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.
Justin R. Bragiel is General Counsel and Legislative Director for the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association. Justin handles a diverse array of legal and legislative issues, including local and state hotel occupancy tax, hospitality law, regulatory issues, contract law, employment issues, and more.
This opening presentation introduces the foundational legal principles that shape hotel operations. Participants will examine essential topics such as guest rights, innkeeper responsibilities, and the boundaries of liability. The discussion highlights both compliance requirements and practical considerations, equipping attendees with the knowledge to manage everyday legal challenges confidently.
Key topics to be discussed:
This course is co-sponsored with myLawCLE.
Date / Time: November 5, 2025
Closed-captioning available
Stephen Barth | 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.
Justin Bragiel | Texas Hotel & Lodging Association
Justin R. Bragiel is General Counsel and Legislative Director for the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association. Justin handles a diverse array of legal and legislative issues, including local and state hotel occupancy tax, hospitality law, regulatory issues, contract law, employment issues, and more.
Based in Austin, THLA is the largest state lodging association in the United States, serving over 6,000 member businesses by providing operational, technical, educational, marketing and communications services, in addition to governmental affairs representation.
I. Signage requirements and legal notices in hospitality settings | 1:00pm – 1:30pm
II. Scope of an innkeeper’s liability for guest property | 1:30pm – 2:00pm
Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm
III. Legal grounds for removing guests from a property | 2:10pm – 2:40pm
IV. Guest privacy rights and the limits of hotel access | 2:40pm – 3:10pm