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How can an association or developer protect its rights against difficult, meddlesome or all-out dangerous neighbors? The answer is simple, “good neighbor agreements.” A good neighbor agreement is a contractual agreement between neighbors, which can be used to outline protocols, policies, and mutual rules of respect and safety between the parties.

Representing real estate developers and condo associations both come with unique skill sets with the multitude of issues that arise when developing large-scale projects. On The Real Estate Law Podcast, Alexander Leon, an attorney with Haber Law focusing on construction law in South Florida, shares his insights. With over a decade of experience representing both […]

To help meet a spike in the demand for condominium and construction law expertise in South Florida, Haber Law recently brought on the entire seven-attorney team from boutique Gursky Ragan PA, which specializes in construction and condominium law. Law360 Pulse recently caught up with the founders of the two firms to learn more about the […]

“You can organically grow, which is very painful,” said Haber Law managing partner David Haber. “Alternatively, you can join forces with someone else that already has that infrastructure.”

The move will join the two firms offering a deeper, broader range of legal expertise

Haber Law has been named to the Daily Business Review’s 2023 Watch List because of the firm’s impressive 25% growth in attorney headcount in just the first half of 2023, piggybacking on a similar expansion in 2022. Haber Law’s inclusion in the DBR’s 2023 Watch List is a testament to our ongoing commitment to the […]

As we continue our series on South Florida’s housing crisis, tonight we focus on condos. Some of the estimated 3.5 million Floridians living in condo units face a perfect storm of financial problems, with no easy fix. David Podein, attorney, Haber Law: “I think it is a dire situation on the horizon.” Condo law attorneys […]

As one of the top experts on condominium and HOA law in Miami, David Podein gives an insider’s view into the booming yet complex high-end real estate market down in Miami. He provides his insights into the booming Miami real estate market, noting sky-high demand for luxury single-family homes and condos. David also shares valuable […]

Macklowe affiliate acquired Biscayne Sea Club co-op and is acquiring units at adjacent condo building

Theft of association funds, election fraud and brazen bullying continues, residents and suits say

This potentially unsettling phenomenon is poised to rise from a confluence of factors, including the newly enacted SB-4D and 154 reserve funding and repair laws, skyrocketing insurance costs, inflation, obsolescence, rising sea levels and intensifying hurricanes, and other financial burdens.

A lawyer who advocates for homeowners has revealed a rampant issue of fraud among HOAs when everyday people are in complete control.

“Right away we were all handling cases on Zoom, whereas in other states, the transition’s been a lot slower and it didn’t take effect that quickly,” said Roger Slade, the immediate past president of the Miami-Dade Bar Association.

Higher deductibles can lower insurance premiums—but they are a gamble. Homeowners in search of relief from rising insurance bills are offering to pay more out of pocket in the event of fire, theft or other damage to their property.

Deals are falling apart, stalling or resulting in messy legal fights in South Florida

South Florida’s booming real estate market comes with inflation and stress on infrastructure; Higher housing prices, stress on infrastructure and less capacity at schools could dampen the region’s allure; Developers are seeing some pressure on mid-market deals.

David Haber joined This Week in South Florida with host Glenna Milberg to discuss Florida’s new condo laws. Haber is one of South Florida’s leading attorney’s in condo and construction law. He is on the front lines with homeowners associations.

Some of the same problems and dynamics remain in South Florida that led to the deadly collapse.

Proposed 57-unit oceanfront building could be approved by year-end, though project is in for a public relations test

David B. Haber, Managing and Founding Shareholder of Haber Law agrees that the continuation of alternative methods of communication have been helpful to the practice of law at his firm post-COVID.

Congratulations to David B. Haber for being ranked for the second consecutive year in Chambers USA: Construction! For over two decades, Chambers USA has been the world’s leading legal data and analytics provider, recognizing and showcasing the top lawyers and law firms across the country. This prestigious ranking underscores Mr. Haber’s expertise and dedication to […]

Condo owners who purchase poorly constructed properties in the Sunshine State could have no legal recourse.

Florida legislature, real estate edition: Here’s what you need to know Bills tied to HOA oversight, condo safety and approval challenges headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk for his signature

“The association is doing what it has to do, not only for Florida law, but also to make its building safe and to make the board of directors discharge their fiduciary duty to all of the condominium residents,” said Steven Davis of Haber Law in Miami.

Attorney David Haber, who specializes in condo law, said when it comes to investigating HOAs and property management companies, Florida has a resource problem. “They have passed laws that says there could be civil penalties, criminal liability, that’s great. Who is out there checking? The Department of Business and Professional Regulation is there to enforce […]

In this episode of the Miami Real Estate podcast, David Podein, a Partner and chair of the Real Estate and Transactional Law Group at Miami-based Haber Law, sheds color on the Florida Senate Bill 4D and what it means for Miami condo owners. Florida’s Senate Bill 4D, which was passed in May 2022, and made […]

The evacuation of their buildings revealed a stark truth: Their apartments are likely going to be expensive to repair — and the fees will only go up, up, up.

