Overview
William (Bill) C. Guthrie is a partner and business lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP. He is the managing partner of the firm’s Orlando office. His practice focuses on the condominium, resort and hospitality industries. Bill’s extensive experience includes structuring and development of planned unit developments, condominiums, vacation ownership projects, fractional projects and clubs for many major brand participants in the industry. He has also been actively involved in the creation of multiple mixed-use development projects relating to a variety of components, including retail, hotel, office condominium, residential condominium, timeshare, fractional, membership club, golf and other amenities. Bill advises and works closely with globally recognized developers, lenders, managers and exchange services groups. He is a member of the Real Estate and Consumer Financial Services Practices and chair of the Hospitality & Leisure Industry Team.
Affiliations
Bill is a former registered lobbyist on behalf of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) – Florida, Florida’s trade organization for the timeshare, resort and leisure industry. In this capacity, Bill has been actively involved in the drafting and implementation of statutory amendments and administrative rules and regulations affecting the timeshare industry across the country. He was also involved in the negotiation of the 1995 Puerto Rico Timeshare and Vacation Club Act and is currently involved in drafting a new USVI Timeshare Act. Bill currently serves on the board of directors for ARDA.
Recognition
Bill has been peer review rated as BV Distinguished®, a mark of excellence in the Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ system. In 2010, the Legal 500 recognized Bill for his real estate work. Bill was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the fields of Real Estate Law (2013 - 2023) and Leisure and Hospitality Law (2015 - 2023). He was appointed at Governor Bush’s request to the Florida Homeowner’s Association Task Force in 2003 and was appointed by Governor Scott to serve on the Community Association Living Study Council in 2013, which he was elected as chairperson.
Admissions, Certifications and Professional Memberships
As a member of the ARDA, Bill has served as an editor of the ABA/ARDA Editorial Board to create a digest and analysis of U.S. timeshare law. He was previously chair of the ARDA State Legislative Committee’s Personal Property Accommodation Task Force and Points Task Force. He has also served on the Travel Club Task Force and the ARDA Strategic Planning Task Force.
Admitted to practice before The Florida Bar, Bill is a member of the American and Florida Bar Associations. He is board certified in Condominium and Planned Land Development Law and previously chaired the Time Sharing and Interval Uses Committee, ABA Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law. In July 2021, Bill was inducted as a member of the University of Florida’s Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute (ERTI) Industry Advisory Board.
Education
- The University of Florida (J.D., 1994)
- The University of Florida (M.B.A., 1994)
- The University of Florida (B.S., 1990)
Publications and Presentations
Bill is a frequent lecturer at hospitality conferences, his recent publications and presentations include:
- Panelist, “Fix it, Float it, Trust it! A discussion of Timeshare Plan Structures & Use Plans,” ARDA World, April 9, 2019
- Co-author of a chapter, “Understanding Leisure and Hospitality Transactions: What Clients and Attorneys Need to Know,” Inside the Minds: Navigating the Complexities of Leisure and Hospitality Law, 2014 ed.
- Panelist, “Making Timeshare a Meaningful Component of Mixed Use Hotel Projects: Opportunities and Issues,” Georgetown Hospitality Law Conference, October 25, 2013
- Co-author, “Trust Us. You’ll Like It – and So Will Your Owners. Why the trust structure is something you should consider,” Developments, June 2013
- Co-author, "The fee for service model: A beacon of hope,” Florida Real Estate Journal, May 2011
- Co-author of a chapter, "Specific Types of Condominiums,” Florida Condominium Law and Practice (Third Edition) published by The Florida Bar “Vacation Home Market Trends: Opportunities for the Golf Industry,” Golf Course Industry, September 28, 2009