. Prior to his hospitality advisory career, Mr. Lesser held operational and administrative positions with Hilton Hotels Corporation and Eurotels-Switzerland.

• Education & Credentials

Mr. Lesser earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel Administration from Cornell University and attended the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne Switzerland and Baruch College – City University of New York. He holds the following professional designations: MAI (Member of the Appraisal Institute), FRICS (Fellow of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), CRE (Counselor of Real Estate), and CHA (Certified Hotel Administrator). He is also a Certified Part 36 Judiciary Receiver in the State of New York.

• Recognition & Leadership

Mr. Lesser is a founding member of the Lodging Industry Investment Council (LIIC), the hotel industry “think tank,” and a member of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) Panel of Neutrals. He is an advisory board member of Mosaic Real Estate Investors, LLC and 1st Service Solutions, Inc., and serves on The Penn State School of Hospitality Management Industry Advisory Board, having served as the school’s Fall 2015 Walter J. Conti Visiting Professor. He is an advisory board member of the annual Radical Innovation Award and serves on the Board of Directors and as a Senior Advisor to the Founder and President of The MirYam Institute, a U.S.-based nonprofit NGO. He is a former advisory board member and member of the Fundraising Subcommittee for the New York University Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management, and was a founding member of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Real Estate Division. He has served on the fundraising committee for the Shatterproof Challenge at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) from 2016 through 2022, and served as an Honorary Committee Member of the annual UJA-Federation New York Hotel & Hospitality Division Dinner.

• Professional Involvement

Mr. Lesser is a member of and has served on numerous committees for the Counselors of Real Estate, the Appraisal Institute, the American Hotel & Motel Association, and the Board of Directors of the New York City Chapter of the Cornell Hotel Society. He is highly sought after to speak at lodging and real estate events and lectures at prestigious institutions of higher education, including American University Washington College of Law, Columbia University, Cornell University, New York University, and Pennsylvania State University. He is widely published and quoted in major newspaper, internet, business, real estate, and hospitality industry periodicals, and has served or currently serves as a columnist for HotelNewsNow.com, HotelBusiness.com, GlobeSt.com, and Hotelsmag.com.

• Experience

Mr. Lesser provides services to corporate, institutional, municipal, and individual clients on all facets of hospitality real estate, including site evaluation, highest and best use analysis, appraisals for mortgage, acquisition and portfolio management, workout strategies, operational analysis, property tax assessment appeal evaluations, economic impact studies, market and feasibility analysis, strategic planning, management and franchise company selection and contract negotiation, deal structuring, and fairness opinions. He has served as a Court Appointed Receiver in connection with dozens of hotels throughout the U.S.

As an expert witness, Mr. Lesser has provided testimony under oath through depositions and court appearances in U.S. federal and state courts, as well as in domestic and international arbitrations, in connection with matters including bankruptcy, solvency, valuation analysis, interest rate and plan confirmation feasibility, brand area of protection, condemnation, construction defect and delay damages, ground and property rent reset, management disputes, partnership and joint venture conflicts, property tax certiorari, and lodging industry standards, customs, and practices to evaluate legal liability. Rather than limiting his litigation-related engagements to one type of stakeholder, he has been retained by counsel to hotel owners, lenders, investors, and management companies. He has also balanced his practice with service as a neutral panelist in commercial arbitration disputes.

John Keeling, Executive Vice President | Valencia Hotel Group

John Keeling is primarily responsible for sourcing and vetting both hotel acquisitions and hotel development projects for Valencia Hotel Group, and also participates on the firm’s Executive Committee. He brings more than 30 years of experience in hotel management, asset management, brokerage, appraisal, development consulting, and strategic planning to Valencia. A noted lecturer, teacher, author, and authority on hotel matters, he is frequently sourced by respected industry trades, business journals, and newspapers. Previous positions included Senior Vice President of PKF Consulting, Partner with Laventhol & Horwath, and Manager with Marriott International. He served as an infantry squad leader with the 1st Marine Division in Vietnam, where he earned the Purple Heart and Navy Commendation with Combat “V.”

• Education & Credentials

Keeling received his B.A. from UCLA, his MBA in Hotel Management from Michigan State University, and his M.A. in Theology from the University of St. Thomas in Houston. He has earned the Certified Hotel Industry Analyst (CHIA) designation from the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute. He also holds the Counselor of Real Estate (CRE) designation and the MAI designation from the Appraisal Institute.

• Recognition & Leadership

In 2008, Keeling was named an honorary alumnus of the University of Houston Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel & Restaurant Management and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Houston. In 2015, he was inducted into the Michigan State University School of Hospitality Business Hall of Fame as an Alumnus of the Year.

