Over the past few weeks, The Orlando Law Group has received multiple calls from business owners who have been subject to workers’ compensation investigations by Florida officials. In each case, investigators walk into a business and ask to review all documentation as to how individuals are being compensated – to see if they are truly […]
By Juan Camacho, director of business law services The Orlando Law Group is committed to serving businesses and working with them to make them successful. In fact, The Orlando Law Group has always been very entrepreneurial with our founder and attorneys owning multiple businesses in a wide range of industries, not just the legal field. […]
One of the biggest changes to how people buy and sell their homes is taking effect this weekend. That’s when the National Association of REALTORS has told all of its members to start using the settlement terms in the federal court case accusing most real estate brokerages of violating the Sherman Anti-trust Act. Multiple changes […]
As the commercial real estate market continues to evolve after the pandemic, more and more building owners are looking to convert hotels, offices and other underperforming buildings into residential spaces. Property owners are finding converting their underperforming property into a revenue stream, especially with the Biden administration pushing these types of conversions, offering billions in […]
At the beginning of July, HB 1021 became official and with it came multiple new requirements for record retention and record production for condominium associations in Florida. With it also comes hefty fines and potential criminal charges if not followed. In the new law, the state aims at two aspects of record retention. First, the […]
On July 1, another Florida law took effect that focuses on condominium associations and the management companies that help operate the system. One focus of the new law is to control potential conflicts of interest with community management companies. For instance, Susie Smith is the community manager for a condominium association and part of her […]
Anyone in association management or volunteers on the board fully understands what it means to deal with “that owner.” They are generally the critics on the sideline, someone who finds fault in anything you do – and works hard to make your life miserable. Too often in condominium associations, the response is to take a […]
Throughout HB 1203, which goes into effect on July 1, several very small changes could have large implications on how any association governs itself and its community. Of course, most association management companies and law firms should be able to guide board members on these small changes – like the attorneys at The Orlando Law […]
Perhaps there is no greater animosity between a homeowner and a community’s association than fines imposed for violating the community’s covenants. When a homeowner does not edge the grass, pressure wash the driveway, or bring up a garbage can quickly, many homeowners’ associations are quick to threaten and impose a fine. From the homeowner’s perspective, […]
One of the primary methods of bringing homeowners into compliance with neighborhood statutes is by fining homeowners for violating the community’s covenants. Florida Statutes are very clear on how an association can levy fines against a homeowner, which include limits on the number of fines. The statutes also allow for attorney fees to be charged […]
For years, it was relatively simple to become a board member of your homeowners’ association. In most cases, you raised your hand, went through an election and you served your community. There was often no competition because serving on an association board is a significant time commitment. Rarely does an association board member join with […]
It is certainly no secret the architectural review board of a homeowners’ association can often be a center of disagreement for communities. A simple search finds endless stories about a homeowner in dispute with the association over a decision of the ARB. Here is a perfect example of one in Bradenton over a fence. There, […]
One of the key elements of the new Florida law regulating homeowners’ associations is transparency in association records. There are new criminal penalties for board members and associations who willfully refuse to provide official records. There are new rules that eliminate fines if records aren’t provided. HOAs have to respond within five days to a […]
With the governor signing HB 1203, all homeowners’ associations must review their process for providing the community public records homeowners are entitled to receive. Not doing so – and not clearly understanding the new law – could give board members criminal records, including the possibility of a third-degree felony. To be clear, those new criminal […]
One of the most contentious aspects of managing a community has been over cars and trucks parked out front of a home wrapped with a company’s logo and marketing. In many homeowners’ association documents, these types of vehicles have not been permitted. The thought was that most homeowners did not want what could be construed […]
Let’s face it, homeowners’ associations are a fertile ground for thieves and people who exploit the trust given to them. After all, depending on the size of a community, thousands and thousands of dollars are sent from homeowners to the association to cover costs. Associations must take the time to ensure their financial safeguards are […]
Have you seen the news about this year’s hurricane season? Nearly all of the hurricane forecasts are predicting a very active season, one that could set records. Of course, it only takes one to hit your house to cause significant issues. Anyone who lived in Florida in 2004 knows how disruptive an active hurricane season […]
Over the past few years, the Florida Legislature has made significant changes to property insurance rules, often impacting how you can fight your insurance company. The goal of these rules was to stop the massive increases in property insurance we all have seen recently. It is still up to debate as to whether these new […]
When you go to Fort Myers Beach, the scars of Hurricane Ian are unmistakable. Lots are abandoned, hotels are missing walls and the few houses there, look brand new. Hurricane Ian hit Fort Myers and Sanibel Island in 2022, yet many buildings and homes are still abandoned waiting on repairs. There is often a lack […]
All too often, people trust their insurance company. After all, for years, you have been making a large monthly payment to a “trusted” name in insurance with no issues or claims. You assume that when you need them, they will be there to help you and make your life normal. When you need to make […]
One of the key mechanisms governments use to finance their road improvements, their sewer maintenance and new schools is through impact fees. Every time someone approaches the local government to build a new building, they pay an impact fee, designed to cover the increased costs created by the new building. This month, however, the United […]
