The Hospitality Law Conference: Houston
Schedule
Wed, 13 May, 2026 at 01:00 pm to Thu, 14 May, 2026 at 05:30 pm
UTC-05:00Location
The Houston Club | Houston, TX
About this Event
Welcome to The Hospitality Law Conference: Houston!
This is an immersive one-and-a-half-day educational experience designed for professionals across the lodging and food & beverage industries. Hosted at The Houston Club, this intimate and expert-led program brings together legal, business, and operational leaders to examine the most pressing legal and risk issues impacting hospitality today.
Through interactive sessions, real-world case studies, and meaningful networking opportunities, attendees will explore best practices, benchmark policies, and gain practical guidance they can immediately apply within their organizations.
Day 1: Let’s Make a Deal
Day 1 features Let’s Make a Deal, a dynamic half-day program bringing together key stakeholders from across the hospitality deal-making ecosystem. This program dives deep into the legal, financial, and strategic components that drive successful hotel projects, acquisitions, refinancings, and other transactions.
Designed for developers, owners, operators and their lawyers, lenders, investors, brokers, and finance executives, Let’s Make a Deal serves as a master class on current market trends, deal structures, portfolio strategies, exit options, risk management, and financing tools shaping today’s hospitality landscape.
Whether you’re closing your first hospitality deal, refinancing an existing asset, or refining your next acquisition strategy, Let’s Make a Deal delivers the insights and connections needed to move projects forward with confidence.
Day 2: Operational & Risk Challenges
Day 2 focuses on the complex operational challenges facing hospitality businesses today. Topics include labor and employment, food and beverage operations, safety and security, risk mitigation, management agreements, and emerging litigation trends.
Designed for owners, operators, HR professionals, security leaders, in-house counsel, and other hospitality practitioners, this full-day program offers practical insights and actionable strategies to help navigate the legal and operational issues that impact daily decision-making.
Attendees will gain up-to-date guidance, real-world examples, and best practices to strengthen compliance, enhance guest and employee safety, and protect their organizations from evolving risks.
Discover the latest cases, trends, challenges, and solutions shaping the hospitality industry—all while building meaningful professional connections. Don’t miss this opportunity to stay informed, prepared, and ahead of the curve.
Agenda
View the agenda here.
Meet the Speakers
View the speaker lineup here.
CLE
HospitalityLawyer.com® has partnered with MyLawCLE for this program.
MyLawCLE applies for CLE accreditation for all programs in every state, with the exception of live credits in Virginia. In Virginia, only self-study credits are sought.
After the CLE program concludes, all participating attorneys and paralegals will receive a certificate of completion as proof of attendance. In states that require attendance tracking, MyLawCLE records attendance directly. In all other states, participants are responsible for submitting the approved CLE certificate to their state bar or governing body.
Lodging Suggestions
- Hyatt Regency Houston, 1200 Louisiana St, Houston, TX 77002, (713) 654-1234
- Baldwin Hotel,400 Dallas St, Houston, TX 77002, (713) 759-0202
- Thompson Houston, 1717 Allen Pkwy, Houston, TX 77019, (402) 316-1067
Can't Attend in Houston?
If travel or scheduling makes Houston difficult this spring, we invite you to join us this fall for The Hospitality Law Conference: Washington DC, taking place in Arlington, Virginia.
>> Explore the Washington DC Program & Registration Here
Any Questions?
Visit our FAQs page. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please email .
Day 1
🕑: 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM
Check-In
🕑: 12:45 PM - 01:00 PM
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Host: Stephen Barth
🕑: 01:00 PM - 01:50 PM
Panel 1: Market Outlook & Deal-Making Trends
Host: Hector Medina, Ankura
Info: Where are the deals happening now? What’s driving investor interest—conversions, distressed assets, or new development?
🕑: 01:50 PM - 02:40 PM
Panel 2: Anatomy of a Hospitality Acquisition
Host: Manuel Bremont, Ankura
Info: A step-by-step walkthrough of hotel acquisitions—from LOI and diligence through closing.
🕑: 02:40 AM - 03:00 PM
Break
🕑: 03:00 PM - 03:50 PM
Panel 3: Portfolio Management, Growth & Optimization
Host: Jonathan Falik, JF Capital Advisors
Info: Managing risk, performance, and value across multi-property hotel portfolios. Topics include acquisitions vs. dispositions, brand strategy, operational alignment, financing considerations, restructurings, and legal exposure at scale.
🕑: 03:50 AM - 04:40 PM
Panel 4: Financing Structures, Legal Landmines & Deal Risk
Host: Jonathan Falik, JF Capital Advisors
Info: Capital stacks, lender expectations, creative structuring, and the legal pitfalls that can derail transactions—and how to avoid them.
🕑: 04:40 PM - 04:45 PM
Closing Remarks
🕑: 04:45 PM - 05:45 PM
Dealmakers Reception
Day 2
🕑: 08:00 AM - 08:50 AM
Check-In & Continental Breakfast
🕑: 08:50 AM - 09:00 AM
Welcome
Host: Stephen Barth
🕑: 09:00 AM - 09:30 AM
Keep Your Hospitality Establishment Our of Jeopardy! A Focus on AI and Ethics
Host: Kendall Kelly Hayden, Cozen O'Connor
🕑: 09:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Trade Secrets & Restrictive Covenants: Advice to Safeguard Critical Assets
Host: Jordan Schwartz, Conn Maciel Carey
🕑: 10:00 AM - 10:10 AM
Break
🕑: 10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
Top Employment Issues in the Hotel and Hospitality Sector
Host: Andria Ryan, Fisher Phillips
🕑: 10:40 AM - 11:10 AM
Service Charges Under Fire: Navigating a New Wave of Hospitality Litigation
Host: Amanda Monroe
🕑: 11:10 AM - 11:20 AM
Break
🕑: 11:20 AM - 11:50 AM
Legal & Operational Issues Associated with Hemp-Based Beverages
Host: Elizabeth DeConti
🕑: 11:50 AM - 12:20 PM
Truth Decay: Deepfakes, Digital Evidence, and the Defense Advantage
Host: Lars Daniel, Rimkus Consulting Group
🕑: 12:20 PM - 01:20 PM
Award Luncheon
🕑: 01:20 PM - 01:50 PM
Key Negotiable Provisions of Hospitality-related Purchase Agreements
Host: Colby Birkes, Dentons
🕑: 01:50 PM - 02:20 PM
Latest Trends in Franchise Agreements
Host: Jennifer Nellany, Cozen O'Connor
🕑: 02:20 PM - 02:45 PM
Break
🕑: 02:45 PM - 03:15 PM
Mastering Large Loss Property Claims: The Hidden Factors that Impact Claim Rec
Host: Marco Flores, Stormlex Law Group
🕑: 03:15 PM - 04:00 PM
Top Hospitality Cases
Host: Diana Barber
🕑: 04:00 PM - 04:15 PM
Closing Remarks
🕑: 04:15 PM
Reception
Where is it happening?
The Houston Club, 910 Louisiana Street, Houston, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 395.00 to USD 995.00



















