May2016

every community association board – every owner must pay each assessment, and pay it on time, or they place the plans and hopes of the community in jeopardy. Our “smart collec- tions” program rejects clerical- and/or paraprofessional-driven collection efforts as those efforts ignore the importance of unpaid assessments. We appreciate how crucial the payment of assessments and maintenance fees are. We appreciate the difficulties faced by communities and buildings ravaged by widespread arrearages, bankruptcies, foreclosures, and abandoned homes and units. That appreciation allows us to use a more efficient, modern and cost-effective approach to the difficulties. Our program depends upon total transparency, as well as attorneys that work side-by-side with boards and managers to devise strategies tailored to the particular situ- ations, arrearages and/or disputes presented We consider every strategy -– always with the client’s financial position “Earlier this year the Greater Ocean Township Chamber of Commerce recognized our lengthy history of supporting causes in the community by naming us it’s 2016 Philanthropy Award.” in mind – whether it be negotiation, monitoring, settlement, money judgment, foreclosure, seizure of ‘surrendered’ units, generating revenue from rentals and/or rent receiverships. That is all done in connection with the way we handle these matters while balancing the client’s need to manage and limit its legal fees and costs. In the end, we help our clients create a ‘culture of payment’ in and throughout their communities and buildings. What would someone be surprised to learn about your company? The 1980 movie Act of Love, starring Ron Howard, Mickey Rourke, and Robert Foxworth, is based on the

successful defense of Lester Zygmaniak by retired AGA partner Robert Ansell. In 1973 Zygmaniak was acquitted in the mercy killing of his brother George who had been paralyzed from the neck down in a motorcycle accident in June of that year. Lester ended his brother’s life by shooting him in his hospital bed in Jersey Shore Medical Center “in full view of the nurses and five other patients,” according to a November 5, 1973 Associated Press account of the trial. Robert Ansell argued that Lester was temporarily insane at the time of the shooting and after two-and-a-half hours of deliberation, the jury acquitted him based on that defense. Earlier this year the Greater Ocean Township Chamber of Commerce recognized our lengthy history of support- ing causes in the community by naming us it’s 2016 Philanthropy Award. Additionally, AGA recently received the Jersey Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross’ 2016 Clara Barton Corporate Humanitarian of the Year Award. Professionally, Ansell’s lawyers have been recognized as among the top performer in their fields repeatedly by industry organizations and publications. This year six Ansell attorneys, including Mark Wiechnik and Rich Linderman, two of our community association law group’s partners, have been named as Super Lawyers or Rising Stars by the Thompson Reuters publication. The community association industry is still relatively young, and as such is still experiencing some growing pains as new issues continue to crop up and need to be dealt with for the first time. Having recently experienced the greatest foreclosure crisis in US history, the industry is learning just how vulnerable it is to broader economic trends and gyrations. As the crisis winds down we have the opportunity to consider the lessons learned and put a framework in place to ease the difficulties of dealing with similar problems in the future. n Have you received any recent awards or certifications? What are some trends you see in the community association industry?

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