Community Association Law - Condominiums

Friend of Sachs Sax Caplan, Ben Ferencz, was the Chief Prosecutor in the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials, which held the Nazis accountable for the Holocaust, and is the last living prosecutor of the trials. About Benjamin Ferencz A Former Prosecutor at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trial Benjamin B. Ferencz was born in the Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania in 1920. When he was ten months old his family moved to America. His earliest memories are of his small basement apartment in a Manhattan district - appropriately referred to as "Hell's Kitchen." Even at an early age, he felt a deep yearning for universal friendship and world peace. A World War After Ben graduated from Harvard Law School in 1943, he joined an anti-aircraft artillery battalion preparing for the invasion of France. As an enlisted man under General Patton, he fought in most of the major campaigns in Europe. As Nazi atrocities were uncovered, he was transferred to a newly created War Crimes Branch of the Army to gather evidence of Nazi brutality and apprehend the criminals. In his 1988 book, Planethood, Ferencz writes: “Indelibly seared into my memory are the scenes I witnessed while liberating these centers of death and destruction. Camps like Buchenwald, Mauthausen, and Dachau are vividly imprinted in my mind's eye. Even today, when I close my eyes, I witness a deadly vision I can never forget-the crematoria aglow with the fire of burning flesh, the mounds of emaciated corpses stacked like cordwood waiting to be burned.... I had peered into Hell.” A Post-War Mission On the day after Christmas 1945, Ferencz was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army with the rank of Sergeant of Infantry. He returned to New York and prepared to practice law. Shortly thereafter, he was recruited for the Nuremberg war crimes trials. The International Military Tribunal prosecution against German Field Marshal, Herman Goering and other leading Nazis was already in progress under the leadership the American Prosecutor, Robert M. Jackson on leave from the US Supreme Court. The U.S. had decided to prosecute a broad cross section of Nazi criminals once the trial against...

The Sun Sentinel featured founding partner Peter S. Sachs as he shares the necessary condo safety reforms.  Read more below 

Shred It & Forget It:The Story Behind the New Program That Helps Put Individuals with Disabilities Back to Work   When Sachs Sax Caplan decided to go digital in mid 2021, we knew we would first need to safely dispose of all print materials. The safest way to do so?Shredding. Lots of it. Peter Sachs, attorney and founding partner at Sachs Sax Caplan, also knew about the growing need for employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. JARC Florida, a non-profit in Boca Raton that provides residential homes as well as programs and services to educate and empower adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities provided us just the assistance we needed. Sachs presented the idea to JARC Florida: How about we create a shredding department within the Community Works program at JARC. JARC’s Community Works program, which has been around for over six years, provides vocational training opportunities for its clients so they can learn skills, receive paychecks and feel prideful about having a job. Many of those clients then go out into the community to find employment locally.  After a trial period in the Fall, where JARC clients learned how to properly shred paper documents, including removing staples, stacking and pushing through the shredding machine – avoiding back-ups, JARC Florida was ready to launch this new service to the masses. Their first client? Sachs Sax Caplan law firm of course.  Now the “Shred it and Forget It” Service is available at JARC. To date, JARC has shredded more than 4,000 lbs. of documents. How can you get involved? Drop your documents off at JARC for confidential shredding services at 75 cents per pound. JARC is also seeking out more businesses to join the organization’s Community Works Program. 

Principal Edward S. Hammel, was recognized for becoming equity partner at the firm by The Sun Sentinel and The Palm Beach Post.           

Edward S. Hammel was made Equity Partner at Sachs Sax Caplan in the Community Associations Group and is Board Certified in Condominium and Planned Development Law. Mr. Hammel represents a variety of homeowner and condominium associations, as well as private clubs, commercial and residential real estate developers, owners, and professional management organizations.Mr. Hammel received his B.S. in Political Science from Barry University and his J.D. from Western Michigan University - Cooley Law School. Mr. Hammel is a Past Member of the City of Coconut Creek Planning & Zoning Board and is a frequent volunteer with Coconut Creek Little League Baseball Club, Inc. Read more here: https://www.einpresswire.com/article/569579132/sachs-sax-caplan-announces-edward-s-hammel-as-equity-partner    

  Real Estate Attorney Daniel Kaskel shares tips for starting a new business in South Florida with WPTV.    Contact us for help with the legal documents required: https://ssclawfirm.com/contact Learn the tips to start your business here:  

Founding partner Peter Sachs talks to CBS 12 about structural integrity and safety 7 months after the Surfside condo collapse. Hear more: 

The Sun Sentinel featured founding partner Peter S. Sachs as he calls on municipalities to prevent another surfside disaster   Read more below   

Samuel J. Levine  was featured in the The Palm Beach Post as a new associate at Sachs, Sax and Caplan.  Learn more about Samuel  including how to work with him here: https://ssclawfirm.com/samuel-levine?view=employee&id=45        

Peter Sachs, founding partner and chairman emeritus was recognized by The Palm Beach Post and Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin.         

Meet the four new attorneys and the rest of our experienced team https://ssclawfirm.com/experienced-attorneys  

Attorney Daniel Kaskel discusses transfer taxes with the Dallas Morning News. Read more below on what you need to know when selling your property.         

Louis Caplan was featured in the Sun Sentinel as the new managing partner of Sachs, Sax and Caplan. Learn more about Louis including how to work with him here: https://ssclawfirm.com/louis-caplan?view=employee&id=4      

    Attorney Peter Sachs featured in Palm Beach Post discussing club initation and golf memberships. 

With the 2022 legislative session ending on March 11, very few pending association-related bills were passed this year.  However, one very important bill relating to tree removal for community associations was passed through both houses and now awaits the governor’s signature.  This bill, if signed into law, will have a very adverse effect on condominium and homeowners associations.   As many may recall, in previous sessions, the legislature enacted a law to provide that a local government, such as a city or county, may not require applications, permits or other approval processes for the pruning, trimming or removal of a tree on “residential property” if the owner of the property (i.e., association) provides documentation from an arborist or licensed landscape architect that the tree presents a danger to persons or property.  Many associations have been operating under the premise that this law would allow a community association to remove or otherwise deal with dangerous trees in the common areas, such as street trees, that pose a danger to the community and would allow the association to deal with these trees without having to go through the extensive permitting and approval process through the applicable cities or counties.  In fact, recently, Palm Beach County issued a clarification specifically interpreting the existing law to provide that “residential property” includes association common areas and would allow associations to remove trees without going through the cumbersome permitting and approval process.   However, the pending bill that is awaiting the governor’s signature would reverse this position in a way that would negatively affect community associations.  The pending legislation specifically defines “residential property” to mean a single family or detached building located on a lot used for single family residential purposes.  Therefore, under the new law, if it were to go into effect, it would become clear that trees located in the association’s common property would not be allowed this exception and would have to go through the applicable permitting and approval process with the city and/or county in which the tree is located. We understand that several groups that advocate on behalf of community associations are currently lobbying...