Robert J. Webb B.C.S., RRP

Partner

Orlando
T +1.407.649.4060
F +1.407.841.0168

"[Rob Webb] is highly respected and very knowledgeable and influential in his field."

— Chambers USA 2015

Overview

Rob Webb maintains a diverse international hospitality law practice with a strong emphasis on resort development and the travel and leisure industry. Rob has been active in the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) – the U.S. timeshare trade association – for 41 years, and he has participated in the negotiation, drafting and lobbying of and for laws and administrative rules affecting the timeshare industry throughout the U.S. and the Caribbean since 1983. He currently serves ARDA as director, secretary and association general counsel.

During an absence from BakerHostetler, Rob served as president of Island One, Inc., a multisite timeshare developer based in Orlando, where he gained valuable experience in the business side of the timeshare industry. With this perspective, as well as his involvement in timesharing from its birth in the U.S., Rob is able to anticipate trends and changes in the industry and serve clients beyond their expectations.

Select Experience

  • Advised clients in the structuring, development, marketing/sales, financing and management of numerous shared ownership and mixed-use leisure resorts, including the conversion of hotels to timeshare in Antigua, the Bahamas, Barbados, Barbuda, Bermuda, Canada, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands and throughout the U.S.
  • Serves as general counsel, secretary and director of a diversified hospitality client.
  • Advised a client regarding an international arbitration against a Caribbean government regarding a branded condominium hotel failure.
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Experience

  • Advised clients in the structuring, development, marketing/sales, financing and management of numerous shared ownership and mixed-use leisure resorts, including the conversion of hotels to timeshare in Antigua, the Bahamas, Barbados, Barbuda, Bermuda, Canada, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands and throughout the U.S.
  • Serves as general counsel, secretary and director of a diversified hospitality client.Advised a client regarding an international arbitration against a Caribbean government regarding a branded condominium hotel failure.
  • Assisted in the representation of a resort and marina during recapitalization and redevelopment. The redevelopment included a large hotel and marina with access to both Atlantic and Gulf sides of the Florida Keys.
  • Represented a bank regarding the creation and launch of its timeshare consumer finance division. Advised and assisted the bank in laying the groundwork for its securitization conduit for loans.
  • Serves as an ongoing advisor to a major Internet-based timeshare resale platform in matters that include related regulatory, financing and tax issues.
  • Advised in the creation and use of several different trust platforms to own timeshare real property, as well as the use of a nonprofit association to serve as sole beneficiary of the trust. Provided advice regarding several complex and related regulatory and tax implications of structure.
  • Represented a hospitality client in the acquisition and rebranding of a mixed-use high-rise in downtown Miami.
  • Conceived and drafted a legislative proposal to amend the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and create a special liquidation process for financially troubled timeshare HOAs and their projects.
  • Assisted with the completion of the acquisition of two subdivisions in Orlando, Florida, and the commencement of whole unit and timeshare sales. Negotiated and documented a hypothecation facility for timeshare sales in plans.
  • Assisted in the representation of a marketing agent and developer of a large luxury-leisure resort in Switzerland with respect to various registration, licensing, tax and transactional legal issues associated with offering real estate interests in the U.S.
  • Assisted in the representation of a successor developer of a mixed-use timeshare resort in litigation to establish control of the Master Association of the resort, as well as to establish the right of its multisite, trust-based Members Association to vote in resort condo association board elections. Advised the client on several other management and brand-related issues.

Recognitions and Memberships

Recognitions

  • Chambers USA: Nationwide Leisure & Hospitality (2010 to 2023)
    • Band 3 (2014 to 2015 & 2018 to 2019), Band 4 (2012 to 2013 & 2016 to 2017, 2020 to 2023), Up & Coming (2011)
  • ARDA: Registered Resort Professional (RRP)
  • ARDA: ACE Volunteer of the Year Award (2013)
  • The Best Lawyers in America®
    • Florida: Leisure and Hospitality Law (2015 to Present)
      • Best Lawyers® "Lawyer of the Year" (2019, 2021)
    • Florida: Real Estate Law (2013 to Present)
  • Martindale-Hubbell: AV Preeminent
  • Florida "Super Lawyer" (2006, 2019 to 2022)

Memberships

  • American Bar Association
  • Florida Bar Association
  • Orange County, Florida Bar Association
  • Citrus Club in Orlando, Florida: 2021 Board of Governors Chair
  • ARDA
    • Association General Counsel
    • Secretary
    • Treasurer (2000 to 2020)
    • Board of Directors
    • Executive Committee
    • Trustee
  • ARDA Resort Owners Coalition (ARDA-ROC)
    • Coalition General Counsel
    • Secretary
    • Treasurer (2000 to 2020)
    • Board of Directors
    • Executive Committee
  • ARDA International Foundation
    • Foundation General Counsel
    • Secretary
    • Treasurer (2000 to 2020)
    • Board of Directors
    • Executive Committee
  • Florida Troubled Resorts Task Force

Community

  • University of Central Florida: Dean's Advisory Board

Prior Positions

  • Island One, Inc.: President (2000)
  • DeWolf, Ward & Morris, P.A.: Shareholder (1985 to 1988)

Admissions

  • Florida Real Estate Law Certification, 1987
  • Florida, 1980

Education

  • J.D., University of Florida Levin College of Law, 1980
  • B.A., University of Florida, 1977, with high honors, Phi Beta Kappa