Barna, Guzy & Steffen LTD. announces the addition of a new associate to our firm. Andrew C. Thompson has joined the firm’s Real Estate department. He will be working closely with attorneys practicing in the firm’s growing Real Estate area serving existing clients and enhancing the firm’s ability to serve new areas of the community. Andrew received his J.D. in New York in 2013 and was most recently practicing law in St. Paul as a solo practitioner. Before that, he clerked for Washington County District Court Judge Ellen L. Maas. He is experienced in a variety of real estate related areas, including: commercial leasing, real estate financial structures, transactions, and real estate management. His experience attending law school, and living and working in New York has enhanced his law practice with a foundation in the City’s vibrant and busy real estate market. Andrew graduated cum laude from New York Law School in 2013 where he ranked in the top 12{a0c01d20c42349884e67ff80c137866b0a9fe47aaae8f8a86a605a369ae487c3} of his class. He was a John Marshall Harlan Scholar, recipient of the Law Review Outstanding New Member award and on the Dean’s List four of six semesters. He is excited about this new opportunity in his legal career and says, “I am very much looking forward to working with the experienced attorneys…
Read Moreby: Karen Kurth and Timothy Erb For most homeowners associations, owners of property within the association are bound to pay annual or monthly assessments to the association to cover common expenses incurred by the association to operate the association. The amount and nature of the common expenses will vary depending upon whether or not the association is a condominium, attached town-home, detached town-home or single family home association. Such common expenses often cover costs incurred by the association related to insurance, maintenance, property management, and other costs incurred by the association to own or maintain common elements. The declaration, which is recorded against title to the property, not only typically requires each owner to pay assessments, but also specifies the items the association is to maintain, insure or otherwise address. These expenditures comprise the common expenses. The declaration may specify that each property owner is to pay an equal share of common expenses or some other allocation of common expenses which is based upon differences in square footage, architectural product or other similar rational distinctions. The declaration and/or statutory authority may also specify that the owner is also required to pay late payment fees and attorneys’ fees incurred by the association to collect the unpaid assessments and that such fees become part of…
Read MoreBarna, Guzy & Steffen LTD. announces the addition of a new associate to our firm. Thomas R. Wentzell has joined the firm’s Real Estate and Banking Law departments. He will be working closely with attorneys practicing in the firm’s growing Real Estate and Banking areas serving existing clients and enhancing the firm’s ability to serve new areas of the community. Tom was a law clerk for Barna, Guzy & Steffen’s Business and Employment Law Litigation group from January 2012-April 2013 while he was completing his law degree at University of St. Thomas School of Law. He is returning to the firm from his recent position as a Compliance Analyst at Ameriprise Financial in Minneapolis. Tom graduated cum laude from University of St. Thomas School of Law in 2013 ranked 18 of 156. He was a recipient of the Dean’s Award (highest grade in class) – Lawyering Skills I, made the Dean’s list and received a President’s Scholarship. Tom earned his Bachelor of Arts in Social Science from St. John’s University in 2007 where he graduated magna cum laude, received All-College Honors and played Varsity football. He is excited about this new opportunity in his legal career and says, “Coming back to BGS, I am looking forward to helping clients and growing professionally. I…
Read More