Opinion ID: 1734452
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Amendment to the Bylaws

Text: The referee found that Klein failed to provide competent representation in connection with the attempt to amend the bylaws of the Westwood HOA because the deed restrictions required that any bylaw amendment have the approval of the developer and the institutional lenders. The referee found that Klein failed to obtain such approval, and therefore Klein had violated rule 4-1.1 (lawyer shall provide competent representation). Klein claims that he informed the Board of the Westwood HOA that the approval of the institutional lenders was needed, but the Board rejected his advice. Klein also asserts that the developer was no longer in business so the approval could not have been obtained. There is competent substantial evidence in the record to support the referee's findings. Even if we accept Klein's argument that such approval was unobtainable, the summary judgment entered in the Lewis and Martin federal litigation held that the amendment was invalid because the Westwood HOA was not authorized to amend the bylaws in a manner inconsistent with the deed restrictions. Because the amendment Klein prepared was inconsistent with the deed restrictions, we approve the referee's finding that Klein failed to provide competent representation.