• Professional Involvement

Keeling’s professional and social memberships include The Counselors of Real Estate (CRE), The Appraisal Institute (MAI), the Hotel Development Council of the Urban Land Institute, the Real Estate Development Advisory Council for the School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University, the Board of Advisors at the Boutique & Lifestyle Leadership Association, and the Board of Directors of Visit Houston (CVB). He serves as former Chairman and current member of the Executive Committee of the Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Houston. He has lectured numerous times at the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel & Restaurant Management at the University of Houston, lectures on hotel design, and serves on the student project review panel at the Rice University School of Architecture.

• Experience

John Keeling’s career spans more than 30 years across hotel management, asset management, brokerage, appraisal, development consulting, and strategic planning. He held senior positions at PKF Consulting as Senior Vice President, at Laventhol & Horwath as a Partner, and at Marriott International as a Manager. Prior to his civilian career, he served as an infantry squad leader with the 1st Marine Division in Vietnam, earning the Purple Heart and Navy Commendation with Combat “V.” At Valencia Hotel Group, Keeling serves on the Executive Committee and leads the sourcing and vetting of hotel acquisitions and development projects. He is a recognized industry voice, frequently cited by industry trades, business journals, and newspapers, and maintains active academic engagement through lecturing at the University of Houston Conrad N. Hilton College and the Rice University School of Architecture.

Jonathan Falik, Founder & CEO | JF Capital Advisors

Jonathan Falik is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of JF Capital Advisors, where he leads the firm’s hospitality business, including equity and debt placement, asset acquisitions and dispositions, portfolio transactions, JV structuring, asset management, management company and brand evaluation, and strategic and capital markets advisory services. He has over 25 years of experience in the real estate and lodging sector and has worked on numerous M&A and financing transactions involving well over 2,000 hotels and over $30 billion of transaction value, $29 billion completed as an advisor and $1 billion as a principal. He has extensive hospitality experience as an agent, advisor, principal, owner, borrower, guarantor, franchisee, lender, and asset manager.

• Education & Credentials

Falik received a B.A. in Economics with high honors from Rutgers College and an MBA from Columbia Business School with a concentration in Real Estate Finance. He began his career as a CPA at Price Waterhouse.

• Recognition & Leadership

Mr. Falik has served on the board of the Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association and has been an adjunct professor at NYU’s Real Estate Institute. • Professional Involvement Falik is an active lecturer and panelist at industry events and has served as an adjunct professor at NYU’s Real Estate Institute. He has also sat on the board of the Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association.

• Experience

Falik began his career as a CPA at Price Waterhouse before moving into investment banking at Bear Stearns in the Gaming, Lodging and Leisure Group. In 2004, he founded JF Capital Advisors, a lodging advisory and principal investment firm, through which he led the acquisition or development of 25 hotels with over 5,500 keys and an aggregate cost of approximately $1 billion. He also served as CEO of Eagle Hospitality Trust, a 13hotel private REIT, and led the sales of single assets and portfolios totaling 88 hotels for over $2.2 billion of value.

He subsequently served as a Managing Director and Head of the Lodging and Leisure Investment Banking group at Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., then as a Senior Managing Director and Head of Hospitality Capital Markets at BGC Real Estate Capital Markets, while simultaneously serving as Head of Hotel Investment Sales for Newmark Grubb Knight Frank. He has been actively involved in mergers and acquisitions of public and private companies, portfolio and single asset sales, equity financings, high yield financings, and mortgage financings.

Kendall Kelly Hayden, Partner | Cozen O’Connor

Kendall Kelly Hayden focuses her practice in commercial litigation, with an emphasis in transportation and hospitality law, as well as retail, employment matters, professional liability defense, product liability defense, and construction defect matters. She fosters relationships with colleagues across Cozen O’Connor’s many practice areas so that she is positioned to help clients identify appropriate counsel for any legal issue they might face, and serves as relationship partner for clients with a wide range of legal needs. Her experience in the hospitality industry reflects multiple representative clients, including international golf management companies, hotels and restaurants, boutique bed and breakfasts, party suppliers, spas, marinas, and country clubs.

• Education & Credentials

Hayden received her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Texas A&M University, where she served as president of her junior and senior class, and earned her law degree from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. During law school, she served as editor-in-chief of the SMU Computer Law Review and Technology Journal. She is admitted to the Texas State Bar and to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Northern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas, as well as the Texas Supreme Court.

• Recognition & Leadership

Hayden has been recognized as Attorney of the Week by HospitalityLawyer.com on three occasions — in June 2014, September–October 2016, and July 2018. She was named a “Rising Star” in Insurance in 2008 and a “Rising Star” in Transportation and Maritime Law from 2012 through 2016. In 2012, she was recognized as Dallas Pro Bono Coordinator of the Year by the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program. She is an alumna of the inaugural class of the Dallas Mayor’s Star Council, having been appointed by Former Mayor Mike Rawlings as one of 25 influential young professionals to advise him on issues affecting the city of Dallas. She is also an alumna of Leadership University Park and Leadership State Bar of Texas. In 2009, she was elected to serve a two-year term as a Director for the Texas Young Lawyers Association board of directors.