Ariella Gutman is a partner at Haber Law in the litigation department, focusing on matters including contractual disputes, complex commercial cases, business fraud, real estate litigation, partnership disputes, and litigation specific to issues within the hospitality industry. Ms. Gutman is experienced in all types of issues businesses face during all phases of their lifecycle and […]

In late May of this year, the signs were already rising with the dry hot sun of interest rate increases. With them went the costs of interest rate caps. “The prices have skyrocketed,” David Podein, a partner at Haber Law in Miami who focuses on commercial real estate, tells GlobeSt.com. “In some instances, the price […]

Carlos Castañeda and Genesis Martusciello fled Venezuela in the middle of the previous decade, arriving in Miami with little money and few prospects but in search of a better life.

Hybrid work and a better work-life balance are luring more candidates to midsize firms, as Big Law becomes more stringent with return-to-work policies

Law360 (September 21, 2022, 3:58 PM EDT) — As a string of national firms have recently planted flags in South Florida, the region’s booming legal market has also boosted outfits like the Miamibased boutique Haber Law, which has increased its headcount by 25% over the last six months with a focus on practices tied to […]

South Florida’s real estate and construction booms drove hiring at the now-23-lawyer firm. which lured even more new faces as assoaates were drawr the firm’s growth and flexible working policies.  

It could become an unpleasant choice for many South Florida condominium owners, ahead of a new state building inspection law driven by last year’s catastrophic collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside.

Nearly all newly elected board members in the state, and their management teams, come across this issue shortly after turnover-whether to investigate and pursue claims for construction defects at their property. Some of the main deciding factors of whether to pursue the claims are the costs and effort. By Chris Utrera and Kara Olesky

For developers, the tragedy resulted in increased scrutiny, but also opportunities. They must be more careful when building now, but the crackdown on condo maintenance will lead to the redevelopment of older buildings.

“I’ve been seeing a trend where the courts are making the requirements on proposal for settlement increasingly strictly over the last few years,” said Anthony J. Russo, a trial lawyer not involved in the underlying matter.      

Florida lawmakers on Tuesday reached a deal on the most significant overhaul of Florida’s condominium laws in two decades, seeking to prevent a repeat of last year’s catastrophic collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside that left 98 dead.      

Law360 – Florida’s special session this month is expected to address major issues hitting the state’s insurance market hard, with one area of focus on how changes to building codes for properties in the state could positively affect homeowners’ premiums and insurer concerns.    

Fort Lauderdale — The ugly feud between the boat show and its Bahia Mar landlord shows no sign of fizzling anytime soon.        

The developer that aims to redevelop 39 acres of cityowned land at the Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale Beach hotel is countersuing the organizers of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show for damages in excess of $10 million.        

It is never too early to start networking and thinking about career/business development. In the past five years of my career I have focused on this, but the reality is that law is a business, and you are your brand, so on the sooner you understand this, you are ahead of many of your contemporaries. […]

After a catastrophic partial building collapse in Surfside left 98 dead and a community traumatized, Florida’s lawmakers were tasked with finding a legislative solution to long simmering issues of lax inspections, poor upkeep and sloppy enforcement of 40-year structural recertifications, all seen as factors that may have contributed to the tragedy at Champlain Towers South. […]

Despite the tragic condominium collapse in Surfside in June 2021, the Florida Legislature has still not agreed on a bill that would require more rigorous inspections for condo.        

“Just be aware of the big picture. You don’t need to have a scorched earth mentality or approach in order to get the best result for your client,” said Christopher Utrera of Haber Law.        

The awards recognize top leaders in the tri-county area who have created business success stories and provided leadership to women and the broader community. MIAMI, Fla. – March 1, 2022 – Haber Law is pleased to announce Rebecca Newman Casamayor, Esq., partner at the Firm, has been recognized as an honoree in the Rising Stars […]

We all know that you can divorce your husband or your wife when the relationship turns bad, but can you divorce your business partner? You sure can.

David B. Haber and Franchesco Soto of Haber Law recognized for their work in Construction Law and Construction Litigation. MIAMI, Fla. — August 27, 2019 — Haber Law, P.A. has announced that Managing and Founding Shareholder David B. Haber and Partner Franchesco Soto have been named in the 26th Edition of The Best Lawyers® in […]

A Miami-Dade judge ruled the developers of Regalia, a luxury condo tower in Sunny Isles Beach, must turn over 100 percent interest in the companies that own the remaining two – and most expensive – unsold units, The Real Deal has learned. The ruling is a blow to the developers who failed to sell the top-priced penthouse […]

Positioned at the intersection of culture and business Haber Law

Law is a service business,” says Haber. “It’s about service and results. Our core values and work style emphasize creativity, efficiency and results.

Whether it be a severe thunderstorm or a full-blown hurricane, it’s important to be prepared for the worst. Hurricane season is around the corner once again, so the question is: Is your law office prepared for the big storm? South Floridians deal with extreme weather conditions every year. Miami is, at best, slightly above sea […]

“How can letting people work less and have more flexibility equate to being more profitable? The answer is in retention…

To the average Floridian, the term “confession of judgment” is likely to be unfamiliar. One reason for this may be because the use of confessions of judgment, by lenders, is prohibited by Florida statute. A confession of judgment is basically a contract provision which allows a creditor to enter a judgment against a debtor without […]