Hotel Transactions & Contract Drafting (LAW-795HI-001)
Steven Shapiro
Meets: 08:30 AM - 06:30 PM (WTh) - Capital - Room C217
Enrolled: 14 / Limit: 22
Notices
Meets 6/18-6/23. Students may earn academic credit for up to two credits per week in the summer semester (excluding full semester courses). This course counts toward the two credit per week limit. To register, email registrationservices@wcl.american.edu. To contact the HTL program director, please e-mail steven.shapiro@wcl.american.edu.
Hotel Transactions and Contract Drafting is part of the Hospitality & Tourism Law program (HTL). Please also visit 795NN, 795OO & 795PP.
Description
In the practice of law and in hotel topics, clients look to their attorneys to be not only an authority regarding legal interpretation, but to also understand and anticipate the nuances of complex transactions. When properly crafted, a legal agreement will clearly allocate and describe legal responsibility and risk and, at the same time, articulate the obligations of the parties for future action. Combining discussions of relevant laws and legal scenarios, along with drafting and negotiation assignments, this class continues the academic introduction of contracts and offers essential skills for success in practice.
In ways that will become apparent during the semester, the hotel industry is well-suited to the topics of drafting and transactions. The idea of lodging seems fairly apparent, namely checking into a hotel or resort for a few days for a business meeting, conference, or family vacation. The hotel industry is, in fact, a complex series of connected transactions, governed by agreements that detail business relationships, allocate legal liability, and govern future scenario decisions. Like other areas of commerce, the underlying economic models in the industry constantly evolve. Terms and conditions that were recently the norm can quickly become outdated, replaced by new concepts.
As a starting point, we look at the fundamental economic models in the hotel industry, then trace the agreements that support those models. The prominent, but not exclusive current model, is for a real estate developer to own, design, and build a hotel. The hotel owner is often expert in creating the building, but has no real knowledge of the hotel business. The owner then will enter into a franchise agreement with a hotel company, maybe Hyatt or Marriott, for a brand that properly fits the hotel concept. At the same time, the hotel owner needs to staff the property, and will engage in a management agreement with a company to provide the general manager, and staff that actually operates the business.
Textbooks and Other Materials
The textbook information on this page was provided by the instructor. Students should use this information when considering purchases from the AU Campus Store or other vendors. Students may check to determine if books are currently available for purchase online.
First Class Readings
Not available at this time.
Syllabus
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Adobe Acrobat (PDF)