Dean Roberts Speaks at First Coordinating Council of Cooperatives of Greater New York Virtual Meeting

Dean M. Roberts, a Member of law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., and Chair of its New York Real Estate & Finance Law Practice Group and of the firm’s Cooperative (“Co-op”) and Condominium Law Industry Group, spoke at the first virtual meeting of the Coordinating Council of Cooperatives of Greater New York (CCC) on Saturday, September 12.

“It is important for condo and co-op boards to consider how to address the issues of enforcing maintenance obligations with limitations created by the COVID-19-related orders, while the current status of the Housing Court and how that affects shareholders’ abilities is confusing and so fluid during these trying times,” said Roberts.

About the Council of Cooperatives of Greater New York

The CCC, composed of housing cooperatives ranging from seventy to thousands of units, aims to serve as a sounding board for circulating ideas and experiences that may apply to other cooperatives and to implement joint programs for economic and political achievement.

At the meeting, Roberts addressed many topics that have come up due to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as wearing masks, holding virtual meetings, opening gyms, and what the court system is and is not doing on arrears issues. He set liability and legal procedure expectations for condo and co-op boards and discussed how Norris McLaughlin has been operating remotely and what resources the firm offers during these unprecedented times. The next meeting, also virtual, will be on Saturday, October 17. For more information, visit cccofgny.coop.

About Dean Roberts

Roberts focuses on real estate litigation with a sub-specialty in the representation of cooperative housing corporations and condominiums. He has handled all facets of condominium and cooperative ownership, from sponsor/purchase and conversion to representing well-established tenant-shareholder Boards of Directors. Roberts also represents cooperative corporations and moderate-income co-ops in all areas of litigation, including landlord/tenant.

Through his involvement with the Coordinating Council of Cooperatives, Roberts is active in court reform efforts and the cooperative movement. In his community, he works to promote affordable housing as a director of the Cooperative Development Fund Board of Advisors and other housing programs.

Roberts earned his J.D. from Rutgers School of Law - Newark in 1987 and his B.A. from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Rutgers College, in 1982.