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

Hotel security requires vigilant attention

by Karen Morris

Monday, August 19, 2019

Hotels with a history of crime can face legal consequences when they fail to protect guests from foreseeable harm.

A peek at a sub-par PIP performance

by Karen Morris

Monday, July 8, 2019

When a hotel fails to make contractually agreed-upon changes, it opens itself up to legal consequences. Here’s one example of what can happen.

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.