Experienced HOA Attorney

Robert, and his firm, are experienced in handling all aspects of real estate transactions, litigation, and property owner association representation.  Robert provides counsel and advice to the firm’s clients including general community association issues, warranty, contract, fair housing and litigation matters.  He has authored deed restrictions for a number of residential communities and has supported proposed legislation beneficial to community associations. Robert has also helped statewide coalitions of community association attorneys to oppose suggested legislation which would severely impact a community association’s ability to operate.  Most recently, Robert has authored extensive written materials which provide an indispensable road map to the changes in community association law made by the 82nd through 86th Texas State Legislatures in 2011 through 2019. These materials, entitled "The New Laws Affecting Texas Community Associations" (and its 2013-19 counterparts) itemize the new laws, the type of associations impacted by the laws, the text of the laws, and a summary of the laws published in laymen's terms so that experts and novices alike can gain a thorough understanding of this new legal landscape.

 

Practical Litigation & Effective Legal Solutions

Since Robert has been representing community associations, he has done extensive litigation and appellate work in the field.  He has litigated a large number of association deed restriction cases including architectural control, nuisance, corporate matters, construction, design defect, contract as well as defamation.  Robert has regularly handled contract and tort claims brought in behalf of a community association to ensure that developer and contractors live up to the expectations contracted for by the firm’s clients.  In addition to representing community associations in traditional litigation issues, he also represents his clients' interests in bankruptcies filed by homeowners.

As a result of his litigation expertise, Robert brings a solid understanding and practical approach in counseling associations on complex, day-to-day issues.  His practice emphasizes the preventive aspects of the operations of community associations.  Robert believes that a proactive approach to legal issues within community associations is critical to their success.  He enjoys working closely with boards to develop goals and implement policies which will ensure the financial stability of the communities he represents.

 

Education

South Texas College of Law, Juris Doctorate, 2007

Texas A&M University, B.S. Industrial Engineering, 1995

Robert graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Industrial Engineering in 1995.  Following his graduation, Robert was employed as an engineer in oil and gas manufacturing/production and, shortly thereafter, co-founded an information technology company.  After a successful 10-year career as an entrepreneur, engineer, and business leader, Robert matriculated to law school, earning his Juris Doctorate in 2007 from South Texas College of Law in downtown Houston, Texas.

Before creating North Law, P.C., Robert, based upon his experience in Information Technology, believed that the old manner of practicing law could be enhanced if the advancements in information technology were applied to it.  Consequently, Robert drew upon his experience in the information technology field and developed a law firm equipped with the state-of-the-art technology and resources necessary to provide cost savings while delivering superior results.  As importantly, based upon his own experiences, Robert was keenly aware that one of the biggest complaints about attorneys is a lack of communication with their clients.  Consequently, the firm’s software was modified to create written detailed reports setting forth the status of all legal matters for the firm’s clients free of charge on a monthly basis.  Moreover, Robert was committed to communicating, not just the status of legal matters, but the results of the firm’s legal services.  As a result, every month the firm’s clients receive an accounting report, free of charge, which provides a detailed itemization of the total monies received from specific debtors and forwarded to a specific client.

Bar Admissions

Texas
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. District Court, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas 
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas


Memberships & Organizations

State Bar of Texas
College of the State Bar of Texas
Real Estate, Probate & Trust Law Section of the State Bar (REPTL)
Oil & Gas Section of the State Bar
Houston Bar Association
Greater Houston Neighborhood Associations, Director
Community Associations Institute (CAI), Houston & Austin Chapters, Premium Partner
CAI Education Committee
CAI Legal Committee
Greater Houston Builders Association
Texas A&M Association of Former Students 

Speaking Engagements & Seminars

Robert has presented numerous legal seminars to both property management companies as well as to directors of associations.  He works actively with various national and regional trade associations such as the Community Association Institute (“CAI”) as well as the Greater Houston Neighborhood Association (“GHNA”).  Robert sits as a director for the GHNA and has conducted educational seminars to the numerous community associations that comprise the GHNA including, most recently, a seminar entitled “Bringing Your Community into Compliance with the New Texas Community Association Laws” and "Deed Restriction Enforcement."  Robert has been a speaker for CAI events as well as a guest legal analyst on the Community Spotlight radio program.  Some of the topics which Robert has previously spoken about include the “Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Act,” “Solar Panels and Green Energy,” “Foreclosure Mechanics and the Right to Foreclose after Inwood North v. Harris,” “Condemnation of Multi-family Housing and Insurance Concerns in the wake of Hurricane Ike,” “Regulating Group Homes in Deed Restriction Communities,” “Assessment Collection in a Troubled Economy,” and “The Perceived Powers of Community Associations.”

Robert was the featured speaker at GHNA's Guide to the New Laws Affecting Property Owners Associations from the 83rd Texas Legislature, and was a topic lecturer at CAI's Annual Legal Seminar for the past seven years (2013-19). Robert also presented a CLE on behalf of the Houston Bar Association entitled "Assessment Collections, Deed Restriction Enforcement, and Nutty Neighbors – A Day in the Life of an HOA Attorney" in February 2014 and is a member of the HBA's distinguished faculty program.  

In addition, Robert authors a monthly internet blog newsletter devoted solely to community association interests entitled “Lot Block Section Number.”  The newsletter is packed with articles and insights related to the practice of community association law and the management of community associations.

Awards

Houston's Top Lawyers for Real Estate and Property Litigation, H Texas Magazine, 2014-2020

Texas Rising Stars, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2015-2017