Homeowners and condominium associations, and cooperatives, have multi-faceted legal needs. Aside from developer/sponsor transition needs, and collection work, counsel drafts, reviews and negotiates service, improvement, management and other contracts, and creates, and helps enforce rules, regulations and restrictive covenants. Counsel advises clients on an association’s, and cooperative’s, obligations with respect to alternative dispute resolution. Counsel must be familiar with federal, state and local laws and regulations, and adept at managing and handling municipal and state relationships. In this regard, counsel advises as to municipal relations and fair housing compliance, and interpretations of governing documents. Using both a team and cross-disciplinary approach, Stark & Stark’s Community Association Group brings together attorneys with expertise in corporate law, bankruptcy, collections, real estate and litigation. The Group is thus able to counsel as well as advocate for its clients.
Association and/or Cooperative counsel must understand the practical challenges faced by boards and management every day. Counsel must support, help and educate property managers, board members and other professionals – privately and in the context of open meetings. Counsel must work closely with engineers, insurance professionals, accountants and other professionals.
