Gary A. Poliakoff (Founding Shareholder)
gpoliakoff@becker-poliakoff.com


Professional Experience
Mr. Poliakoff is a founding principal of Becker & Poliakoff, P.A. He served as the Firm's Managing Shareholder for 35 years, from its inception in 1973 until March, 2008. He has devoted a significant part of his career to the practice of Community Association law and is considered one of the foremost authorities on the subject. Recognized internationally as an authority on common interest ownership housing, Mr. Poliakoff has been a consultant to State Legislatures and the White House in drafting common interest ownership housing legislation. He served as the American Bar Association's Advisor to the National Conference of Commissioners of Uniform State Laws in its efforts to revise the Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act. In addition, at the invitation of the Minister of Economics of the Czech Republic, he addressed the Parliament of the Czech Republic on issues relating to the conversion of State housing to private ownership, and, at the invitation of the Russian Academy of Jurisprudence, has lectured in Moscow on common interest ownership issues. In 1990, Mr. Poliakoff served as a member of the State of Florida Condominium Study Commission and, in 1992 and 1993, as a member and chairman of the State of Florida Advisory Council on Condominiums. Twice he has testified before Committees of the United States Senate looking into potential areas of abuse in the sale, development and operation of condominiums. Mr. Poliakoff is the past chair of the H-Group of the American Bar Association, which oversees the Common Interest Ownership Development Committee, the Sports Entertainment & Games Committee, the Hotel, Resorts & Tourism Committee, and the Timeshare & Interval Uses Committee. He served on the Presidential Advisory Board of the University of South Carolina. He also served as a member of the Board of Governors of the College of Community Association Lawyers and as a member of Scribes, an organization which recognizes excellence in legal writing. He is on the Board of Governors of the Shepard Broad Law Center of Nova Southeastern University where he is an Adjunct Professor, teaching Condominium Law and Practice. In 2008, Mr. Poliakoff was recognized as the outstanding Adjunct Professor of the Year for the teaching of Doctrinal Courses.

Mr. Poliakoff has also established himself as a Municipal Attorney. He assisted his own town of Southwest Ranches through their incorporation process and now serves as its Town Attorney, advising Council Members on day to day government operations including procurement issues, land use and zoning, Sunshine and other laws affecting elected officials duties, intergovernmental agreements and the provision of municipal services. He also oversees the firm's representation of the Town's litigation matters.

In addition to practicing law, Mr. Poliakoff has gained national recognition as an authority on the development of disaster plans for common interest ownership housing communities, businesses and law firms. Mr. Poliakoff gained his experience working with condominiums and planned developments impacted by Hurricanes Andrew and Opal, and enhanced that experience by his first-hand involvement in rebuilding following Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Jeanne, Katrina and Wilma. His article, “Disaster Planning and Recovery,” is a primary guide for disaster planning. Mr. Poliakoff is a frequent speaker on the subject at law conferences, business forums and the National Windstorm Conference.

Publications
Among Mr. Poliakoff's published articles are: “Prescription Pets,” Common Ground, January/February 2008; “Disaster Planning and Recovery,"” Nova Law Review, Vol. 31, Summer 2007, No. 3; “The Effect of the Fair Housing Act on Deed Restrictions and Rules and Regulations within Common Interest Ownership Housing Communities,” Probate & Property, Vol. 17, No. 3 May/June 2003 (American Bar Association); “Casenotes: #1 Woodside Village Condominium Association, Inc. v. Jahren, CAI's Journal of Community Association Law, Vol. 6, No. 1, Jan. 2003; “Transition of Control of the Community Association from the Unit Owners Perspective,” Probate & Property, March/April 2002 (American Bar Association); “Remodeling Common Ownership Housing Documents for the 21st Century,” Probate & Property, November/December 2000 (American Bar Association); “The Phantom of the Condominium,” Florida Bar Journal, Volume LXXII, Feb. 1998; “Condominium Law, 1992 Survey of Florida Law,” Nova Law Review, Vol. 17, Fall, 1992, No. 1; “The Florida Condominium Act,” Nova Law Review, Vol. 16 Fall, 1991, Number 1; “The Role of the Association in Condominium Living,” 55 Florida Bar Journal 111; “Condominiums - The Assessment Dilemma,” 54 Florida Bar Journal 268; and “Conflicting Rights in Condominium Living,” 53 Florida Bar Journal 756; Mr. Poliakoff also co-authored “The Woodside Covenants,” Florida Bar Journal, Vol. LXXVII, No. 5, May 2003 and “The Reinstatement of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions Extinguished by the Marketable Record Title Act,” Florida Bar Journal, Vol. 79, No. 5, May 2005. He is co-author of Florida Condominium Law and Practice, The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education, 2007, and author of a national treatise, The Law of Condominium Operations, West Group, 1988.

Mr. Poliakoff also writes a weekly Condominium Column which is published in several leading newspapers throughout Florida, including The Palm Beach Post, The Fort Pierce Tribune, The Daytona Beach News Journal, The Stuart News, The Port St. Lucie News, the Jupiter Courier and Florida Today, as well as other newspapers in the State.

Mr. Poliakoff's new book, co-authored with his son, Ryan Poliakoff, entitled “New Neighborhoods: The Consumer's Guide to Condominium, Co-op and HOA Living” is scheduled for release in August 2009 by Emerald Book Co., a Division of Greenleaf Book Group LLC.

Honors and Awards
Mr. Poliakoff is listed in Marquis' Who's Who in American Law, Who's Who in America , and Who's Who in the World. He is the recipient of the Judge Learned Hand Human Relations Award presented by the American Jewish Committee in recognition of Mr. Poliakoff's outstanding work, nationally and internationally, in co-ownership housing and, specifically, for his efforts to raise the level of clarity and justness in the law. In 2002, Mr. Poliakoff was recognized by the South Florida Business Journal as a Diamond Award Honoree for excellence in business leadership. Florida Trend Magazine recognized Mr. Poliakoff in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008 among its “Legal Elite”. This designation was based upon a poll of Florida attorneys, who selected peers in the top 2% of their respective practice areas. He was selected by the Miami Herald as one of the “Top Florida Lawyers”. Mr. Poliakoff was also selected as a “Florida Super Lawyer” by Law & Politics magazine which named Florida 's top lawyers as chosen by their peers. He is also listed in “The Best Lawyers of America” as one of the best Municipal Law Practitioners in America. Addittionally, Mr. Poliakoff was rated "superb" by Avvo Ratings, an online lawyer listing that rates and profiles attorneys.  The rating is based on a mathematical model that considers the information in a lawyer's profile, including years in practice, disciplinary history, professional achievements and industry recognition.

Bar Admissions
Florida, 1969
District of Columbia, 1971
Colorado, 1999