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Lisa A. Magill, Esq.

Lisa A. Magill

Becker & Poliakoff P.A.
3111 Stirling Road
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33312
Tel: (954) 965-5053
Fax: (954) 985-4176

Lisa A. Magill is a Shareholder in Becker & Poliakoff's Community Association Law Practice Group in the Ft. Lauderdale office. Lisa spent several years as head of this Practice Group in the Firm's Sarasota office. She focuses her practice on the representation of condominium, homeowner, cooperative and other common interest realty associations. She has long been active on several Boards of Directors of the Community Associations Institute (CAI) where she has been a featured speaker on issues such as co-ownership housing laws, covenant enforcement, and association operations for Associations' Board members, managers and other professionals in this field. She has delivered educational presentations at Nova Southeastern University, Lynn University, Florida Atlantic University's Life Long Learning, Lecture Series, served as an instructor for the "People's Law School" at the Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University and authored and presented several courses qualifying for continuing education credits for licensed Community Association Managers (CAM).

Lisa was recognized as "Legal Elite" in 2005, 2006 and 2011 by Florida Trend. This award is bestowed upon less than 2% of the attorneys licensed to practice in Florida.

You can view her full bio at the firm's website.

Lisa has contributed her expert opinion and experience to the HOAleader.com articles below.

HOA Communications: Dos and Don'ts for Responding to Owners' Letters to the Board
February 2012
Surely, you get letters from owners. The question is how your should HOA Board of Directors respond. Do all letters require a response? If not, which do, and which don't? And who should respond? Your board president, the property manager, or another person? Finally, what should and shouldn't you include in responses to owners' letters? Here we offer dos and don'ts. . . . keep reading

Your HOA Has Too Much Extra Money--Seriously?
February 17, 2012
In this week's tip, we help you with an enviable problem: Your HOA is too flush, and you're actually considering slashing the assessments you charge owners. . . . keep reading

Should You Lower HOA Assessments?
February 2012
Yes, you read that right. There are actually some condo and homeowners associations on such solid financial ground that they're considering lowering assessments. Here's the analysis to consider when your HOA is in that lucky position. . . . keep reading

Employees Using HOA Plastic? 5 Tips Help You Thwart Theft
February 10, 2012
This week's tip will help you outsmart unscrupulous employees lured to your HOA's hefty bank accounts. . . . keep reading

5 Tips to Limit HOA Credit and Debit Card Risks
February 2012
A Durham, N.C., HOA now has a "bare-bones" 2012 budget after discovering $150,000-$200,000 in theft by an employee, according to a November 2011 report in The Herald Sun. The theft from the 1,000-home Parkwood Homeowners Association occurred mostly through the use of HOA debit cards linked to the HOA's checking account. The alleged thief made cash withdrawals at ATMs and used owners' money for online gambling and to bankroll Las Vegas and Miami junkets. . . . keep reading

FHA Condo Certification Update; What You Need to Know
February 2012
Condo associations are still struggling to meet Federal Housing Administration certification requirements for mortgages insured by the federal agency. Here's the latest FHA condo certification news. . . . keep reading

Can Your HOA's Manager Impose Fees on Owners Without Board Approval? Discussion Forum Follow-Up
February 2012
An HOAleader.com member asks if a management company can impose fees on owners without notifying the board or getting board approval. The short answer is no. But is the owner sure the board hasn't approved the fee? . . . keep reading

How and When Should You Bid Out Homeowners Association Work?
May 2011
At most HOAs, bidding out work is an on-the-fly type process. It's not uniform, and sometimes the process works better than at other times. Why does that matter? Because when your bidding process doesn't work well, your HOA is probably losing money. Instead of an unplanned process, your board should have guidelines covering when it will request bids for work and how the bids will be solicited and reviewed. Here, we show you how. . . . keep reading

HOA Management Companies: A Practical Guide for Homeowners Association Boards
In this exclusive HOA management special report, we offer insight and guidance on finding a good HOA manager and determining whether you need an onsite manager, must-have and must-not-have contract language, and tips for responding when your management company isn't doing its job, including guidance on when to cut ties or work toward a better relationship. We also educate going-it-alone boards on best practices for self-managed homeowners associations, and much, much more. . . . keep reading

"Force-Placed" Insurance: What Your HOA Board Must Know
May 6, 2011
In this week's tip, we warn you of the possibility of surprise insurance costs if your HOA has taken out a loan. It's called "forced-placed" insurance, and it can be costly to your HOA. . . . keep reading

Can Your Lender Buy HOA Insurance and Charge Your HOA for It?
May 2011
HOA boards beware: If a lender holds a mortgage on your HOA property or on an owners' property, it can enforce its requirement that your HOA carry adequate insurance coverage for its assets--regardless of whether you want that coverage or can afford it. Here's what you should know about this practice so that you can protect your HOA and avoid spending unnecessary money. . . . keep reading

HOA Meetings: Does Your State Have Rules for Your Meeting Agendas?
July 2010
If you can believe it, some states regulate your meeting agendas. Check your state law and governing documents to determine rules that govern your agendas. Here's a brief sample of state rules. . . . keep reading

HOA Email: Does Your State Permit Email for Handling Homeowner Association Business?
June 2010
In this article, we discuss a handful of state laws governing the use of email to conduct condo or homeowners association business while offering insight for making sure you're using email smartly and legally. . . . keep reading

HOA Communications: Six Tips for Keeping Absentee Owners in the Loop
June 2010
When owners don't live on site, it's harder to get them involved in your homeowner or condominium association and even to communicate with them. Here are six tips for setting up strong communication channels with absentee owners so your association can continue to operate smoothly. . . . keep reading

HOA Complaints: Turn Owners' Frowns Upside Down
June 25, 2010
Complaints from owners in your condominium or homeowners association don't have to stress you out. Use this week's tip to implement a process for handling complaints that will result in happier board members and owners. . . . keep reading

HOA Dispute Resolution: Six Tips for Handling Homeowners' Complaints Successfully
June 2010
It's a fact of association life: Owners will complain. But the process doesn't have to get ugly. You can create a process for handling complaints so that none fall through the cracks and owners feel like their concerns are heard. Here are six tips for doing just that. . . . keep reading

More Headlines

HOA Finances:
Best Practices for Getting Your Homeowners Association through Difficult Economic Times

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