• Professional Involvement

Hayden currently serves as a member of the National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association (NRRDA), admission to which requires nomination by three members of the restaurant or retail industries. She is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and a member of the American Bar Association, the Texas Courier and Logistics Association, the Texas Young Lawyers Association, and the Dallas Women’s Lawyers Association. She has served as a guest lecturer on Legal Issues in the Hospitality Industry at the University of Houston’s Conrad N. Hilton College and regularly speaks at the annual Hospitality Law Conference. She has presented numerous times to members of the Club Management Association of America (CMAA) and also serves as a mentoring attorney for the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program in the area of Consumer Law.

Within Cozen O’Connor, she previously served as former vice chair and office managing partner for the Dallas office, pro bono coordinator for the Dallas office, and Women’s Initiative co-chair for the firm. She is a former vice-chair for the ABA TIPS Commercial Transportation Litigation Committee and a former vice-chair for the Dallas Bar Association’s LegalLine Committee.

• Experience

Kendall Kelly Hayden’s litigation practice spans commercial disputes in transportation and hospitality law, retail, employment, professional liability defense, product liability defense, and construction defect matters. Her transportation work includes large commercially licensed vehicle owners and operators, armored vehicles, and admiralty and maritime industry clients. Her employment experience includes discrimination, sexual harassment, and overtime claims. Her hospitality practice encompasses a broad range of industry clients including international golf management companies, hotels, restaurants, boutique bed and breakfasts, party suppliers, spas, marinas, and country clubs. Her practice areas at Cozen O’Connor include commercial litigation, transportation and logistics litigation, product liability, and labor and employment, with industry sector focus on food and beverage, hospitality, retail, and sports.

Jordan Schwartz, Partner | Conn Maciel Carey

Jordan B. Schwartz is a Labor & Employment Partner in the Washington, DC office of Conn Maciel Carey LLP. He advises employers on a wide range of complex employment-related issues, with a practice that spans employer defense litigation, regulatory compliance, and day-to-day employment counseling. Jordan defends companies against claims of discrimination and harassment, misappropriation of trade secrets, and wage and hour violations, and represents property owners and managers in lawsuits alleging lack of accessibility under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He practices across a range of industries, with extensive expertise in the hospitality, club, retail, healthcare, and government contracting sectors. Prior to joining Conn Maciel Carey, Jordan worked at Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. and Kaye Scholer LLP.

• Education & Credentials

Jordan holds a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School and an A.B. in Public Policy from Duke University, where he graduated cum laude in 1999. He earned his law degree in 2002 and was admitted to practice in 2003. Jordan is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, New Jersey, and New York, as well as the U.S. District Courts for the District of Columbia, the District of Maryland, the District of Colorado, the Southern District of New York, and the Eastern District of New York.

• Recognition & Leadership

Jordan was selected to the Super Lawyers list for 2018, 2019, and 2020 in the field of Employment & Labor. He was again recognized as a New Jersey Super Lawyer in 2023, a designation awarded through a multiphase selection process combining peer nominations, evaluations, and independent research across 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement.

• Professional Involvement

Jordan is a regular contributor to Conn Maciel Carey’s Employer Defense Report blog, where he publishes updates on employment law developments affecting hospitality employers and others. He co-authored an article with firm Chair Kara M. Maciel in the Employee Relations Law Journal titled “How to Design a Legally Compliant Onboarding Program,” published in September 2025. Earlier in his career, he co-authored a twopart series for Law360 titled “Hot Topics in Hospitality Law” alongside Kara M. Maciel and Lindsay A. Smith. Jordan regularly speaks to audiences on a broad range of workplace issues and has presented at the Choice Hotels International Annual Convention, the Hospitality Law Conference, the New England Inns (NEIRA) Annual Conference, the Resort Hotel Association (RHA) Annual Conference, and the Club Management Association of America. He also frequently presents for the firm’s Labor & Employment Webinar Series.

• Experience

Jordan’s legal career spans labor and employment defense work at prominent firms, including Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. and Kaye Scholer LLP, before joining Conn Maciel Carey. At Conn Maciel Carey, his representative matters include defending hospitality owners and operators in lawsuits alleging discrimination from physical accessibility barriers under Title III of the ADA; defending hotels, restaurants, and retail stores in lawsuits alleging that their websites failed to comply with ADA requirements; defending a retail company in a wage and hour class action under New York Labor Law; obtaining a default judgment against a former employee and new employer for destruction of evidence and misappropriation of trade secrets; defending employers in religious discrimination claims related to COVID-19 vaccine mandates; defending a retail company in a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and retaliation; and defending an employer in a lawsuit concerning compliance with child labor, overtime, meal break, and regular rate of pay requirements. He also specializes in drug testing policies and advises employers on navigating workplace issues related to employees’ use of medicinal and recreational marijuana.

