ABA Anmal Shelter Law Symposium, Moderator, November 2022
Support and Therapy Animals: Legal Issues, Presenter, LeadingAge Virginia Annual Conference, June 2022
Yours, Mine, or Ours? Pet Ownership & Custody Laws, Presenter, Animal Welfare League of Arlington, July 2020
Anti-SLAPP Litigation 101 – Defending Freedom of Expression, On Demand Webinar, Co-Presenter, DC Bar Association, May 2020
Legal Issues Update, Co-Presenter, Boards Shaping the Future LeadingAge Maryland Governance Symposium, February 2015
ARTICLES
December 3, 2021
In any lawsuit, the defendant starts at a disadvantage. The plaintiff has had all the time needed to formulate his case; the defendant, however, starts from scratch. When your association is sued, therefore, you need to work immediately on a planned response regardless of how you feel about the lawsuit’s merits, or lack thereof. The first steps are fairly obvious: (1) contact the association’s lawyer; and (2) notify the association’s insurer of the lawsuit. That, however, is just the start: in this article, we will discuss the next steps for you to take when your association is the named defendant in a lawsuit.
June 4, 2021
An SMP, or “Stormwater Management Plan,” is the broad term for an association’s documented plan for complying with local ordinances regarding stormwater management. A BMP, or “Best Management Practice,” is a type of SMP that includes those activities, prohibited practices, and maintenance that an association has adopted to prevent or at least reduce the pollution of surface waters on its property.
September 28, 2018
Mold, technically, is everywhere, in some form or another; it is in the dust on the furniture, in the crumbs left on the counter, and in the air that drifts in from the outside. It is why bread turns green-gray, and why coffee left in the mug on the desk over the weekend will look tan on top. Visible mold, however, is usually a by-product of some other maintenance problem–and usually a sign that that maintenance problem has been going on too long. When mold is given a damp environment and some form of nutrient – either wood, or drywall, or some other building material–it will flourish and grow, creating splotchy discoloration on walls, ceilings and personal property.
January 30, 2018
Every condominium association is required, by statute and by governing document, to carry a master insurance policy on the building. Such policies cover the common elements and – in multi-story buildings at least – the individual units as well. The question has often arisen, however, whether unit owners themselves should carry homeowners’ insurance, generally known as “HO-6 policies.” The answer is, resoundingly, YES. It is risky not to do so.
November 3, 2014
Thomas Mugavero was quoted at length in the article, “Court refers discovery contests to 'conciliators,'” which appeared in Virginia Lawyers Weekly:
"...Many of the referred motions are “straight motions to compel,” where one side simply hasn’t responded to discovery requests and the other side moves to compel to get their attention, according to Fairfax business litigator Thomas Mugavero, a veteran conciliator..."
August 27, 2013
There are two ways to foreclose on a condominium unit in Virginia; each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
January 13, 2012
In a few months, community associations around the region will be opening up their pools in preparation for the summer season. Running an association pool, of course, comes with a host of issues, including: training and certifying lifeguards; maintaining, repairing and replacing the equipment itself; and enforcing the rules and regulations for using the pool. This article will focus on two separate issues: the Virginia Graeme-Baker Act and the responsibilities of community associations under the federal and state non-discrimination statutes.
NEWSLETTERS
December 7, 2021
What To Do When Your Association Is Sued
How a Property Owners' Association Might Recover a Debt Against a Virginia Contractor
Legal Jeopardy - Test Your Knowledge!
