Becker & Poliakoff

Perspectives

Our attorneys are thought leaders in their field who keep our clients updated on the latest developments in their areas of interest. Explore our robust library of articles, blog posts, guidebooks, media commentary, and news.

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Community Association Insights with Industry Leader Dawn Bauman of the Community Associations Institute (CAI)

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! Learn the secrets to help your community thrive on this week’s Take It To The Board podcast, as host Donna DiMaggio Berger sits down with Dawn Bauman, Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs at the Community Associations Institute (CAI). Dawn is a leading advocate for […]

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Mastering Construction Contracts: Essential Insights with Steve Lesser

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! Whether replacing a roof, undergoing major concrete restoration, or updating your common areas, understanding construction contracts is essential to secure the best possible outcome for your repair or renovation projects. In this week’s Take It To The Board podcast, host Donna DiMaggio Berger unlocks the secrets […]

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Redesigning Golf– Teeing Up a Discussion on Golf Course Communities with Golf Course Architect Erik Larsen

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! Ready to reevaluate your perceptions of golf course communities and their design? In this episode, host Donna DiMaggio Berger takes you behind the scenes with Erik Larsen, Golf Course Architect and former Vice President of the Arnold Palmer Design Company, as he reveals the intricacies of transforming […]

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CERTified Safe: Empowering Community Associations with Dr. Jesse P. Spearo

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! Can ordinary citizens become heroes during a disaster? Discover how Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) help everyday people play essential roles in emergency situations. Join Take It To The Board host Donna DiMaggio Berger and guest Dr. Jesse P. Spearo, the Emergency Management Administrator […]

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The Truth About Service Animals and ESAs– Real vs. Fake

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! Millions of people depend on assistance animals to help them engage in major life activities. On the flip side, some people try to pass off their pets as assistance animals to skirt the rules in pet-restricted communities, restaurants, airplanes, and other places where pets […]

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A Board Members’ Guide to Unexpected Issues – Your Questions Answered

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! Navigating the complexities of community association governance is increasingly challenging due to evolving laws, heightened personal liability for board members, and onerous regulation including the personal information required of volunteer board members under the controversial Corporate Transparency Act. In this episode of Take It […]

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From Chaos to Order: Tips from a Decluttering Pro on Hoarding and Maintaining Your Association’s Records

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! Are you struggling with a hoarder in your association and need practical advice? Do your Association’s books and records need some attention now that new laws in Florida require them to be kept in an “organized fashion”? Tune in to “Take it to the […]

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Revolutionizing Coastal Defense, 3D-Printed Living Seawalls with Anya Freeman of Kind Designs

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! The recent flooding in South Florida makes today’s episode of Take It To The Board particularly timely.  Anya Freeman, the visionary founder of Kind Designs, sits down with host Donna DiMaggio Berger to explain her groundbreaking approach to protecting our coastal properties and shorelines. Anya […]

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A Lobbyist’s Lens: A Bird’s Eye View of the Legislative Process, Community Advocacy and Condo Law with Lobbyist Travis Moore of Moore Relations, Inc.

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! Host Donna DiMaggio Berger takes listeners behind the curtain of Florida’s legislative process with lobbyist Travis Moore of Moore Relations, Inc. to uncover what lobbyists do, how they do it, and why community association leaders and residents need to know about this process. Together, they discuss […]

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Association Committees with Becker’s Ken Direktor

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! Does your association have committees? Do you find them to be a helpful addition to association operations or a harmful “shadow board” with the potential to create liability for the association, its directors, and members? Host Donna DiMaggio Berger sits down with Ken Direktor, Chair of […]

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The Benefits of “Umbrella Organizations” with Brickell Homeowners Association’s President, Ernesto Cuesta

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! When it comes to community associations, joining forces under a voluntary “umbrella organization” often proves more beneficial than going it alone. Members reap the rewards of shared knowledge, vendor connections, advocacy, and educational resources. In this week’s episode of Take It To The Board, […]

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Cooking Up Community Connection with Tim and Lara Boyd of Mustard Seed Bistro

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! Food does more than just tantalize your taste buds—it can also weave communities together and ignite change. In this episode, host Donna DiMaggio Berger is joined by Tim and Lara Boyd from Mustard Seed Bistro in Plantation to explore how simple community cookouts can spark vital […]

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Crafting and Protecting Your Community’s Trademark with Becker’s Valeria Angelucci

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! Has your association ever faced the challenge of a shadow website or social media page imitating your own? Have you discovered your community’s name being used by a business entity without permission? Host Donna DiMaggio Berger, along with guest Valeria Angelucci from Becker’s Corporate Practice, shed light […]

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Everything You Need to Know About Concrete Restoration Projects with Alessandra Bianchini, of Carousel Development and Restoration Inc.

