Meeting Contracts: Planning, Policies & Practical Takeaways (Presented by HospitalityLawyer.com)

Stephen Barth, founder | HospitalityLawyer.com®

Stephen Barth, author of Hospitality Law and coauthor of Restaurant Law Basics, is an attorney, the founder of HospitalityLawyer.com, the annual Hospitality Law Conference series, and the Global Travel Risk Summit Series. As a professor at the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, University of Houston, he teaches courses in hospitality law and leadership. He is #3 on Global Guru’s Top 30 Hospitality Thought Leaders & Influencers for 2023. In addition to legal and travel risk mitigation insight, Stephen specializes in communicating the importance of Emotional Intelligence in leadership roles; and has provided valuable insight to many companies including The Methodist Hospital System, Wyndham Worldwide, Dine Equity, Business Travel News and Aramark. His fun, fast-paced presentations provide practical information and solutions to enhance your personal and professional life.

Education & Credentials

• He earned a B.A. in Economics, an M.A. in Communications, and a J.D. from Texas Tech University. His faculty profile also describes decades of work in hospitality law and leadership education, alongside litigation-support and expert-witness work in hospitality-related matters.

Recognition & Leadership

• He has received University of Houston teaching recognition, including the Career Teaching Excellence Award, and other teaching honors noted in his professional materials. He has also been recognized by Global Gurus in its hospitality rankings, including being listed as the #1 hospitality professional for 2022 and appearing in the 2023 and 2024 lists.

Professional Involvement

• His work includes building HospitalityLawyer.com as a platform serving hospitality lawyers and industry leaders with legal, safety, and risk-management resources. He is also associated with industry-facing conferences and summits that convene professionals around hospitality legal risk and travel risk management.

Experience

• Across more than three decades at the University of Houston’s Hilton College, his profile notes teaching and speaking activity at significant scale, including thousands of students taught, extensive publishing, and hundreds of industry presentations. His work also includes being retained in litigation contexts and contributing expertise on hospitality-related standards of care and operational risk.

Melia A. Preedy, Counsel | Foster Garvey PC

Melia A. Preedy is Counsel in Foster Garvey’s Seattle office and advises hospitality and travel businesses on the legal and operational challenges of running modern hospitality organizations. Her work includes navigating contracts with owners, operators, vendors/subcontractors, and regulators, with an emphasis on practical risk management and business-aligned solutions. She negotiates a wide range of hospitality agreements, including global and hotel-level sales agreements, vendor/concession/catering and distribution contracts, corporate rate and loyalty program agreements, and a variety of leasing/licensing arrangements across spa, retail, food and beverage, and entertainment venues.

Education & Credentials

• Her legal education includes a J.D. from Seattle University School of Law (cum laude), where she served as Lead Article Editor for the Seattle University Law Review, and a B.A. in English from the University of Washington. She is admitted to practice in Washington, as well as the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington.

Recognition & Leadership

• Her recognitions include Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (Insurance Law, 2026; Construction Law, 2023–present) and Rising Star recognition from Washington Super Lawyers (2018–present).

Professional Involvement

• She is a volunteer member of the Washington Hospitality Association’s Advisory Network, providing legal insights to association members. Her listed professional activities also include membership in the King County Bar Association and participation with the Washington Hospitality Association’s Advisory Network.

Experience

• Her experience centers on helping hospitality and travel clients address both contract and operational issues, from responding to emerging regulatory and market challenges to negotiating agreements that support day-to-day business execution. Her contracting work spans sales agreements, procurement and vendor diligence, resort/destination/mandatory fee compliance, and specialized agreements such as media/influencer and creative production licenses, reflecting a practice built around the realities of hospitality operations and risk allocation.

I. Understand The Essential Elements Required for Enforceable Meeting Contracts | 12:00pm – 12:20pm

Enforceable meeting and event contracts start with disciplined fundamentals that hold up under scrutiny. The discussion covers party identification, authority to bind, and clear scope definition, along with the role of definitions and incorporated policies. Practical drafting guidance addresses exhibit structure and order-of-precedence language to prevent internal conflicts. The emphasis is on agreements that remain clear, workable, and defensible when circumstances change.

II. Analyze Common Contractual Provisions Governing Space Rental, Catering and Event Services | 12:20pm – 12:40pm

The contract terms governing space, catering, and services often determine whether group events run smoothly or escalate into disputes. Coverage includes space commitments and use restrictions, room block mechanics, catering minimums, service standards, and vendor responsibilities. Attention is given to documenting deliverables, timing, and pricing components in ways that reduce ambiguity and billing conflict. The goal is operationally realistic language that protects performance and revenue.

III. Manage Deposits, Cancellations, and Attrition Clauses to Reduce Financial Risk | 12:40pm – 1:00pm

Financial risk allocation becomes critical when attendance, budgets, or timelines shift. Focus areas include deposit structures and payment schedules, cancellation remedies, and attrition clauses, particularly calculation methods and mitigation expectations. The discussion highlights strategies that strengthen enforceability while preserving commercial reasonableness. Attendees gain a clearer framework for reducing surprises and improving leverage when disagreements arise.

Break | 1:00pm – 1:10pm

IV. Identify Common Legal and Operational Challenges in Group Events and Conventions | 1:10pm – 1:25pm

Large-scale meetings and conventions present recurring pressure points that can trigger claims. Key issues include last-minute changes, scope creep, vendor coordination breakdowns, staffing and safety concerns, and documentation gaps. The content connects these operational realities to how disputes typically develop and where liability can attach. Practical guidance helps identify risks early and reduce escalation.

V. Implement Best Practices to Protect Venues and Ensure Successful Event Execution | 1:25pm – 1:40pm

Successful execution depends on contract-backed controls that manage change and keep parties aligned. Best practices include clear change-order procedures, escalation pathways, and documentation standards that reduce confusion and strengthen enforceability. The takeaway is a practical playbook that limits exposure when plans shift and supports smoother event delivery.