Rick Ross is chairman of the firm’s Hotels & Resorts - Global Practice. He is widely regarded as an industry leader in advising owners, operators, investors and lenders on the acquisition, development, financing and operation of hospitality/leisure properties, including hotels, resorts, hotels with serviced residential condominiums, condo hotels, serviced apartments, convention centers, spas, wellness facilities, golf courses, and other mixed-use projects throughout North, South and Central America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, the Caribbean, Australia, and the Pacific Islands.
Mr. Ross is recognized as an industry expert in negotiating and documenting hotel management agreements and license agreements for both owners and operators (mostly in the luxury and upper-upscale sectors). In addition, Mr. Ross has been actively involved in structuring and documenting hotels with residential and other mixed-use condominiums for both owners and operators.
Mr. Ross is not only an active transaction lawyer, he also regularly advises hotel operator clients regarding corporate level policies and strategies for positioning their brands within the hospitality industry, strategies and structuring with respect to new brand roll-outs and all aspects of hotel and resort management and operations.
He is actively involved in assisting clients with regard to identifying, structuring, negotiating and documenting the capitalization of projects as to equity, mezzanine and traditional debt financing. He regularly advises clients on complex single or multiple asset transactions and has significant experience representing both public and private sector clients in public-private partnerships involving hotel projects. In addition, Mr. Ross advises clients as to all aspects of the purchase, sale, development of hotel/leisure assets and other types of mixed-use real estate which include a hotel/resort/leisure component.
During the global economic downturn, Mr. Ross has been heavily engaged in advising owners, operators and lenders as to dealing with distressed hotels and resorts (both stand alone and as part of mixed-use projects). He has applied his many years of experience in the industry to establish thoughtful strategies and solutions to deal with the same.
Mr. Ross was one of only three lawyers in 2010 and one of four lawyers in 2007, 2008, & 2009 to receive the “Band 1” national ranking - the best available - in the Leisure & Hospitality category of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business. Under his leadership, the Hotels & Resorts - Global Practice was also recognized by Chambers and Partners as one of only two law firm practices in 2008, 2009 and 2010 and one of three law firm practices in 2007 to receive the “Band 1” Hospitality & Leisure nationwide ranking.
In 2006 and 2010, Mr. Ross was named by Lawdragon magazine as one of the “Top 500 Leading Lawyers in America,” and in 2007 as one of the “Top 500 Dealmakers in America.”
Mr. Ross is a member of the Executive Planning Committee of New York University’s International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference; the program steering committee of Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS); (ULI) Recreational Development Council; International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC); and the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE).
As a frequent speaker at national and international conferences, Mr. Ross has been considered an expert advisor on current industry issues.