Opinion ID: 2800778
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: Pursuant to rule 10-9 of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, The Florida Bar’s Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section petitioned the Standing Committee on Unlicensed Practice of Law (“the Standing Committee”) for an advisory opinion on the activities of community association managers (“CAMS”). 2 The petitioner sought confirmation that the activities found to be the unlicensed practice of law in the 1996 opinion (Florida Bar re: Advisory Opinion– Activities of Community Association Managers, 681 So. 2d 1119 (Fla. 1996)) continue to be the unlicensed practice of law. Those activities (hereinafter 1996 opinion) include the following: A. drafting of a claim of lien and satisfaction of claim of lien; B. preparing a notice of commencement; C. determining the timing, method, and form of giving notices of meetings; D. determining the votes necessary for certain actions by community associations; E. addressing questions asking for the application of a statute or rule; and F. advising community associations whether a course of action is 2. Although the request for opinion addresses CAMS specifically, the Standing Committee’s opinion would apply to the activities of any nonlawyer. 5 authorized by statute or rule. The petitioner also asked if it was the unlicensed practice of law for a CAM to engage in any of the following activities (hereinafter “2012 request”): 1. Preparation of a Certificate of assessments due once the delinquent account is turned over to the association’s lawyer; 2. Preparation of a Certificate of assessments due once a foreclosure against the unit has commenced; 3. Preparation of Certificate of assessments due once a member disputes in writing to the association the amount alleged as owed; 4. Drafting of amendments (and certificates of amendment that are recorded in the official records) to declaration of covenants, bylaws, and articles of incorporation when such documents are to be voted upon by the members; 5. Determination of number of days to be provided for statutory notice; 6. Modification of limited proxy forms promulgated by the State; 7. Preparation of documents concerning the right of the association to approve new prospective owners; 8. Determination of affirmative votes needed to pass a proposition or amendment to recorded documents; 9. Determination of owners’ votes needed to establish a quorum; 6 10. Drafting of pre-arbitration demand letters required by 718.1255, Fla. Stat.; 11. Preparation of construction lien documents (e.g. notice of commencement, and lien waivers, etc.); 12. Preparation, review, drafting and/or substantial involvement in the preparation/execution of contracts, including construction contracts, management contracts, cable television contracts, etc.; 13. Identifying, through review of title instruments, the owners to receive pre-lien letters; and 14. Any activity that requires statutory or case law analysis to reach a legal conclusion. Pursuant to Rule 10-9.1(f) of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, public notice of the hearing was provided on The Florida Bar’s website, in The Florida Bar News, and in the Orlando Sentinel. The Standing Committee held a public hearing on June 22, 2012. Testifying on behalf of the petitioner was Steve Mezer, an attorney who is the chairman of the Condominium and Planning Development Committee of the Real Property Probate and Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar, and attorney Scott Peterson. In addition to the petitioner, the Standing Committee received testimony from Mitchell Drimmer, a CAM; Jeffrey M. Oshinsky, General Counsel 7 of Association Financial Services, a licensed collection agency; Andrew Fortin, Vice-President of Government Relations for Associa, a community management company; Kelley Moran, Vice-President of Rampart Properties and a CAM; Robert Freedman, an attorney; Erica White, prosecuting attorney for the Regulatory Council of Community Association Managers located within the Department of Business and Professional Regulation; Jane Cornett, an attorney; Tony Kalliche, Executive Vice-President and general counsel for the Continental Group, a community association management firm; David Felice, an attorney, a CAM, and owner of a community association management firm; Christopher Davies, an attorney; Brad van Rooyen, Executive Director of the Chief Executive Offices of Management Companies; Victoria Laney; Alan Garfinkel, an attorney; and Michael Gelfand, an attorney. There were also several individuals present to observe the hearing. In addition to the testimony presented at the hearing, the Standing Committee received written testimony which has been filed with this Court. Included in the written testimony was a form petition that was submitted by hundreds of homeowner and condominium associations. As the petitions are substantially the same, only one has been filed with the Court as part of the written testimony. By and large the testimony reflects the belief that the previous guidance provided by the Court in its 1996 opinion provides adequate guidance in 8 this area and another opinion is not necessary. The testimony also reflected their concerns that too much regulation in this area will raise the cost of living in these communities and could potentially have a serious financial impact on community associations, property owners, and CAMS.