Early on, I learned three important lessons that have guided my career: First, 'The difference between mediocrity and excellence is attention to detail.' Second, 'Don’t identify a problem without attempting to find a solution.' Finally, 'If all objections must first be overcome, nothing will ever be accomplished.'
Mr. Smith focuses his practice on community association law, planned real estate development and land use. He has practiced real estate law for over fifty years, and is widely recognized as one of New Jersey’s preeminent authorities on the legal issues impacting condominiums and common interest communities.
Throughout his long and distinguished career, Mr. Smith has focused on real estate law and provided practical and sophisticated representation to national and local real estate developers, lending institutions, and numerous condominium, cooperative and other common interest communities, including conversions, golf and tennis communities, retirement communities, congregate care facilities and dockominiums. His comprehensive experience in land use issues and planned real estate development includes large mixed-use projects and high rise buildings as well as active adult, golf course and resort communities. He assists clients in navigating the complexities associated with distressed common interest communities, and adeptly provides counsel on issues arising during the transition from developer to unit owner control.
Mr. Smith frequently serves as an expert witness in community association litigation, both as a court appointee and at the request of private litigants, and has also served as a custodial receiver for conversion projects.
Honors & Awards
- Charter Fellow, American College of Real Estate Lawyers; former Vice Chair, Common Interest Ownership Committee
- Charter Fellow, College of Community Association Lawyers
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© (a trademark of Woodward/White, Inc.) in the Real Estate Law and Land Use & Zoning Law practice areas (1983 – 2020)
- Selected by Best Lawyers® (a trademark of Woodward/White, Inc.) as Woodbridge "Lawyer of the Year" in Real Estate Law (2014); as Woodbridge "Lawyer of the Year" in Land Use & Zoning Law (2013); as Newark "Lawyer of the Year" in Real Estate Law (2011)
- Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rated AV® Preeminent (a trademark of Internet Brands, Inc.) (2001 – present)
- Recipient of the prestigious Byron Hanke Award from the national Community Associations Institute for his outstanding contributions to community associations
- Recipient of the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from the Community Associations Institute, New Jersey Chapter (2011)
- Recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus and Heritage Awards from Johns Hopkins University
A description of the standard or methodology on which the accolades are based can be found HERE. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
Uniquely NJ
- General Counsel Emeritus and Founding President, Community Associations Institute, New Jersey Chapter (CAI-NJ)
- Co-Founder and Board of Trustees; Holmdel Theatre Company at the Duncan Smith Theater
- Former Trustee and past Chair, Bayshore Community Hospital; Former Trustee, Bayshore Community Hospital Foundation
More Activities & Experience
- Trustee Emeritus, Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Medicine; first President, Johns Hopkins Alumni Council
- Former Vice Chair, American Bar Association, Committee on Common Interest Community Associations
- Former Trustee, Community Associations Institute
- Past President, Community Associations Institute Research Foundation
- Former Vice President and General Counsel, Levitt and Sons, Incorporated and Boise Cascade Building Company; was involved in sophisticated real estate transactions and development throughout the continental United States and in Puerto Rico
Presentations & Speaking Engagements
- Mr. Smith has lectured throughout his career on topics related to real estate law.
- He has delivered presentations at several law schools, as well as for groups including the American Bar Association, the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, the Community Associations Institute’s New Jersey Chapter, and the New Jersey Builders Association.
Publications & Alerts
- Co-Author, New Jersey Condominium and Community Association Law(Smith, Estis & Li, Gann Law Books, 2020)
- The New Jersey Cooperator, July 2016
- Dimensions, Fall 2015
- Quoted, Surviving a Financial Firestorm: Overcoming Fraud & NeglectThe New Jersey Cooperator, July 2014
- The New Jersey Cooperator, September 2012
- Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP Client Alert, May 2009
- Community Trends, October 2008
- Community Trends, April 26, 2008
- Community Trends, November 2006
- Community Trends, January 2006
- Community Trends, October 2005
- New Jersey Cooperator, October 2005
- Community Trends, September 2004
- The Council Communiqué, Fall 2003
- Community Trends, September 2003
- The Council Communiqué, Spring 2003
- Community Trends, September 2002
- The Council Communiqué, 2001
- Community Trends, October 2000
- The Council Communiqué, 1998
- Markitect
Departments
Practice Groups
Education
University of Michigan, J.D., 1959
Johns Hopkins University, B.A., 1954
Bar Admissions
- New Jersey, 1960
- New York, 1966
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, 1960
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1966
A description of the standard or methodology on which the accolades are based can be found HERE. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.