- Licenciatura, Magna Cum Laude, Universidad de Boston;
- Doctorado en Jurisprudencia, The College of William and Mary
My introduction to the the hospitality industry began with employment at a hotel in downtown Boston while I was attending Boston University. This work fostered the stamina that served me when I later pursued a law degree at William & Mary, served as a law clerk for a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and began practicing with a large international law firm in Atlanta.
When we founded our firm over twenty-five years ago, it gave me a chance to refocus on hospitality and I’ve done so ever since. The scope of my work has included the representation of hotels and restaurants in federal and state trial and appellate courts in 31 states as well as before regulatory agencies, such as the NLRB and the EEOC. It also has included extensive alternative dispute resolution practice in mediations, employment arbitrations, and labor arbitrations. I’ve additionally had the opportunity to represent executives and managers in our industry when they’ve unexpectedly had to confront more individualized problems.
The hospitality industry is nuanced with unique labor and employment issues alongside an ever changing array of government regulations. My experience allows me to succinctly identify the best and most practical solutions for our clients.
This kind of problem solving fuels my passion for practicing law. It also has led me to teach Labor Law as an adjunct Professor at the Emory University School of Law as well as give continuing legal educations seminars for other attorneys, provide training sessions for managers, and publish articles on different legal topics for the industry.
HotelExecutive.com: Equal Pay Law Developments and the Hospitality Industry
January 3, 2020
Categoría: Publicaciones
John Hunt’s latest article for HotelExecutive.com covers the history of the Equal Pay Act, the latest updates nationwide, and how this legislation affects hotels and restaurants across the county. Head over to the link to get all the details, or keep reading for the full text! For further questions, clarifications, and conversation no matter your state, please reach out to Stokes Wagner.
HotelExecutive.com: U.S. Department of Labor Changes Rule for Tipped and Non Tipped Work
February 3, 2019
Categoría: Publicaciones
On HotelExecutive.com, be sure to check out John Hunt’s article covering the US Department of Labor’s rule regarding tipped and non-tipped work. John Hunt is always ready to get you answers, so contact Stokes Wagner with any questions you might have!
Last week the Ninth Circuit filed its en banc opinion by the Ninth Circuit in Marsh v. J. Alexander’s LLC, No. 15-15791, 2018 WL 4440364 (9th Cir. Sept. 18, 2018). In this case, the full Ninth Circuit overturned previous panel and district court decisions and upheld the U.S. Department of Labor’s “20%” rule for tipped employees.
HotelExecutive.com: Group Sales Contracts, Service Charges, and Tips - What's in a Name?
September 23, 2018
Categoría: Publicaciones
This week, HotelExecutive.com published an article by our own John Hunt and Ashley Nunneker, covering the nuanced differences between different types of compensation for hotel and restaurant servers. Check it out on their website! And if this thorough review doesn’t quite clarify everything you’re wondering about gratuities and service charges, contact Stokes Wagner with any questions you might have!
HotelExecutive.com: Expanded Labor and Employment Liability in Hotel Acquisitions
December 17, 2017
Categoría: Publicaciones
Head on over to HotelExecutive.com to read the latest article by John Hunt, covering a brief review of laws pertaining to hotel mergers and acquisitions! If that doesn’t slake your appetite for knowledge, contact Stokes Wagner at any time with your questions.
Una Actualización sobre la Capacidad de la Policía de Revisar los Registros de los Hoteles.
June 16, 2017
Categoría: Publicaciones
El año pasado, la Suprema Corte de los EE.UU. emitió una decisión que impuso restricciones sobre la capacidad de los oficiales de policía para la inspección de los registros de huéspedes de los hoteles y otros registros. Muchas leyes locales, que habían autorizado inspecciones de policía ilimitadas, de pronto fueron declaradas anticonstitucionales. Este artículo revisa esa decisión y discute los desarrollos que han ocurrido en esta área durante el año pasado.
Hasta hace poco, los hoteles en muchas jurisdicciones proporcionaban rutinariamente a la policía el acceso a sus registros de huéspedes sin mucha preocupación por los problemas de privacidad que pudiesen estar involucrados. Después de todo, muchas ciudades y poblaciones poseían ordenanzas que requieren que los hoteles recolecten información específica sobre sus huéspedes y que le permiten a la policía inspeccionar esa información al solicitarla. No permitir el acceso podía resultar en una multa o en algunos casos, tiempo en prisión.