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Choosing the right attorney for your community association is about much more than comparing hourly rates. In this episode of Take It To The Board, host Donna DiMaggio Berger sits down with Tana Bucca, Vice Chair of Becker’s Community Association practice in New Jersey, to explore what boards should really look for when hiring legal counsel.

Donna and Tana discuss why specialized experience in community association law often saves time and money, how firm size and bandwidth can impact service—particularly for smaller associations—and why rushed “cattle call” interviews rarely lead to the right fit for either side. Instead, thoughtful conversations that go beyond canned responses are the key to finding true compatibility.  

This episode also covers red flags that some association attorneys and vendors overlook in their zeal to sign a new client.  Tune in and learn how to avoid common pitfalls and ask the right questions during your interview.  This episode offers practical insights for board members, managers, attorneys and other vendors alike—emphasizing that the most successful attorney-client relationships are built on trust, expertise, and respect.

Conversation Highlights:

• The importance of credentials like Board Certification in Condominium & Planned Development Law or membership in organizations like CCAL and why more boards don’t ask about them
• Questions boards should ask in an initial interview to reveal the most useful information about a lawyer’s style, competence, and approach
• The importance of responsiveness, educational outreach, litigation philosophy, or experience with regulators and legislators
• Red flags attorneys see in potential client associations that may signal problems ahead
• How both sides can determine if there’s a genuine “fit” during that first consultation
• When it is appropriate for a board to terminate legal counsel
• When lawyers should terminate a client
• The number one ingredient required for a productive attorney-client relationship

Related Links:

• Podcast: A Board Members’ Guide to Unexpected Issues – Your Questions Answered
• Podcast: Addressing Florida’s Condo Crisis and How to Fix It