October 2009 Developments - 18

Member Proﬁle Jeffrey B. Stern, Esq. Partner Holland & Knight LLP As the year begins to draw to a close, what one positive prediction do you have for your ﬁrm for next year? Holland & Knight is a large national law ﬁrm with many practice areas. While legal work has lagged in some areas during the recession, overall the ﬁrm has had a successful 2009—particularly in litigation, bankruptcy, government relations, and workouts. As the economy begins to turnaround in the fourth quarter and into 2010, we look forward to an increase in the traditional transaction and ﬁnance areas that have been a ﬁrm strength for the last decade. What were some of the top legislative trends that had a large impact on the industry this past year? About Jeffrey Stern Jeffrey Stern serves as co-leader of the ﬁrm’s Global Hospitality, Resort, and Timeshare Team. He concentrates his practice in the areas of real estate development and hospitality with an emphasis on the resort development and ﬁnance industries. His clients consist of a wide variety of owners, developers, lenders, ﬁnancial institutions, and marketing and management companies, ranging in size from entrepreneurial ventures to Fortune 100 corporations in connection with the following property types: timeshare resorts and multi-site vacation clubs, second home and home-site developments, mixed use and resort community developments, hotels and condominium hotels, golf course, and ski resort and country club communities. D I have been very fortunate to work closely with Sam DePoy and the outstanding ARDA lobbying team on federal legislative initiatives over the last few years. Notably, we have been very successful in creating a special carve-out for timeshare ﬁnancing as part of the new Truth in Lending Amendments, enabling the industry to continue the same-day sales process that is integral to the timeshare business model. ARDA has tremendous access to Congressional members, staff, and committees and has raised the positive proﬁle of the timeshare industry on Capitol Hill. Holland & Knight has also been following closely the TARP, TALF, and other ﬁnancial recovery legislation on behalf of clients, in order to identify potential opportunities and issues. What does your ARDA membership mean to you and your legal work? JUST FOR FUN The ﬁrm’s resort and timeshare group has been active in ARDA and the timeshare industry since its inception. ARDA has been the key voice of the industry, both at the state level and in Washington, D.C. We have beneﬁted greatly over the years as Trustee members of ARDA, and ARDA events—particularly the annual Convention—are a signiﬁcant activity for Holland & Knight, since the ﬁrm participates actively as a sponsor, and other ﬁrm members and I typically speak on panels and roundtables. These events are an invaluable opportunity to catch up with our friends and clients in the timeshare industry. It was great to see such a large industry turn-out at the 2009 Convention in Orlando, and I urge everyone connected with the industry to support ARDA especially during these challenging times. Where do you like to vacation? My family and I like to vacation in Duck, North Carolina, at the Outer Banks. We have been going to the beach there in the summers for almost 20 years. The trips hold great memories for us as a family and my children, now in their early 20’s, still grace us with their presence most summers. What is your favorite thing to do on vacation? The pace in D.C. is so hectic that I look forward on vacation to relaxing, although with the advent of the BlackBerry it is getting more difﬁcult to escape! My favorite things to do on vacation are walking on the beach, swimming in the ocean, and biking—if you get down there, I highly recommend the crab cakes at The Blue Point restaurant for a real treat! Who do you like to vacation with most? Not with my law partners! Vacationing with family is the best. Everyone’s lives are so busy that vacations provide a great time for everyone to re-connect and get away from the phones, computers, and other distractions. Developments • October 2009

October 2009 Developments

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