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Christopher J. Shields

Partner
Florida Bar Board Certified in Real Estate Law and
Condominium and Planned Development Law

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”.

Practice Areas

  • Condominium & Homeowners’ Association
  • Real Estate

Admitted to Practice

  • The Florida Bar, 1984
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and U.S. Tax Court, 1984
  • New York Bar, 1984

Education

  • State University of New York at Buffalo, M.B.A. and J.D., 1983
  • Canisius College, B.A., with honors, 1979
  • Phi Alpha Theta

Bar and Professional Association Memberships

  • The Florida Bar
  • The Florida Bar, Condominium and Planned Unit Development Committee

Community Service

  • Editorial Board of Gulfshore Business Magazine, 1995 to present
  • Bishop Verot Finance Committee, 2007-2012
  • Bishop Verot High School Board, 2007-2012
  • Chairman, Bishop Verot High School Board, 2011-2012
  • Board of Directors and General Counsel to the Lee Building Industry Association, 2005-2008

Awards & Recognition

  • Best Lawyers in America®, Real Estate, 2013-2022
  • Florida Trend Magazine – Legal Elite, 2013, 2015-2019
  • Florida Super Lawyers in the Real Estate Edition, 2006, 2008-2022
  • Naples Illustrated Top Lawyer, 2018
  • Gulfshore Business Magazine named “One of 14 Go To Lawyers in Southwest Florida You Want in Your Corner,” 2010
  • 2010 Corporate Counsel Edition (recognizes the top 5 percent of attorneys in 31 states)