Patrick C. Howell

Bio

Patrick Howell is a distinguished attorney specializing in construction law, earning Board Certification from the Florida Bar—a designation held by less than 1% of Florida lawyers. This certification reflects his exceptional skill, expertise, professionalism, and ethics in construction law and litigation.

Patrick has successfully represented condominiums and homeowners associations across Florida in turnover and construction defect claims, securing millions of dollars in recoveries against developers, contractors, design professionals, and subcontractors. Beyond his extensive trial experience, Patrick has argued and won cases in appellate courts, including the First, Second, and Fifth District Courts of Appeal. Notably, he achieved a landmark victory in Maronda Homes v. Lakeview Reserve before the Florida Supreme Court, a case celebrated for advancing consumer protection and community association rights in Florida.

Given his profound expertise, Patrick is frequently invited by the Florida Bar to teach classes for attorneys preparing for the Board Certification Exam, further solidifying his reputation as a leader in construction law.

EXPERIENCE

As construction counsel for residential community associations, Patrick is able to handle a community’s construction defect claim from beginning to end, including:

• Meeting with prospective clients to discuss their potential turnover and construction defect claims and dispensing practical advice based on his years of experience in construction law
• Working with expert engineers and architects to prepare reports documenting the defects
• Presenting the liable parties, including developers, contractors, design professionals, and subcontractors, with a claim pursuant to Chapter 558, Florida Statutes
• Filing a construction defect lawsuit or arbitration claim
• Concluding the dispute and recovering damages, either at a settlement conference or at through a trial verdict or arbitration award
• Conferring with his client to identify how to maximize the funds recovered to correct the defects
• Drafting contracts for the repair of the association’s common areas or common elements.

RECOGNITION

Patrick argued the following appellate cases before the First, Second, and Fifth District Courts of Appeal, as well as the Florida Supreme Court: Maronda Homes v. Lakeview Reserve HOA, Meritage Homes v. Lakes Roberts Landing HOA, Kings Ridge Community Ass’n, Inc. v. Sagamore Ins. Co., Airtran Airways v. AvAero Noise Reduction Joint Venture, Reserve at Wedgefield HOA v. Dixon, Lake Forest Master Comm. Ass’n, Inc. v. Orlando Lake Forrest Joint Venture, and Onionskin, Inc. v. DeCiccio.

Patrick has written numerous articles for the “Central Florida Times,” a monthly newsletter published by the Central Florida Chapter of the Community Association Institute, and for the “Community Connection,” the monthly newsletter published by the Northeast Florida Chapter of the Community Association Institute.

Patrick enjoys speaking on construction defect and turnover topics to board members and community association managers at in-person events and webinars hosted by the Firm, CAM University, Connect, ProCAM, the Florida Bar, and Community Association Institute chapters all over the State of Florida.

Patrick has been recognized by his peers as among the Best Lawyers in America© for Construction Law since 2020.

PROFESSIONAL / COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

• The Florida Bar (Member, Trial Section)
• Member, Orange County Bar Association Construction Law Committee
• Orange County Bar Association
• Chair, Construction Law Committee, 2020
• Council Member, Community Association Institute-Florida Legislative Committee (CAI-FLA)
• Member, Northeast Florida CAI
• Member, Central Florida CAI
• Member, Connect
• Member, ProCAM
• Member, CAM University
• President of the Board, Orlando Youth Alliance
• Former Board Member, Frederick Leadership Initiative
• Former Chairman, Orange County Affordable Housing Citizen Advisory Board