About me

Stephen Barth, the author of Hospitality Law and Intelligent Emotions, is an attorney, the founder of HospitalityLawyer.com®, The Hospitality Law Conference series, and the Global Congress on Travel Risk Management.  He is also quoted frequently in national and international media including The New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, Town and Country, the ABA Journal et al.

HospitalityLawyer.com®

HospitalityLawyer.com®’s mission is to create a worldwide network of attorneys that focus on hospitality, travel and tourism issues; to be a marketing conduit for suppliers of legal, safety and security solutions to reach hospitality developers and operators in need of those solutions; and to mitigate critical incidents, injuries, litigation and liability within the hospitality industry, in the U.S. and abroad by facilitating the creation, collection, and dissemination of legal, safety and security information, products and services.

His fun, fast-paced presentations provide practical information and solutions to enhance your personal and professional life.

Hospitality Law: Managing Legal Issues in the Hospitality Industry

The Hospitality Law Textbook features the latest updates and revisions with regard to changes in the law that ensure the most current information is presented for hospitality law students. The Fifth Edition includes information on relevant recent events and trends, such as the impact of recent economic collapse on hotel development, sections updated with an increased international perspective, added information on data privacy, increased information on safety and security, and updates to legal case studies and decision-making legal scenarios.

Intelligent Emotions: On Self-Responsibility, Owning Our Emotional Power and Changing Our Reactions

In a succinct, entertaining, and insightful narrative, lawyer and motivational speaker Stephen Barth, through stories and personal accounts of trial and error, help you on your journey to achieve emotional intelligence and bring peace, contentment, and greater productivity into your life. By owning our emotional power, accepting responsibility for our feelings, and making the shift from negative reactions to positive responses, Stephen demonstrates a simple path to attain emotional success.

In addition to writing books, he has also launched the Electronic Journal of Hospitality Legal, Safety and Security Research, as well as written many articles on legal and leadership issues that have appeared in Lodging Hospitality, CHEERS Magazine, Hotel/Motel Management, and HospitalityLawyer.com®.

Stephen also covers a broad range of issues for a variety of hospitality and management companies, including:

• Hotels: Four Seasons, Hyatt, Hilton, Choice, Best Western, Intercontinental and Wyndham Worldwide
• Associations: National Restaurant Association, The American Hotel & Lodging Association, The Club Managers Association, The National Association for Catering Executives, Business Travel Executive, The Texas Hotel, and Lodging Association.

University of Houston

As a professor at the Conrad N. Hilton College, University of Houston, he teaches courses in hospitality law and leadership. In addition to legal and risk management insight, Stephen specializes in communicating the importance of Emotional Intelligence in leadership roles;  and has provided valuable insight to many companies.

On top of all these accomplishments, Stephen is most proud of the many honors he has received throughout his teaching career because they recognize “what he loves to do.” Some of these honors include:

• University of Houston Career Teaching Excellence Award (2018)
• HospitalityLawyer.com® Twitter Feed included in Top Hospitality Leaders to Follow on Twitter, Capterra Hotel Management Blog, (2016)
• 2014 Groundbreakers, Connectyourmeetings.com, (2014)
• “HVS” Research Award, Conrad N. Hilton College, University of Houston, (2009)
• Hilton College Outstanding Teacher Award (2007)
• University of Houston’s Distance Education Award (2000)
• University of Houston’s Teaching Excellence Award – the college’s highest honor for teaching (1998)
• Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence at the University of Houston’s Conrad N. Hilton College (1996)
• City of Houston recognition for accomplishments as a University of Houston faculty member (1995)

Stephen says the aim of each of the presentations he gives annually is, “I want attendees to laugh… to learn… and to leave with several tools to improve their personal and professional lives.” Previous attendees think he’s hitting the mark. Here is what a few organizations had to say about his seminars:

“Thank you for making our Convention Educational Programs a huge success! We appreciate your continued support, encouragement, and cooperation. The feedback, as always, is tremendous and our licensees truly see this as a valuable learning experience. Your legal expertise is top of the line. Cheers to a job well done!” – Choice Hotels International

“Our leadership group has been having huge issues with playing nice with one another and I have had no way to “get my foot in the door” with improving things. Having my people go through your class at the convention and then being able to follow up with each of them on a regular basis has significantly impacted our interpersonal dealings with one another in a hugely positive way. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” – Lincoln and Associates

“This was truly a life-changing session; it has made me stop and think about what is happening at any given moment and to think before reacting.  I start each day reading the blue card that we were given on “Managing Your Emotional Energy”, it helps me to re-focus every day and have a conversation with myself about how I would like for the day evolve; it has truly helped.  I truly can laugh at myself and I am working to become a more balanced person.” – Methodist Hospital

“I would say that Stephen’s presentation gave me more in 2 hours, than years of school and on the job training. He has a great way of relating information so that we understand it and are waiting to hear his next idea. I would strongly recommend people attend a session and reap the many positive changes that this two-hour investment will provide in your life!” – Methodist Hospital

“Improving our Emotional Intelligence improves the way we live our values of Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence.” – Methodist Hospital

“Best presentation of the conference!” – International Travel and Tourism Educators

“Everybody needs to hear this message!” – International Association of Hospitality Accountants

“I could listen to him all day!” – Club Managers Association

“The only problem… his presentations aren’t long enough!” – Hilton F&B Directors

“Great… this was the best!” – American Association of Maxillofacial Surgeons

“This guy is outstanding!” – Hyatt Hotels