Justin Bragiel, General Counsel & Legislative Director | Texas Hotel & Lodging Association

Justin R. Bragiel is the General Counsel and Legislative Director for the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association (THLA), the largest state lodging association in the United States, serving over 5,000 member businesses by providing operational, technical, educational, marketing, and communications services, in addition to governmental affairs representation. Based in Austin, Texas, Justin joined THLA in February 2008 and has since become the association’s primary legal voice and legislative strategist. He directs THLA’s legal team and governmental affairs team, manages THLA’s lobbyist contractors, and assists the CEO in the operations of THLA as a nonprofit trade association, including budgeting, governance, and employee management. He handles a broad range of legal and legislative issues on behalf of Texas hoteliers, and is a regular public speaker before local governments, conferences, and legislative bodies.

• Education & Credentials

Justin earned a Juris Doctor from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law in 2007 now Texas A&M School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/Government from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a member of the Texas Bar.

• Recognition & Leadership

Justin has served as a published contributor to CLM (Claims and Litigation Management) Magazine on hospitality law topics. In November 2013, he testified before the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations at a hearing on “The Impact of Patent Assertion Entities on Innovation and the Economy,” representing THLA and the broader Texas hotel industry on the issue of patent troll litigation targeting hotels for their use of wireless internet devices.

• Professional Involvement

Justin is an active contributor to the broader hospitality law community. He is a member of the Texas Bar and a recognized contributor to HospitalityLawyer.com, where he has published guidance on issues including patent infringement demand letters, hotel occupancy tax, and other legal concerns facing Texas hoteliers. He has presented at the AAHOA Annual Convention alongside THLA’s legal team, offering hotel law seminars covering employment law, ADA compliance, hotel occupancy tax audits, and non-paying stay-over guest issues. He has also presented on Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) matters before city councils and convention and visitors bureaus across Texas.

• Experience

Prior to joining THLA, Justin gained experience at Marilyn Shell, Attorney at Law, and at Bank of America, where he served as a Banking Center Service Manager. Since joining THLA in February 2008, his legal practice has centered on the full spectrum of hospitality law, including local and state hotel occupancy tax, regulatory issues, contract law, employment issues, and governmental affairs. He has advocated before the Texas Legislature on issues including tourism public improvement district legislation, human trafficking prevention training requirements, and pandemic-era industry relief programs. His speaking and educational engagements span hotel law seminars for AAHOA, the Hospitality Law Conference, CVBs, city councils, and THLA’s own annual Short Course, covering topics including employment law, ADA compliance, occupancy tax compliance, and contemporary legal issues in hospitality operations.

Andria Ryan, Partner | Fisher Phillips

Andria Ryan is a partner in the Atlanta office of Fisher Phillips and serves as co-chair of the firm’s Hospitality Industry Group. She represents employers throughout the United States in virtually every area of employment and labor law, including defending employment discrimination and harassment cases and handling traditional labor matters such as unfair labor practices and union campaigns. She received the Anthony G. Marshall Hospitality Award for her pioneering and lasting contributions to the field of hospitality law. She spends much of her time counseling employers on day-to-day employment and labor decisions and educating employers about prevention and practical solutions to workplace problems, and is a frequent speaker to industry groups and human resources professionals on topics including harassment prevention, maintaining a union-free workplace, avoiding discrimination claims, proper interviewing, and effective discipline and discharge techniques.

• Education & Credentials

Ryan earned her B.A. from American University in 1985 and her J.D. from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in 1988. She is admitted to the Georgia State Bar and holds an “AV” Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

• Recognition & Leadership

Ryan received the Anthony G. Marshall Hospitality Award for her pioneering and lasting contributions to the field of hospitality law. In 2007, she received the Chairman’s Award from the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association for her development of the Employment Compliance Guide for Colorado Hospitality Employers. She and Fisher Phillips have been honored by the South Carolina Hospitality Association as Supplier of the Year, Stars of the Hospitality Industry Awards, 1994–2015, and by the Washington Lodging Association for valuable contributions by an Allied member. In 2023, she was recognized as Volunteer of the Year by the Atlanta Pro Bono Partnership Association.

• Professional Involvement

Ryan serves as Chair of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia and as a Guest Lecturer at the Georgia State University Hospitality School and Johnson & Wales Hospitality School. She serves as Editorial Advisor for Hospitality Law and is a member of the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Human Resources Committee, the Resort Employee Relations Group, and the International Society of Hotel Association Executives.

• Experience

Ryan’s practice focuses on representing employers across the United States in employment discrimination and harassment defense, traditional labor matters including unfair labor practice charges and union organizing campaigns, employment counseling, and workplace investigations. Her industry focus spans hospitality, healthcare, and automotive dealerships, with the hospitality sector serving as a central pillar of her practice. In addition to litigation and defense work, she dedicates significant time to proactive employer counseling, advising on day-to-day employment and labor decisions and to education, frequently speaking to industry groups and human resources professionals on practical workplace compliance topics. Her service focus areas include counseling and advice, employment discrimination and harassment, labor relations, litigation and trials, and workplace investigations.

