BECKER & POLIAKOFF – PIONEERS OF

COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION LAW?

An Opinion By Jan Bergemann 
President, Cyber Citizens For Justice, Inc.

Published January 17, 2015

Every time I read one of the blogs from one of the Becker & Poliakoff attorneys in the media, I really get a good laugh when reading the line:
“Becker & Poliakoff is one of Florida ’s preeminent law firms, and the firm that pioneered Condominium and Homeowners Association law in Florida .”

Let’s make no mistake, that law firm has worked hard to create community association law in Florida from the very beginning. But is that a reason to be proud of – mentioning it prominently in each of their blogs?
  
I really don’t think so, because the initial Florida Statutes regulating community association law were poorly written and in my opinion created nothing but lawsuits – maybe one of the reasons why the law firm of Becker & Poliakoff created these statutes that contained nothing but vague wording that could be interpreted any which way, helping lawyers to create lots of billing hours.

Honestly, if I would have something to say in that firm I would make sure that nobody gets reminded that the firm helped creating these totally flawed statutes. I think it’s rather an embarrassment for the firm, not anything to be proud of.

Only after Governor Bush created the HOA TASK FORCE in 2003 and State Representative Julio Robaina started filing a myriad of great bills in 2004 the community association statutes started to use common sense, trying to create some laws that were halfway reasonable – and understandable.

There is still a long way to go to make these laws really reasonable – and understandable for the owners living in these mandatory associations.

So far Becker & Poliakoff has clearly failed to support the bills that try to create common sense and attempt to be owner-friendly.

But for obvious reasons you don’t find these attorneys writing the blogs mentioning these facts!

Guess why?