Jimerson Birr attorneys have a vast wealth of experience with the law of developing, forming, operating and regulating homeowners’ and condominium associations in Florida. The Community Associations Industry Team is comprised of knowledgeable attorneys and staff committed to providing legal representation in all areas of community associations law. Our firm routinely assists community association stakeholders in establishing requisite legal entities, effectuating land development transactions, coordinating legal developer turnover, drafting of community association governing legal documents, ensuring regulatory compliance, advising as to board governance and community operations, resolving community disputes, enforcing community covenants, rules and regulations, and serving as a general counsel to boards of directors relative to most any issue related to applicable community associations state or federal laws.
Our firm recognizes that community associations are neighborly communities, thus we are committed to the goal of helping boards prevent problems and lawsuits before they arise. We stay fully apprised of changes to condominium association and homeowners’ association laws in Florida, and we keep our clients informed through our education efforts. We interpret the law and the governing community association documents for our clients, and recommend changes that will make the language more understandable, address the population and needs of the community in question, and bring the documents into compliance with changes in Florida law.
We are efficient and cost-conscious, and we are committed to helping association boards effectively plan and maintain their budgets.
Our team has a history of guiding developers or community associations through the developer turnover process to unit owner-controlled Associations, including the resolution of developer warranty, accounting and representation claims, and the establishment of on-going operational controls and proper legal compliance measures. As a community originator, we help to set up the framework for the residents of communities to live in harmony through drafting, amending and implementing every form of community association governing document that may apply, including Declarations, Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs), Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation, Rules and Regulations, Election Rules and Architectural Standards. We are available to support Florida community associations in contract or legal document negotiation or enforcement, in addition to resolving legal or regulatory questions or other issues which sometimes occur in the everyday management and operation of the association. Creating and understanding the governing documents of an association is one of the first steps in making the homeownership experience the best it can be.
Decision making involves making choices about the community’s vision, mission, and strategies. Community association boards make decisions about issues that are strategic and significant, and they should not make these decisions in silos. As a legal partner, Jimerson Birr attorney involvement includes assisting the board and management prepare for and conduct meetings, answering questions about community documents and the legal impact of such documents, enforcing the covenants and restrictions, and drafting and negotiating contracts for provision of services. Our team works side by side with the leaders of the community to understand how state and local laws, court rulings, and administrative decisions impact the community. No question is too complex, no question is too mundane. Our lawyers work with boards of directors to answer day-to-day questions and provide legal opinions regarding operational, technical, regulatory, and practical issues that unpaid stewards of the community volunteering in personal service should not be expected to answer without reliance on the backstop of experienced counsel. On any given day, one of our team members is on the phone with or meeting with a HOA or COA board to help with budgeting, levying special assessments, establishing reserves, managing vendors, addressing maintenance and repair, overseeing construction projects, negotiating financial facilities, or providing counsel on the owner grievance issue of the day.
If your community has no alternative but to resolve its legal dispute in court, our litigation attorneys are ready to help. Jimerson Birr actively represents community associations in all aspects of community association litigation. This includes the collection of assessments, enforcement of covenants and restrictions, injunctive relief matters, breach of fiduciary duty claims, construction defect claims, vendor breach of contract claims, conversion issues and statutory warranty claims. Unfortunately for many community associations, there are always homeowners who do not pay their assessments. There could be any number of reasons or excuses for non-payment — from insufficient income to a downright refusal to meet communal obligations. Most HOA/COA boards do everything they can to collect delinquent dues, including imposing late fees and even revoking privileges. If the board chooses to take further action, such as file a lawsuit or place a lien on the property, it will need the help of experienced community association attorneys who know how to act within the parameters of the governing documents. Through tried and true legal methods, Jimerson Birr attorneys facilitate the recovery of delinquent fees, and wield legal tools that allow the community to operate with financial health.
Whether you are a community management company or member of the board of directors for an association, our Community Association Industry Team lawyers will handle the community’s legal matters in accordance with the firm’s standards of service and commitment to excellence.
Jimerson Birr recognizes that condominium and homeowners associations are neighborly communities, thus we are committed to the goal of helping boards and management companies mitigate risk and prevent problems before they arise.
Join Jimerson Birr on Tuesday, January 17, 2023, for a free Community Association Board Member Certification Course. This is a
Join Jimerson Birr on Thursday, December 8, 2022, for a free Community Association Board Member Certification Course. This is
Join Jimerson Birr on Tuesday, January 17, 2023, for a free Community Association Board Member Certification Course. This is a
Join Jimerson Birr on Thursday, December 8, 2022, for a free Community Association Board Member Certification Course. This is
A successful ransomware attack can cost a business hundreds of thousands of dollars or more in cash, plus weeks of lost
Q: What is an assessment? A: As defined by Chapter 718 of the Florida Statutes, “assessment” is a share of the funds which
Q: What is considered a board meeting? A: A condominium board meeting is defined as any gathering of the members of the