Jeffrey E. Robb

Overview

As a former certified public accountant, Jeff Robb provides valuable perspective on business issues and financial bottom lines related to legal issues that arise in the hospitality industry.  Jeff represents hotel owners, brands, managers and lenders with a wide range of hospitality matters.  He assists investors with the purchase and sale of hotels, including preparation and negotiation of purchase and sale agreements and related documents.  Jeff has experience negotiating franchise agreements and comfort letters with franchisors throughout the hospitality industry. Jeff also works with hotel owners and management companies to draft and negotiate management agreements, technical and consulting service agreements, and similar documents. He also negotiates and reviews a wide range of day-to-day hotel-related agreements, including space leases, service agreements, and group sales agreements.  In addition to his work with hospitality clients, Jeff represents and advises several manufacturers with regard to mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and operational agreements.

Representative Matters

• Represented hotel owners in negotiation of branded hotel management agreements with major international brands for both full and limited service hotels in Chicago.
• Represented hotel developers regarding management agreements for 21c Museum Hotels, Alila, and other small boutique hotels.
• Frequently advises hotel owners in the negotiation and drafting of a variety of hotel-related documents on a domestic and international basis, including hotel management agreements (third party and brand managed), purchase and sale agreements, leases, franchise agreements, loan agreements, subordination agreements, technical services agreements and consulting services agreements.
• Negotiated asset purchase agreements for acquisitions of multiple mid-market manufacturers and guided transactions to successful closing.
• Served as franchise counsel in connection with the consensual foreclosure of a portfolio of 148 hotels by the mezzanine lender on the portfolio, a real estate investment trust (REIT), navigating the transition of the hotels via comfort letters with multiple franchisors and negotiating long term franchise agreements and other related documents for the portfolio on behalf of the new owner.
• Served as hospitality counsel in connection with the acquisition of a portfolio of four hotels under brands from three different franchisors and successfully transitioned the hotels to new ownership as part of owner’s purchase of a larger business park.
• Served as hospitality counsel in connection with acquisitions of full and select service hotels by private equity firms, negotiating the related management and secondary agreements.