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(Shareholder)
jadams@becker-poliakoff.com
Joseph E. Adams concentrates his legal practice on the law of community associations, primarily representing condominium, cooperative, and homeowners’ associations, as well as country clubs, mobile home communities, and amenities associations, including marinas and golf courses. Mr. Adams also represents developer clients regarding association operations.
Mr. Adams joined Becker & Poliakoff, P.A. in 1987. He is the Managing Shareholder of the Firm’s Naples and Fort Myers Offices, and also oversees the Firm’s other Regional Offices, as a member of the Firm’s Management Committee. Mr. Adams has achieved an “AV” rating from Martindale–Hubbell, which “identifies a lawyer with very high to preeminent legal ability, [and] is a reflection of expertise, experience, integrity and overall professional excellence.”
Mr. Adams’ writings involving community association law and operations include numerous newsletter and magazine articles, three published Law Review articles, and a Chapter in the past three editions of the Florida Bar handbook for attorneys regarding condominium law, specifically the drafting of condominium association articles of incorporation and bylaws. Mr. Adams’ writings have been cited by the Florida appellate courts and in the Florida Statutes Annotated as legal authority.
Mr. Adams has been very active in community association legislation and rulemaking and has drafted several pieces of legislation affecting community associations which have been adopted by the Florida Legislature. Mr. Adams served from 1992 through 2006 as a delegate to the Community Association Institute / Florida Legislative Alliance, a Florida-based legislative committee which is actively involved in community association legislation and served as the Alliance’s Chairman for two terms. He is certified by The Division of Florida Land Sales, Condominiums and Mobile Homes as a public course instructor on condominium law and operations, including association dispute resolution.
Mr. Adams has actively participated in the University of Miami School of Law’s Annual Cluster Housing Institute, the premiere annual seminar for Florida’s community association lawyers. Mr. Adams has also lectured at other programs for Florida attorneys and is an active member of the Real Property Section’s Committee on Condominiums and Planned Unit Developments. In February 2005, Mr. Adams was a featured speaker at the Sixth Annual Windstorm Insurance Conference, Florida’s major annual seminar for the insurance industry. Due to the extensive experience gained by Mr. Adams in assisting association clients with Hurricane Charley recovery, Mr. Adams was chosen to present “Adjusting Condominium Losses.”
Mr. Adams served on Governor Jeb Bush’s 2003-2004 Task Force on Homeowners’ Associations, and toured the state listening to input regarding recommended reforms to the laws. In that capacity, Mr. Adams was the author of the “Bill of Rights for Florida Homeowners’ Associations,” major portions of which were approved by the Task Force, adopted by the Florida Legislature, signed by the Governor, and which became Florida Law in June of 2004.
Florida Trend magazine has recognized Mr. Adams in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 among its “Legal Elite” in the area of Real Estate/Community Association Law. This designation is based upon a poll of Florida attorneys, who select peers in the top 2% of their respective practice areas. In 2005, 2006 and 2007, Mr. Adams was also designated as a “Florida Super Lawyer,” by Law & Politics magazine, which named Florida’s top lawyers, as chosen by their peers.
Activities & Memberships
Mr. Adams was a speaker at the May, 2004 Annual Meeting of Community Associations Institute held in San Diego, California. Mr. Adams served on a panel with international authorities on community association law including Nevada’s Ombudsman for Common Interest Communities; England’s Housing Ombudsman; Australia’s Chief Housing Officer; the Hawaii Real Estate Commissioner; a member of the California Law Revision Commission; and the Chair of the Canadian Condominium Institute. The program was entitled: “The Role of Government in Community Association Dispute Resolution.”
Mr. Adams is a Member of the College of Community Association Lawyers. Membership in the College is reserved for attorneys who have focused their practice in the law of community associations for at least ten years, and have demonstrated leadership in the field through scholarly writings, legislative activities, and other contributions to the industry. In January of 2006, Mr. Adams was a speaker at the Annual Meeting of the College, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mr. Adams presented a speech focusing on the ethical responsibilities of community association attorneys, entitled: “Public Perception of Attorneys, How Community Association Attorneys Can Help Restore The Image of the Profession.”
Florida’s Speaker of the House of Representatives appointed Mr. Adams to serve on the Advisory Council on Condominiums effective October 1, 2004. In January 2005, Mr. Adams was elected as Chairman of the Advisory Council, served a term of one year as Chairman, and served on the Council through September 30, 2007.
Publications
Mr. Adams is the author of a weekly newspaper article called " Community Life", that have appeared in the weekly Real Estate Section of the Fort Myers News-Press since 1996. His three law review articles were published by the Nova Law Review, Nova Southeastern University.
Bar Admissions
Pennsylvania, 1984
Florida, 1985
Education
J.D., University of Pittsburgh, 1984
B.A., University of Pittsburgh, 1981
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