The Hospitality Law Certification Program
For 30 years, HospitalityLawyer.com has advanced hospitality law education and industry connections. Now, that expertise is available through a self-paced certification featuring 15 modules and 30 hospitality thought leaders—for industry professionals and the attorneys who represent them.
Format: Self-Paced | 15 Modules | Online
Faculty: 30 Hospitality Thought Leaders
Why It Mattters
In hospitality, legal knowledge is part of the operation.
A $5.83 trillion global hospitality market represents extraordinary opportunity—and equally significant responsibility. Every day, hospitality businesses make decisions with legal, operational, and financial consequences. This program shows you how legal knowledge can address the unique demands and challenges of hospitality.
Guest Safety Protocols | Operational Policies | Brand Standards | Insurance Structures | Franchise Relationships | Vendor Liability | ADA Obligations | Employment Dynamics
One Curriculum. Two Paths.
Choose Your Track
For Attorneys
$1,495 / per attorney
Estimated Study Time: ~45 Hours
Format: Self-Paced
Time to Complete: 12 Months
Who's it For:
- Litigators handling premises liability, negligent security, ADA claims, and guest-safety disputes
- Transactional counsel working franchise agreements, management contracts, and vendor relationships
- In-house counsel supporting hospitality brands or property portfolios
- Firms building or expanding a hospitality practice group
What's Included:
- One-year myLawCLE membership, with CLE credit fully integrated
- Hospitality Law textbook (6th Edition) access
- Packback account
- Applied video modules, often featuring attorneys who work with hospitality brands
- Certificate of completion
CLE Credit Breakdown:
Registration:
Register on myLawCLE: Registration and CLE credit tracking are handled on our partner site, myLawCLE — you’ll be taken there to complete enrollment.
For Hospitality Professionals
$1,195 / per participant
Estimated Study Time: ~45 Hours
Format: Self-Paced
Deadline: No Deadline
Who's it For:
- Hotel and restaurant owners, franchisees, and multi-property operators
- General managers and assistant managers
- Department heads — front office, housekeeping, food & beverage, HR, sales, security
- Risk managers, safety directors, and compliance staff
What's Included:
- Hospitality Law textbook (6th Edition) access
- Hosted video modules connecting law to daily operations
- Certificate of completio
Enrollment:
- Individual
- Team
- Enrollment and payment are completed right here on HospitalityLawyer.com.
Team Rates:
Contact Us for Team Rates: For multi-property groups and department-wide enrollment — we’ll set up group billing and progress tracking.
The Curriculum
Fifteen Modules, Start to Finish
Each module pairs a textbook chapter (or its companion podcast) with one to two applied videos. The Lawyer Track adds a weekly Packback legal-analysis discussion. The program opens with a Welcome & Orientation module, then moves through 15 modules:
01 Prevention Philosophy
02 Government Agencies That Impact the Hospitality Industry
03 Hospitality Business Structures
04 Contract Basics
05 Significant Hospitality Contracts
06 Legally Managing Property
07 Legally Selecting Employees
08 Legally Managing Employees
09 Responsibilities as a Hospitality Operator
10 Responsibilities to Guests
11 Responsibility for Guests' Property
12 Food & Beverage Responsibilities
13 Legal Characteristics of Travel & Tourism
14 Safety and Security Issues
15 Managing Insurance
Self-Paced, Start to Finish
How Each Module Works
01
Engage the Chapter
Read the assigned textbook chapter, or listen to its companion podcast — your choice, every module.
02
Engage the Chapter
Read the assigned textbook chapter, or listen to its companion podcast — your choice, every module.
03
Engage the Chapter
Read the assigned textbook chapter, or listen to its companion podcast — your choice, every module.
04
Engage the Chapter
Read the assigned textbook chapter, or listen to its companion podcast — your choice, every module.
05
Engage the Chapter
Read the assigned textbook chapter, or listen to its companion podcast — your choice, every module.
Questions to Ask Before You Enroll
What's the difference between the two tracks?
Both share the same 15-module curriculum and textbook, but the Lawyer Track adds a one-year myLawCLE membership with CLE credit and legal-analysis discussion prompts. The non-lawyer track translates the same material into practical, operational guidance — no legal background required.
Where do I actually register?
Attorneys register and pay through myLawCLE, our CLE partner, so credit is tracked correctly from day one. Operators register and pay directly here on HospitalityLawyer.com. Both paths lead to the same certification program.
How long does the program take?
Most participants complete the full 15-module program in approximately 45 hours of study time, combining the textbook or podcast, the applied videos, and (for the Lawyer Track) weekly Packback discussions. Exact time varies by how much you read versus listen, and how deeply you engage with each module.
Is there a deadline to finish?
The Non-Lawyer Track is fully self-paced with no deadline — there’s no cohort start date and no weekly schedule to keep up with. The Lawyer Track runs on a 12-month completion window tied to your myLawCLE membership, so attorneys should plan to finish all 15 modules within 12 months of enrolling.
Do I need a law degree for the Non-Lawyer Track?
No. The Non-Lawyer Track is written for hospitality professionals with no legal background — owners, GMs, department heads, and risk or compliance staff.
Does the Lawyer Track include CLE credit?
Yes. CLE credit is fully integrated through myLawCLE and tracked automatically as you complete each module.