Elizabeth DeConti, Shareholder | Gray Robinson

Elizabeth DeConti serves as a trusted advisor to clients in the ever-evolving alcohol beverage and food sectors. For more than 25 years, she has helped clients navigate all aspects of alcohol beverage and food law regulation, licensing, compliance, and promotion. Representing clients in front of state and federal courts and administrative agencies, her expertise is centered on the rules, regulations, trends, and business best practices governing the marketing, sale, and consumption of malt beverages, wine, distilled spirits, and other regulated products. Her clients include major alcohol suppliers, wholesalers, national chain retailers, marketing companies, and other members of the hospitality industry. A worldly and seasoned advisor, Elizabeth is fluent in French and Italian and advises European clients on international and domestic matters.

• Education & Credentials

DeConti earned her B.A. from Yale University in 1993, cum laude with Distinction, and her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 1996, cum laude, where she was a Harvey T. Reid Scholar. She is admitted to practice in Florida and Connecticut, before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, the U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Florida, and the U.S. Supreme Court. She holds an AV® Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

• Recognition & Leadership

DeConti received the Anthony G. Marshall Hospitality Law Award in 2022. She has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America for Administrative and Regulatory Law from 2019 through 2024, and in Chambers USA for Food and Beverages: Alcohol from 2011 through 2017 and from 2021 through 2025. She has been recognized by Florida Trend as Legal Elite in Government and Administrative in 2021 and as a Legal Elite NOTABLE, Women Leaders in Law in 2024. She currently serves as President of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Florida Section Foundation and previously served as President of the Yale Club of Tampa Bay from 2017 to 2019 and as Co-President of the Yale Class of 1993 from 2018 to 2023.

• Professional Involvement

DeConti is a member of the Academy of Hospitality Industry Attorneys, the American Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, the Hillsborough County Bar Association, and Women of the Vine and Spirits. She is a frequent speaker at major industry conferences including the Hospitality Law Conference, the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA) Annual Legal Symposium, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) Annual Conference, the Very Important Beverage Executives Conference (VIBE), the American Hotel & Lodging Association Food & Beverage Summit, and Women of the Vine and Spirits leadership programs.

• Experience

DeConti’s practice spans alcohol beverage and food law litigation, regulatory compliance, licensing, and promotional matters. Her litigation work for alcohol and food industry members includes complex commercial disputes, franchise, administrative law, and intellectual property matters. Her sector-specific litigation experience strengthens her ability to create contracts related to advertising, distribution, importation, and related industry issues. She has built a national reputation in alcohol-focused advertising and promotions, with particular expertise in regulatory compliance associated with software development and digital and social media and serves as a sought-after advisor on the intersection of state and federal alcohol regulations and Federal Trade Commission regulations involving sweepstakes, contests, and other games. She also manages large-scale liquor license transactions for supplier and retailer clients.

Her international experience includes negotiation, sale, and purchase of Italian wineries, liaising with Italian law firms on litigation matters pending in Italy and the United States, representation of several German breweries, and advising foreign entities seeking to export products from Western Europe into the U.S. She frequently teams with GrayRobinson colleagues in corporate, tax, and intellectual property practices to provide comprehensive advisory services for alcohol beverage and food law clients.

Colby Birkes, Associate | Dentons

Colby Birkes is a member of Dentons’ Corporate group, where he assists companies and other business entities from their conception — specifically in drafting and reviewing documents, aiding in corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and mergers and acquisitions. Dentons A graduate of Morehead State University (Class of 2020), Birkes previously worked at the U.S. Attorney’s Office before joining Dentons Bingham Greenebaum LLP. Morehead State University His early academic career was marked by a commitment to public service and student leadership, and he has carried that spirit into his legal career through community involvement and bar association engagement.

• Education & Credentials

Birkes majored in Political Science at Morehead State University and interned in the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa. He holds a Juris Doctor from Texas A&M University School of Law. RocketReach He has also published on epilepsy driving laws in the Louisville Law Review. Morehead State University

• Recognition & Leadership

Birkes was honored with the Rising Eagle Award by the Morehead State University Alumni Association in 2025, given to a graduate of the last ten years demonstrating early career success. Morehead State University During his time at Morehead State, Birkes served as president of the Student Government Association, where he led the university to become the first Seizure Smart College in the world — a designation requiring training for all professors, staff, faculty, campus police, and administration on seizure response. He also served as chair of the Board of Student Body Presidents and created a statewide Advisory Council that directly advised the Council on Post-Secondary Education (CPE). Winchester Sun

• Professional Involvement

Birkes has served on the Kentucky Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division Executive Committee and has been involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana. Morehead State University He has returned to Morehead State University as an alumni speaker, sharing his expertise in corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and mergers and acquisitions with current students.

