Christopher J. Shields

Christopher J. Shields joined Pavese Law Firm in 1984 and became a partner in the Firm in 1990.  Mr. Shields has over thirty-five (35) years of experience in representing and advising clients, including national homebuilders and developers, and community associations throughout Southwest Florida.  Mr. Shields has extensive experience in the design and operation of all aspects of condominium and homeowner developments including obtaining regulatory approvals for developing and marketing these communities.  Mr. Shields has represented developers and drafted community association development documents and created community associations for well over five hundred (500) different residential, commercial, mixed use, condominium and homeowners associations throughout Southwest Florida.  In addition to representing developers, builders, lenders and successor developers, Mr. Shields also represents hundreds of condominium, cooperative and homeowners’ associations throughout Southwest Florida and leads the Community Law Section of the Firm.

Mr. Shields is Board Certified in Real Estate Law as well as in Condominium and Planned Development Law by The Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education, a distinction only twenty-six (26) other lawyers within the entire State of Florida have achieved.  Mr. Shields is a member of the Florida Bar’s Condominium and Planned Development Committee of the Florida Bar’s Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section.  Mr. Shields is a frequent speaker and lecturer on condominium and homeowners’ law topics including teaching continuing education and legal update courses to community association managers.

Condominium, Homeowners’ Association and Planned Development Law

• General association legal counsel to hundreds of turned over condominium and homeowner communities throughout Southwest Florida
• Drafting, creating, interpreting, amending and restating community association governing documents including declarations, articles of incorporation, bylaws, rules and regulations and design and architectural review guidelines
• Covenant interpretation, enforcement and resolution
• Drafting and negotiating contracts with vendors and contractors
• Collection of association assessments and fees, including lien enforcement and foreclosure
• Condominium and homeowners’ association litigation and alternative dispute resolution
• Disputes arising from maintenance, repair and replacement and insurance responsibilities of common areas
• Administrative representation before the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
• Turnover of association control from the developer to its members

Real Estate Law

• Issuing title insurance and performing residential and commercial closings
• Representation of buyers and sellers in residential and commercial transactions
• Contract negotiation and drafting
• Dispute Resolution

Mr. Shields and members of his department periodically publish a community law newsletter.  These newsletters can be found on our firm website at www.paveselaw.com under “Publications”.