A cornerstone of our practice at MercerTrigiani is our commitment to ongoing education and continuing support for our clients. As part of that commitment, we host seminars on a variety of topics in our Old Town Alexandria office every quarter.
These seminars often may be used to satisfy continuing education requirements for certified community association managers. For clients who are unable to attend a seminar that interests them, we provide the handouts for download here.
Breakfast Brief Seminars Cover a Range of Practical Topics
As common interest community association attorneys, we advise clients on all aspects of association leadership, management, and enforcement. Our seminar topics reflect the range of our services and include areas such as the following:
- Executive board management
- Fair Housing
- Contract issues
- Maintenance and landscaping issues
- Updating governing documents
- Insurance concerns
- Rulemaking and enforcement
- Annual legislative updates
Past Breakfast Brief Seminars
Strategies for Improving Board Function. We have all experienced the challenges of serving as or working with volunteer leaders. Association leaders who do not work as a team cannot attend to important business—whether directing day-to-day operations or establishing policies for community governance. Competent and engaged leadership is the cornerstone of the strength of a community. Community associations benefit when board and committee members, as well as owners, understand the roles and responsibilities of association leaders.
Fair Housing. All Americans should have equal access to the housing of their choice—including homes in common interest communities. To promote fair and equal housing opportunities, the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and Fair Housing Amendments of 1988, as well as the Virginia fair housing law, prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability. Residential common interest communities are governed by these federal and state fair housing laws.
Contracting Basics. Community associations routinely enter into contracts for services. It makes good business sense for a community association to establish contracting guidelines that take into consideration all steps in the contracting process, contract requirements, and contract administration.
Navigating the Maintenance Responsibility Matrix. A pipe burst causing extensive water damage to units and common elements...windows and doors serving units are old and need to be replaced...unit HVAC systems are failing and need to be repaired. Who is responsible for performing such work, and who bears the associated costs? The question is simple. The answer is not. Determining association and unit owner responsibility can be complicated and requires due consideration of both the condominium instruments and the Virginia Condominium Act. Understand the factors in determining maintenance obligations and how to analyze these factors under your condominium instruments.
Annual Meetings Notices, Quorums, Proxies, Oh My!
Branded - How to Build (and Keep) Your Community's Good Name
Changes to the FHA Condominium Guidelines
Communication In Community Associations - Transparency is Good Governance
Fair Housing Works For You 2020
MercerTrigiani Legislative Tracking Chart
Navigating the Maintenance Responsibility Matrix
A Primer on Meetings - Observing Protocol, Avoiding Pitfalls!
Resale Disclosure For Virginia Community Associations