• Experience

Birkes previously worked at the U.S. Attorney’s Office before joining Dentons Bingham Greenebaum LLP. Morehead State University In his current role at Dentons, he works with companies and business entities across all stages of their development, with a focus on document drafting and review, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and mergers and acquisitions. Dentons He has also published legal scholarship on epilepsy driving laws in the Louisville Law Review.

Lars Daniel, Director, Digital Forensics | Rimkus Consulting Group

Lars Daniel is a recognized thought leader and digital forensics pioneer with more than 16 years of expertise transforming how the legal and insurance industries understand and utilize digital evidence. Consistently at the forefront of emerging technologies, from early mobile device forensics to artificial intelligence and Internet of Things challenges, he has trained thousands of legal and insurance professionals, testified dozens of times in state and federal courts across the United States and internationally, and contributed extensively to industry education as a Forbes Contributor and keynote speaker.

• Education & Credentials

Lars holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of North Carolina, Pembroke (2008), where he served as President of the Honors Society. He holds numerous forensic certifications, including EnCE (EnCase Certified Examiner), CCO and CCPA (Cellebrite Certified Operator and Physical Analyst), CWA (Certified Wireless Analyst), CTNS (Certified Telecommunications Network Specialist), CIPTS (Certified I.P. Telecom Network Specialist), and CTA (Certified Telecommunications Analyst). To better serve legal and insurance professionals on digital evidence derived from smart devices and fitness wearables, he also obtained specialized human performance training, earning certifications as an ISSA Certified Master Trainer, Personal Trainer, Nutritionist, and Bodybuilding Specialist.

• Recognition & Leadership

Lars is recognized as a thought leader and pioneer in digital forensics, with a reputation for anticipating industry needs and preparing teams for the digital challenges of tomorrow. His educational philosophy, making complex technical concepts accessible and actionable for non-technical professionals, has shaped industry standards across the legal and insurance sectors. He is a Forbes Contributor, writing on digital forensics, digital evidence, expert testimony, artificial intelligence, and the impact of technology in the legal and insurance industries.

• Professional Involvement

Lars has delivered over 400 Continuing Legal Education (CLE) and Continuing Education (CE) classes, fundamentally changing how attorneys and claims professionals approach digital evidence. He is the author of two books: Digital Forensics for Legal Professionals: Understanding Digital Evidence from the Warrant to the Courtroom (Syngress, 2011) and Digital Forensics Trial Graphics: Teaching the Jury through Effective Use of Visuals (Academic Press, 2017). He has also written hundreds of articles on digital forensics, emerging technologies, expert testimony, and artificial intelligence, archived at TheLarsDaniel.com.

• Experience

Throughout his career, Lars has held leadership positions at prominent forensics firms, building world-class teams of experts with backgrounds in law enforcement, including Homeland Security, the Secret Service, and High-Tech Crime task forces. He currently serves as Director of Digital Forensics at Rimkus. As an expert witness, he has testified dozens of times in state and federal courts across the United States and internationally, recognized as an expert in digital, computer, cell phone, video, photo, and audio forensics, in both criminal and civil cases, providing analysis for defense, prosecution, plaintiffs, and defendants. The teams he has led have collectively testified more than 400 times.

Amanda Monroe, Partner | Michelman Robinson

Amanda K. Monroe is a Partner and Labor and Employment Practice Group Leader at Michelman & Robinson, LLP, based in Los Angeles. Her practice centers on representing employers in resolving workplace disputes and minimizing litigation risk, with a focus on defending management against wage and hour claims, class actions, PAGA cases, and allegations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. She also handles administrative matters before the California Labor Commissioner, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Department of Labor, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In addition to her litigation work, Monroe advises employers on compliance, investigations, hiring and terminations, including mass layoffs under the WARN Act, wage audits, and workforce reductions. Before entering private practice, she clerked for a federal judge and subsequently built her litigation skills at both global and boutique law firms.

• Education & Credentials

Monroe earned her J.D. from Loyola Law School and her B.S. from Villanova University. She is admitted to practice in California, before the California Supreme Court, and in the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Central, Eastern, and Southern Districts of California.

• Recognition & Leadership

Monroe has been recognized as a Best Lawyers Ones to Watch honoree in 2023 and 2024, and as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine in 2020 and 2021. In March 2026, she was elevated to Labor and Employment Practice Group Leader at Michelman & Robinson.

• Professional Involvement

Monroe has served as a Staff Editor of Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine through the Los Angeles County Bar Association from 2013 to 2014. She is actively involved in community service, including service on the Young Professionals Advisory Board of the L.A. Ronald McDonald House, and involvement with the KIPP Foundation, One Justice: Impact LA, and the Alliance for Children’s Rights.

