Karen Morris

Karen Morris is a lawyer, municipal judge and Distinguished Professor at Monroe Community College in Rochester, N.Y., where she teaches hospitality law. Contact her at [email protected]

Stories by Karen Morris

Take great care in hotel entrance area—or you’ll pay

by Karen Morris

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

With cars, bicyclists and pedestrians coming and going through a hotel’s entrance area, there are plenty of opportunities for accidents—and lawsuits.

Why intent is the basis behind compensatory vs. punitive damages

by Karen Morris

Friday, December 21, 2018

Hotel bathrooms are fraught with accidents, but how a hotel handles issues before a guest's stay can be a factor in future litigation.

Hoteliers: Ignore complaints at your own risk

by Karen Morris

Monday, October 22, 2018

In the two following cases, lawsuits could have been avoided if the hotel operators in question knew and understood the law.

Don't let shoddy maintenance scuttle an insurance claim

by Karen Morris

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Successfully filing an insurance claim is difficult by design, so don't make it more difficult by missing important details.

Guest safety is every employee’s problem

by Karen Morris

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Hotel employees aren't mind readers, but often issues are sufficiently foreseeable to create a legal duty requiring the hotel to protect guests from harm.

Base layoffs on legitimate business needs

by Karen Morris

Friday, November 3, 2017

Sometimes a need to slash employee numbers isn't enough to justify downsizing in the eyes of the law.

Why a lawsuit doesn’t always mean hotel is at fault

by Karen Morris

Monday, September 18, 2017

These three cases remind us that a lawsuit does not necessarily mean the hotel will be liable, but there are lessons to be learned.

Why this hotel paid for creating a wedding snafu

by Karen Morris

Monday, July 24, 2017

A wedding gone wrong prompted a lawsuit from beleaguered guests, proving that in some cases disappointment constitutes "collateral damage."

Anatomy of a franchise termination suit for nonpayment of fees

by Karen Morris

Monday, May 1, 2017

Ever wonder what happens if you don’t pay those pesky but hopefully well-earned franchise fees? Take a look.

Vigilance key to combatting sexual harassment

by Karen Morris

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

The number of lawsuits focusing on sexual misconduct in the workplace has been dwindling, but a recent case suggests a refresher may be necessary.