Changing Contracts for Changing Times
Jonathan T. Howe, Esq.Founding Partner and President, Howe & Hutton, Ltd.
As the Bob Dylan classic notes,
"the times they are a-changin." The meetings and hospitality industry
are cyclical at best. Swings and sways take place all the time. Moving from a
perceived buyers' market to a sellers' market brings with it many changes and
directions. The hotel industry, having suffered for several years from the
economic downturn, is now attempting to recoup the losses sustained. This means
that negotiations are becoming even more complex — as is contract language. It
is imperative today for both planners and suppliers to be at the top of their
game in understanding these developments and their ramifications. In this
session, M&C contributing legal editor Jonathan T. Howe,
Esq., will explain recent changes in group contracts and lead an open
discussion, answering participants' questions about this important topic.
Speaker Background
JONATHAN
T. HOWE, ESQ. is the President/Senior Partner of Howe & Hutton, Ltd., a law
firm with offices in Chicago, St. Louis and Washington, D.C. He has written
hundreds of articles, papers and books, and has spoken to organizations all
over the world on all manner of legal issues. He received his Bachelor of Arts
degree majoring in diplomatic history and international political science with
honors from Northwestern University and his Juris Doctorate with highest
distinction from Duke University where he was first in his graduating class.
He serves as general counsel for Meeting Professionals International and the
International Special Events Society, among others. He also is general counsel
for the Society of Incentive and Travel Executives and for the prestigious
Association Committee of 100 sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He is
also a fellow and member of the International Forum of Travel and Tourism
Advocates. He is a founder, immediate past President and board member of the
Academy of Hospitality Industry Attorneys and was the inaugural recipient of
the Academy Attorney of the Year. He is the legal editor for MEETINGS &
CONVENTIONS and ONE – The official journal of MPI. His M&C column, Law and
the Planner, was named the best monthly trade publication column by the Society
of Business Publication Editors. He is the special advisor to the American Bar
Association Standing Committee on Meetings and Travel and also served as the
first chair of the Convention Industry Council APEX panel on industry
contracts. and is a founder and past president of the Academy of Hospitality
Industry Attorneys and honored in 2009 by his peers as the first “Hospitality
Industry Attorney of the Year”
He is
the recipient of the prestigious Meeting Professionals International Industry
Award for his service to and advancement of the meetings industry. The Chicago
Area Chapter of MPI awarded Jon its industry award for his dedicated and
significant contribution to the meetings industry. On its 15th anniversary of
publishing, he was named by MEETING NEWS as one of 15 leaders who have made the
difference in the meetings industry. He is also a Fellow of the American
Society of Association Executives. The Chicago Society of Association
Executives selected Jon as its Associate Member of the Year. Since 1995 when
MEETING NEWS began to list the 25 most influential people in the meetings
industry, Jon has been named almost every year. He was recently named to the
BizBash Media Hall of Fame. The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association
International honored Jon as the recipient of its HSMAI Foundation PaceSetters
Award for vision and cutting edge accomplishments that have inspired countless
others to think “outside the box.”
He is one of the few lawyers in the United States to have argued before
the United States Supreme Court.