For nearly one in five workers in the United States, leaving their job just became a lot easier as the Federal Trade Commission issued its final rule banning all non-compete contracts. This means that by the end of the summer, nearly all employees who are subject to a non-compete contract right now will be free […]
Several months ago, we wrote about the potential impact of the lawsuit against the National Association of REALTORS. At that time, the federal court in Missouri ruled the organization and most real estate brokerages violated the Sherman Anti-trust Act. At that time, we cautioned that a final ruling was still a long way from concluding […]
Last year, The Orlando Law Group shared the need for your business to file your Beneficial Ownership Information with the federal government this year. It is part of the Corporate Transparency Act that was passed in 2020 but just became effective on January 1. As you might have seen, earlier this month, a federal court […]
A year ago, one of West Palm Beach’s most iconic restaurants closed after its landlord evicted the owners of the 80-year-old restaurant. Of course, the owners of Ta-Boo did not walk away from the Lake Worth location quietly. For instance, the restaurant owner filed a motion to dismiss because the landlord had missed a deadline […]
There is an interesting case of a commercial eviction brewing in South Florida that showcases how important it is to clearly understand the provisions in your lease. In November, a family-owned bakery sued its landlord, a national company that purchased the property recently, claiming its landlord had fraudulently evicted the company and effectively shut down […]
Late last year, Boston Market suddenly closed more than 300 locations across the country, including several in Central Florida. Today, there are “for lease” signs in front of many of their still vacant locations. For the owners of the buildings, this can be very difficult as many of the sites are owned by investors and […]
Now that we are a couple of years past the closings and widespread quarantines of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses across the country are starring down high loan payments to the federal government. The Small Business Administration loans helped keep many businesses alive when their revenues disappeared overnight. Today, they have become albatrosses to many organizations. […]
For the past couple of years, student loans have been in the political hot seat. The Biden Administration and many consumer rights advocates have long said student loans were a significant burden for individuals looking to move up the economic ladder. But for many people, providing relief for student loans was a giveaway to people […]
One of the biggest issues affecting employers, contractors and employees in 2024 may be the elimination of non-compete contracts depending on the actions of the Federal Trade Commission in April. Throughout 2023, the government agency has been looking at eliminating the use of non-compete contracts by all businesses when it comes to workers and contractors. […]
One of the most common delays in building websites for small businesses is finding the right content, especially the right photographs to tell the story of the business. For most small businesses, the amount of time and the costs of hiring a photographer, developing a shot list, and then combing through dozens of proofs just […]
While we’re still a long way away from a final ruling, a federal court in Missouri has ruled the National Association of REALTORS® and most major residential real estate brokerages are in violation of the Sherman Anti-trust Act, one of the oldest laws ensuring a free market in the United States. The punishment? Damages of […]
No one likes to lose a big contract, but it has happened to every company providing goods and services to other businesses and governments. For contracts with private businesses, there’s very little recourse. After all, a private business can choose to do business with whomever they would like. When it comes to government contracting, however, […]
Over the summer, there was a very public battle over the phrase “Taco Tuesday.” Lebron James wanted the phrase. Taco Bell wanted the phrase. Restaurants around the country wanted the phrase. Of course, the owners of the trademarked phrase “Taco Tuesday” didn’t want to give it up and had fought allowing others to use it […]
Recently, a South Florida condominium association lost another court case in a long-running battle to keep its financial records from being inspected by a resident and her attorney. Frankly, this is a case that should have never been filed as state law is clear. Nearly all records of a condominium or homeowner’s association are public […]
Next year, the federal government will be requiring businesses to increase the amount of reporting it provides. It is a new step that may catch businesses off guard as many businesses may not have even heard of the new types of disclosure. But, if you own, invest or work for a small business, be ready […]
Recently, the Miami Herald wrote about a case against the Orlando location of Giordano’s Pizza that was brought on by the U.S. Department of Labor. The restaurant’s owners were accused of not paying their employees properly and was ordered to pay each worker $5,000, for a total fine of $125,625. For a restaurant or any […]
You have been looking at buying a retail strip center for some time. It seems to be the perfect place to grow your real estate investments. It has a good base of long-term tenants and a lot of opportunities for out parcels that have not been developed yet. The asking price on the property is […]
One of the key roles of local government is approving what people build on their land. From zoning to permitting and inspections, a local government can be a great partner or your worst enemy. For just about any type of commercial project an investor wants to undertake, government action will be required. Time and again, […]
One of the biggest stories in Central Florida in the 1990s was how the Orlando Sentinel was found to have contaminated the ground under a large swath of downtown Orlando. For decades, the company had been sending chemicals from its printing presses into drains on the floor of the plant. Those chemicals traveled from its […]
Every business owner remembers the pride they felt when the ribbon was cut on their new office or new location. All their friends and family, along with the local mayor and the chamber of commerce, came by to congratulate the owner on their accomplishment. Getting to that point was not always easy and getting that […]
One of the most iconic characters on television is Tool Time Tim’s neighbor Wilson. His sage advice usually guided Tim to make the right decision. While you never saw Wilson’s full face, he was always looking over the fence to talk to Tim. Imagine one day Wilson looks over the fence to see that Tim, […]
Almost every day, some sort of dispute between an association board and its community makes the news somewhere in the United States. Just recently, at a 55+ community in South Florida, news reports said hundreds of residents protested at a board meeting because the association board needed to raise its dues to pay for increased […]
