Travel Lawyer List & Free Legal Docs for Travel Agencies
Since I'm not on the front line anymore, I rely on the emails you send us, the Friday 15 questions you submit, the great questions you leave in comments to help us understand what info to write about. This week, three emails asking for referrals to a travel lawyer made it plain as day an article listing travel lawyers needed to be written!
Travel advisors typically look for a travel lawyer at the beginning of their entrepreneurial journey, when they decide they want to become a travel agent. They're looking for another set of eyes on their travel agency waivers and/or disclaimers, making sure it covers the particulars of their agency.
The Advantage of Travel Lawyer Specialty
You might be thinking, can't I use my regular lawyer for my travel agency? You could. But here's why we think working with a travel lawyer that knows our industry is a better route.
We talk a lot about the value of finding a niche when you’re a travel agent. A niche ensures you can provide clients with a depth of knowledge they won't find in a generalist travel advisor.
The same theory applies when you need a lawyer for your travel business. You want someone that has had experience in the world you play in not just once, but numerous times. Someone that knows what holes need to be patched, or (worst case scenario) knows which holes you can squeeze through! Someone that knows the questions to ask.
You want someone that knows laws that affect travel agencies. You want a travel lawyer, not a lawyer who helped you draft up a will or the one who helped you with your divorce. (Huh. I tried to think of a positive situation where you'd use an attorney and you know what? I couldn't think of one! 🤷🏻♀️)
List of Travel Lawyers
So you sold on using a lawyer that specifically works in not just the travel industry, but with travel agencies yet? I thought so!
Here's a list of a few travel lawyers that work in our space and have experience helping various agencies in different capacities.
Since I’ve never hired any of these as a travel attorney, these aren’t meant as endorsements, but rather an aggregated list of travel lawyers commonly see in travel agent spaces, in alphabetical order to keep it fair! (If I’ve missed someone, let me know.)
A Tip on Saving Money with Travel Lawyers
ASTA (American Society of Travel Advisors) also provides its members with, "a free 15 minute initial consultation, a written estimate subject to the attorney's qualifications, and fifteen percent (15%) off each attorney's regular fees. Our attorneys can provide counsel on issues such as sale, merger or acquisition of travel agencies, employment and supplier contracts, CRS negotiations, etc.”
And please, if you've had experience working with a travel industry lawyer, please feel free to share your experience and knowledge with us in the comments!
Free Resources from a Travel Lawyer
Let's be frank, chances are you’re not going to end up in a crazy lawsuit, especially if you take proactive actions. So, let's help you out and make sure you're being proactive!
When you start your travel agency, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got something in place to limit your liability. We have some resources for you in our sample travel waivers article.
OR... even better yet! We want to give a shout-out to travel attorney Mark Pestronk for his resource page.
On it, you'll find a handful of free legal resources for agencies. We all know the stereotype of lawyers. I applaud Mark for providing a pro bono resource for those getting their travel agencies set up!
For the record, I’ve never met Mark in person and this is truly an unsolicited shout-out to him. I like people that help out new agency owners, and with his resource page and legal column in Travel Weekly, he does just that. *high five!*
PS. Little known fact: While looking for a photo of Mr. Pestronk I discovered... HE WAS ON JEOPARDY! Did quite well too. 🙂
More Free Legal Documents & Resources for Travel Agencies
In addition to our travel industry lawyer list, I'm pretty sure you'll want to check out the rest of HAR's fantastic legal resources.
Travel Waivers
This article offers additional resources and ideas for creating your own waivers and disclaimers for your business. Check
independent Travel Agent Contract [Sample]
What can you expect in your independent travel agent contract with your host agency? This article answers that question. It offers a free sample travel agent contract with a host agency (so you know what to expect before you sign your own) and walks you through what to look for in a contract.
A Guide to Seller of Travel Laws
This resource will walk you through seller of travel laws for all four applicable states — California, Florida, Washington, and Hawaii. Read up here to see if you need a travel agent license. If you do, you can find out if your host agency's seller of travel is enough of if you need your own. Plus, you can download our free guide to seller of travel laws. Win win!
Travel Agent Service Fee Contract Sample
Seller of travel laws gets even more complicated when you want to charge fees. Ugh! But this resource will break down what steps you need to take in states like (Florida and California) if you plan to charge travel agent fees. It will answer questions like:
- What restrictions do seller of travel laws have on service fees?
- Who do these laws apply to?
- How does this affect hosted travel agents compared to independently-accredited agents?
Find out more!
Just Getting Started? Come Hang with Us!
If you're just getting started and feeling overwhelmed, come join us in the HAR 7 Day Setup Accelerator Course! We break things down into digestible information and you have the not only the HAR team to answer your questions, but a cohort of fellow peers also starting up their agencies.
As part of our Buzz Sessions—our twice a month live group calls—we have an open Q&A with the HAR team and we bring in industry experts like travel industry attorneys, suppliers, marketing experts, travel tech, etc. to help answer your questions.
Getting that hour of time with the travel attorney during the Buzz Session to ask your questions is just one of the many perks of joining our course. :)
*Editor's Note: This post was originally published on Feb. 25th, 2017, and updated and republished on the publish date listed.
About the Author
Steph Lee
Steph grew up in the travel industry, helping on and off with her mom's homebased travel agency. She has worked with thousands of agents in her role as a former host agency director before leaving in 2012 to start HAR. She's insatiably curious, loves her pups Fennec and Orion, and -- in case you haven't noticed -- is pretty quirky and free-spirited.
If you’re looking for Steph, she leaves a trace where ever she goes! You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn (her fav) and Pinterest as 'iamstephly'. 🙂 You can also catch her on her Substack, Bumblin' Around, where she writes on things outside the world of HAR.