• Experience

Monroe’s representative matters include successfully enforcing an arbitration agreement and favorably settling a lawsuit involving allegations of sexual discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, tip-pooling, and wage and hour violations against a premier restaurant and nightclub. She also obtained dismissal of wrongful termination and California wage and hour allegations against the world’s largest database software company prior to formal discovery and motion practice and favorably settled a breach of contract lawsuit against a table grape management company. Her industry experience spans hospitality, labor and employment, life sciences, mining, and real estate.

Karen Morris, Judge | Brighton

Karen L. Morris is a lawyer, judge, and Distinguished Professor of Law at Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York, a position she has held since 1980. She is the first community college professor to receive the designation of Distinguished Professor from the State University of New York. As Brighton Town Justice, a role she has held since 1994, Morris presides over criminal and civil cases, including lawsuits brought by and against hotels and restaurants. Before beginning her teaching career, she served as in-house counsel for a corporation that operates department stores throughout the United States and thereafter worked as a criminal prosecutor. She is widely recognized across the hospitality industry as a leading authority on hotel, restaurant, and travel law, and pens the column “Legally Speaking” for Hotel Management Magazine.

• Education & Credentials

Morris holds a Juris Doctor degree from St. John’s University and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Trade Regulation from New York University.

• Recognition & Leadership

Morris is the first community college professor to receive the Distinguished Professor designation from the State University of New York. She has served as President of the Text and Academic Authors Association, Dean of the Monroe County Bar Association, President of her Faculty Governance Association, past President of the Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys, and President of the Academy of Legal Studies in Business, Northeast Region.

• Professional Involvement

Morris has served as the legal advisor to the New York State Restaurant Association, Rochester Chapter, and is a member of the Monroe County Magistrates Association, the New York State Magistrates Association, the Monroe County Bar Association, the Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys, and the Academy of Legal Studies in Business. She has also served as president of Alternatives for Battered Women, Inc., an organization that operates a shelter and administers support services.

• Experience

Morris teaches courses at Monroe Community College including Hotel and Restaurant Law, Business Law, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, and Law 101. She is the author of multiple published works, including the instructional software You Be the Judge! (West Publishing Company, 1992), New York Cases in Business Law (West Publishing Company, 1994), and Hotel, Restaurant and Travel Law (West Publishing Company, 1998), as well as a treatise on criminal law and multiple editions of Hotel, Restaurant, and Travel Law: A Preventive Approach. She also authors a blog for business law students and has published articles in various publications on topics of interest to the hospitality industry. Her community involvement includes serving as a Big Sister in the Big Brother/Big Sister program, serving lunch at a soup kitchen, coaching Brighton Soccer, and serving as a board member of various community organizations.

Diana Barber, Of Counsel| Lodgelaw

Diana S. Barber is a lawyer, speaker, consultant, educator, author, and litigation support provider to hospitality companies nationwide. A native of Miami, Florida, she began her legal career as an associate attorney at King & Spalding in Atlanta after graduating cum laude from Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. She then spent more than fourteen years with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC, serving as Vice President and Associate General Counsel. Since 2003, Barber has taught at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business, and since 2004 has taught hospitality law to hospitality college students. She currently serves as Of Counsel with Berman Fink Van Horn P.C. in Atlanta, which also serves as general counsel to the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association.

• Education & Credentials

Barber earned her B.A. from the University of South Florida in 1981 and her J.D., cum laude, from Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University in 1985. She holds the Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE) designation and is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, The Florida Bar, and the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association. She is also a member of Phi Beta Delta, an honor society for international scholars.

• Recognition & Leadership

Barber is the recipient of the 2013 Anthony G. Marshall Hospitality Law Award, a national award given for her pioneering contributions to hospitality law. Additional honors include the Teaching Excellence Award from the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University in 2011, the 2010 Hospitality Faculty of the Year Award bestowed by the students of the School of Hospitality, a 2012 Certificate of Recognition from the Career Management Center for the J. Mack Robinson College of Business, and selection as Study Abroad Program Director of the Year by Georgia State University.

• Professional Involvement

Barber has served on the editorial board of the Hospitality Law monthly newsletter since 2007 and writes a monthly legal Q&A column for the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association newsletter. She has given numerous presentations for hospitality-related associations and hotel companies and has written articles for hotel and motel security periodicals, meeting planner periodicals, the Georgia Restaurant Forum, Hotel-Online, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association. She is also a member of the American Hotel & Lodging Association and Meeting Professionals International.

