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 Matters...

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

Why It Matters...

In hospitality, legal knowledge is part of the operation.

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

30 CLE credits total, including 1.5 hours of ethics: Up to 15 additional self-study credit hours available for reviewing course materials before watching the videos

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 completion

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 Knowledge Check

A brief check-in after the chapter, before moving on to the videos — just enough to confirm it stuck.

03 Watch the Videos

One to two short applied videos per module, connecting the reading to real hospitality cases.

04 Discuss on Packback

Attorneys post and respond to a weekly legal-analysis discussion on Packback. This step is part of the Lawyer Track only.

05 Move On, Anytime

No cohort, no weekly deadline. Finish a module today or next month — the certification waits for you.

01 Engage the Chapter

Read the assigned textbook chapter, or listen to its companion podcast — your choice, every module.

02 Knowledge Check

A brief check-in after the chapter, before moving on to the videos — just enough to confirm it stuck.

03 Watch the Videos

One to two short applied videos per module, connecting the reading to real hospitality cases.

04 Discuss on Packback

Attorneys post and respond to a weekly legal-analysis discussion on Packback. This step is part of the Lawyer Track only.

05 Move On, Anytime

No cohort, no weekly deadline. Finish a module today or next month — the certification waits for you.

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.