Our Firm represents a number of community associations in a wide range of matters related to: governance and governing documents; relationships with owners, neighbors and vendors; contract review and negotiation; employment disputes; government oversight; fiduciary and other duties and obligations; and collection of assessments, including demand letters, payment plan negotiations, lien filings, foreclosures and lawsuits.

Our community association experience includes:

• Interpreting statutes and regulations, and advising on their applicability to governance;
• Interpreting and drafting governing documents and amendments thereto, including provisions associated with elections, financials, privacy, insurance, repairs, maintenance and various parties’ obligations and duties;
• Drafting and interpreting contracts, licenses and leases;
• Dispensing legal and practical advice regarding day-to-day disputes between community associations, owners, developers, neighbors, vendors, contractors, professionals and governmental entities;
• Preparing clients for elections, Board meetings and membership meetings;
• Advocating for community associations at all levels of litigation, administrative proceedings, alternative dispute resolution and before the DC Council;
• Nearly all facets of collections work for condominium associations, homeowners’ associations and housing cooperatives;
• Counseling community associations on questions associated with fair housing, employment, disability and discrimination laws, including service and emotional support animals; and
• Advising on handling crises and disasters, such as the ongoing health crisis.

The Real Estate and Community Associations Practice also assists a wide variety of organizations with internal procedures and obligations, and counsels organizational clients on employment matters, key employee agreements and litigation avoidance strategies, and ensures that they are in compliance with laws that govern their operation.

The Firm also pursues delinquent unit owners for past due assessments that are not pending in litigation or association-initiated foreclosure proceedings. This process involves reviewing the association's governing documents and creating or modifying collections policies and attendant rules.

We are a “Business Partner” with the Community Associations Institute (CAI) — an advocacy and trade association made up of property managers, community associations, law firms and other service providers. Cary Devorsetz, who manages this practice area, serves as Co-Chair of CAI’s DC Legislative Action Committee. In 2019, CAI’s Washington Metropolitan Chapter named Mr. Devorsetz Advocate of the Year.