• Experience

Barber teaches hospitality law, introduction to hospitality, and human resources management in hospitality at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business, where she has also served as Program Director of the School of Hospitality’s Study Abroad program, including a three-week summer course on European Hospitality Experience to Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, and Switzerland, as well as a UK Hospitality Study Abroad program to Ireland and Scotland. She co-authored the 5th Edition of the Hospitality Law textbook with Stephen Barth of the University of Houston and HospitalityLawyer.com in 2017, with a subsequent 6th Edition also published. As a hospitality legal consultant, Barber specializes in providing education to hospitality companies on preventative measures to reduce legal exposure, as well as a full range of legal services to hotels, motels, restaurants, event planning companies, and clubs.

DAY 1: Wednesday, May 13

SESSION 1 – Market Outlook & Deal-Making Trends | 2:00pm – 2:50pm

Where are the deals happening now? What’s driving investor interest, conversions, distressed assets, or new development?

SESSION 2 – Anatomy of a Hospitality Acquisition | 2:50pm – 3:40pm

A step-by-step walkthrough of hotel acquisitions and restructurings, from LOI and diligence through closing.

BREAK | 3:40pm – 4:00pm

SESSION 3 – Portfolio Management, Growth & Optimization | 4:00pm – 4:50pm

Managing risk, performance, and value across multi-property hotel portfolios. Topics include acquisitions vs. dispositions, brand strategy, operational alignment, financing considerations, and legal exposure at scale.

SESSION 4 – Financing Structures, Legal Landmines & Deal Risk | 4:50PM – 5:40PM

Capital stacks, lender expectations, creative structuring, and the legal pitfalls that can derail transactions and how to avoid them.

DAY 2: Thursday, May 14

SESSION 1 – Keep Your Hospitality Establishment Out of Jeopardy: AI and Ethics | 10:00am – 10:30am

A diverse audience will benefit from an interactive, fun Jeopardy!-style presentation, gaining current knowledge on ethics, AI issues, and updates in the hospitality legal and risk space, all while enjoying an engaging experience you won’t want to miss.

SESSION 2 – Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants: Protecting Your Critical Assets | 10:30am – 11:00am

The protection of trade secrets and confidential information is critical for hospitality companies as risks grow with employee movement, remote work, and personal devices. This presentation provides practical strategies to safeguard proprietary data and customer relationships.

BREAK | 11:00am – 11:10am

SESSION 3 – Top Employment Issues in the Hotel and Hospitality Sector | 11:10am – 11:40am

This segment examines the most pressing labor and employment law challenges facing hotel operators today, covering compliance obligations, enforcement trends, and workforce management risks, with practical strategies for limiting employer exposure under federal and state law.

SESSION 4 – Service Charges Under Fire: Navigating a New Hospitality Litigation Wave | 11:40am – 12:10pm

Service charges have become a flashpoint in the hospitality industry, drawing scrutiny from regulators, plaintiffs’ attorneys, and courts across the country. What was once a flexible revenue tool is now growing litigation. Amanda Monroe unpacks the risks facing operators today.

BREAK | 12:10pm – 12:20pm

SESSION 5 – Legal & Operational Issues Associated with Hemp-Based Beverages | 12:20pm – 12:50pm

The impending Federal Hemp Ban is reshaping purchasing decisions across retail, alcohol, and alternative beverage industries. Attendees will review evolving federal and state law and the resulting considerations for retailers navigating the ban and state legislative reaction.

SESSION 6 – Truth Decay: Deepfakes, Digital Evidence, and the Defense Advantage | 12:50pm – 1:20pm

AI can now fabricate video, audio, and images convincing enough to fool anyone and the deepfake problem doesn’t affect both sides equally. Attendees leave with a three-part framework for reducing fraudulent claims, leveraging the defense’s evidentiary advantage, and winning in court.

LUNCH | 1:20pm – 2:20pm

SESSION 7 – Key Negotiable Provisions of Hospitality-Related Purchase Agreements | 2:20pm – 2:50pm

Hospitality purchase agreements present unique issues beyond standard commercial negotiations. Attendees examine key negotiable provisions, including cutoff dates, revenue allocation, advance deposits straddling closing, and employee transition mechanics

SESSION 8 – Latest Trends in Franchise Agreements | 2:50pm – 3:20pm

This segment examines the latest developments shaping hospitality franchise agreements, equipping attorneys and operators with current knowledge of evolving franchisor expectations, negotiation leverage points, and the contractual provisions most likely to impact risk and performance across hotel brand relationships.

BREAK | 3:20pm – 3:45pm

SESSION 9 – Mastering Large Loss Property Claims: The Hidden Factors that Impact Claim Recovery | 3:45pm – 4:15pm

Most property owners learn hard lessons when they’re most vulnerable. The insurance landscape has shifted: carriers aren’t looking for ways to pay they’re looking for ways to limit it. This session gives you the playbook that levels the playing field.

SESSION 10 – Top Hospitality Cases | 4:15pm – 5:00pm

This segment reviews the most significant recent hospitality cases shaping current litigation exposure, providing a current-case framework to help attorneys and operators anticipate liability trends, apply precedent-setting decisions, and advise clients proactively on emerging legal risks.