HOUSTON, Texas – Peter M. Ripin of the law firm Davidoff Malito & Hutcher and Lynne Messina of Highgate Holdings will be presenting, “Hospitality Online: Protecting your Valuable Keywords” at the 5th Annual Hospitality Law Conference February 8-9, 2007.

The “hijacking” of a hotel’s trademarked keywords is diverting customers away from on-line brands resulting in a direct, and negative, impact to the hotel’s bottom line. Ripin and Messina’s presentation will address ways in which hoteliers can protect and defend their valuable on-line brands against trademark infringement.

The seminar is part of a break-out session on Lodging that also includes the presentations "When the Condo Bubble Breaks”" and "Doing Business in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Beyond."

Mr. Ripin is a partner with the law firm of Davidoff Malito & Hutcher LLP in New York City where he practices in the areas of business and hospitality law. He has assisted numerous institutions and individuals in the hotel and hospitality industries in drafting and negotiating management and license agreements, resolving franchise disputes, protecting trade secrets and confidential customer information, and defending online brands against trademark infringement involving keyword and pop-up advertising, cybersquatting and domain name piracy. He has also written extensively, lectured and been interviewed on numerous critical legal issues affecting the hotel and hospitality industries.

The Annual Hospitality Law Conference is designed for general counsel and executives of lodging, gaming, restaurant, and club operations; risk managers; directors of loss prevention; franchise service directors; attorneys practicing in the hospitality industry and hospitality law faculty and law students interested in a career in hospitality law.

This year's conference provides break-out sessions in four different topic areas including Lodging, Food & Beverage, Human Resources & Labor Relations Track, and Safety, Security, and Risk Management. Some of the issues up for discussion include the condo bubble, immigration reform, closed circuit television, and minors and alcohol. There will also be seminars dealing with the aftermath of Katrina and other disasters, with the relationship between general counsel and outside counsel, and with the prevention of wage and hour class action lawsuits.

The conference will be held Thursday and Friday, February 8-9, 2007, at the Hilton Post Oak in Houston, Texas. To register and for more information on accommodations, go to www.HospitalityLawyer.com. The cost, which includes a Thursday night wine tasting and product showcase, is $375 if you register before January 22, 2007 ($425 after). The cost for educators, students, and restaurant and lodging associations is $325. For attorneys, up to 12.25 CLE credits are available at no extra cost.

HospitalityLawyer.com's Fifth Annual Conference is presented in coordination with the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the American Bar Association, the Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Law Committee of the International Bar Association, the General Counsel Committee of the AH&LA, the Loss Prevention Management Institute, QSR Magazine and the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management.

The conference is underwritten by Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and sponsors include Alvarez & Marsal, Best Western International, Forensic Analytical, and Advance Catastrophe Technologies, Inc. and RUME Corp.

Contact:

Peter M. Ripin, Esq.
Davidoff Malito & Hutcher LLP
605 Third Avenue
New York, New York 10158
(212) 557-7200
Fax: (212) 286-1884 Todd Throckmorton
Vice President, Business Development
HospitalityLawyer.com
Phone: (713) 963-8800
Fax: (713) 627-9934
[email protected]

About HospitalityLawyer.com:HospitalityLawyer.com, is a web based business that aggregates legal, safety and security information, products and services that offer solutions to hospitality industry (hotel, restaurant, club, resort, meeting, travel and tourism) managers, their in-house legal counsel and risk managers. There is no other single resource, either on-line or off-line, that delivers the comprehensive resources that are available via .

In addition to solving the critical, time-sensitive information needs of hospitality industry managers, the site is an efficient, cost-effective way for law firms, litigation support businesses and vendors of safety and security products to reach a large audience of industry decision makers, build relationships and share knowledge with other experts in the field.

Todd Throckmorton
+1 713 963-8800

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