Jim Butler is a founding partner of JMBM and one of the top hotel lawyers in the world. Devoting 100% of his practice to hospitality, Jim is author of www.HotelLawBlog.com and chairman of the Global Hospitality Group® which focuses on representing hotel owners, developers, and lenders.
Jim and his team have helped clients as business and legal advisors on more than $87 billion of hotel purchase, sale, financing, and other transactions, involving more than 3,900 properties all over the world. In the last 18 months, they have closed more than $1.5 billion of EB-5 financing and sourced more than half of that for our clients
In addition to acquisitions, dispositions and financing, the Group handles ADA compliance and defense, hotel mixed-use development, labor and employment, management, branding and franchise agreements and litigation. With experience gained from more than 1,000 bankruptcies, receiverships and workouts, they use innovative solutions to unlock and create value for lenders and opportunistic investors for distressed assets.
Jim also serves as an expert witness in hospitality matters.
J.D., University of California, Berkeley School of Law
Berkeley Order of the Coif, Editor, California Law Review
A.B., University of California, Berkeley
Great Distinction (highest academic designation), Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Sigma Alpha
State Bar of Nevada
Member, International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC)
Founder and Seminar Chair, The Hospitality Industry Forum, 1991-present
Faculty, University of California, Los Angeles Extension
Faculty, University of Southern California, Advanced Professional Program
- Super Lawyers – Listed as a Southern California Super Lawyer in real estate (2009-2019)
- Daily Journal – Listed in Top Development Lawyers (2014)
- Los Angeles Business Journal – Listed in Who's Who in Real Estate (2013)
- Daily Journal – Listed in Top Real Estate Lawyers (2012)
- Daily Journal, Listed in Real Estate Dealmakers (2011)
- Hotel Lawyer: California limits use of independent contractors, creating significant liabilities and penalties for California hotel and restaurant employers 17 October 2019 As of January 1, 2020, California employers will need to comply with a new law which codifies a heightened standard of classifying an
- Federal legislation introduced making hotel resort fees and other mandatory charges illegal 26 September 2019 Click here for the latest articles on Resort Fee Litigation. Note: If you are a consumer with a Resort Fee issue, please do NOT