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! At some point, every building will require concrete repairs and restoration. If you’ve ever undertaken a concrete restoration project, you’re aware of the many challenges they entail:  substantial costs, lengthy time delays, irritation over hurricane shutters, windows and doors, uncooperative owners and the potential […]

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Understanding How to Handle your Association’s Insurance Claim with Public Insurance Adjuster Ken Shriberg

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! Various types of casualty events, including fires, floods, explosions, windstorms, and even the unavoidable burst water pipe, will likely occur at some point in your community’s lifespan which means your board will have to submit an insurance claim. That process can make your association […]

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Not In My Backyard! Regulating Short-Term Vacation Rentals with Texas Attorney David Schwarte

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! It’s a complex issue that is reshaping neighborhoods and communities across the country. We are talking about Airbnb, a homestay rental experience that has quickly become a major disruptor in the global hospitality industry. It’s also become a major security concern in many private […]

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Navigating Defamation Lawsuits and Non-Compete Clauses with Keith Grumer, of Grumer Law

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! The topic of defamation has become more prevalent as civil discourse has eroded. Unfortunately, sometimes it is the rare board member and/or manager who has not been subject to some form of potential slander or libel throughout their course of community association service. Host Donna […]

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Everybody’s Sick: The Best Ways to Prevent Illness in a Multifamily Community with Dr. Jason Mansour of Broward Health

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! Does it seem like everyone around you is coughing, sniffling, or under the weather? It’s no coincidence—we’re currently in the middle of cold and flu season. Join Donna DiMaggio Berger and guest Dr. Jason Mansour, Chair of Emergency Medicine at Broward Health, to learn the best ways […]

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Practical Policies & Protocols Your Board Needs to Adopt with Claude Jennings, Jr.

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! What’s the secret to a highly functioning community association? Host Donna DiMaggio Berger and Take It To the Board’s producer, Claude Jennings Jr. look back on Take It To The Board’s 2023 season and revisit some of the most important conversations about community association living while answering listener […]

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Eyes Everywhere – Understanding Community Surveillance Options with Louis DiGioia of IC Real Time

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! Ever wondered how a camera can pick out a face in the crowd or if that gym security camera is a watchful guardian or an intrusive eye? Discover the intricate dance between security and privacy in our neighborhoods, as host, Donna DiMaggio Berger, sits down […]

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Contemplating Condo Terminations with John Cadden of the Condominium Advisory Group

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! Is your older, cash-strapped condominium or cooperative association contemplating a termination and/or sale to a developer? The once rare ideas of a termination and sale have now become much more common as community members struggle to maintain, repair and insure older buildings. Host Donna DiMaggio […]

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The B Word: Bankruptcy, Its Benefits and Challenges with Attorney Jeffrey Bast

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! This episode of Take It To The Board sheds light on a legal process that may be needed to help both struggling associations and their individual members. In these challenging economic times, more people are asking whether filing for bankruptcy protection is the right […]

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Show Me the Money: Investment Strategies with Michael Coady and Kenny Polcari of Slatestone Wealth

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! Financially strapped community associations are always looking for new revenue sources but is a sound investment strategy a possible path to avoiding large budget increases or special assessments? In this episode, host Donna DiMaggio Berger, along with investment gurus Michael Coady, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer for […]

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Saving Lives in Your Community Association: Defibrillators (AEDs), Bleeding Control Kits (BCKs), and CERTs with Dr. Jason Mansour

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! Does your community association have an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) or a Bleeding Control Kit (BCK) on hand in the worst-case scenario and do you have trained people on hand to use these devices? Do you have a gym, pickleball/tennis courts, and other recreational […]

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Pesky Critters in Your Community? Top Tips From Wildlife Expert and Trapper Todd Hardwick

For more episodes of Take It To The Board, click here! As developers continue to build at a brisk pace, community association residents often find themselves sharing space with all types of wildlife including the good, the bad and the dangerous! What would you do if you spotted an alligator in your community pool?  How […]

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