Overview
Cheryl advises clients involved in residential and commercial real estate development and finance, including mixed-use and waterfront projects. She has extensive experience in representing landlords and tenants in commercial leasing, representing contractors and owners in the preparation and negotiation of construction contracts, representing developers and associations in the preparation and amendment of homeowners’ association documents, and the creation of residential and commercial condominiums.
Notably, Cheryl counsels condominium, cooperative and homeowners’ associations, including those which are both developer and unit-owner-controlled, on transactional, operational and corporate matters. She is responsible for interpreting and amending governing documents, assisting with board member elections, recalls and related arbitrations, drafting contracts and contract addenda, pursuing appropriate legal action to address violations of restrictive covenants, and assisting with termination of the association and the sale of the underlying property.
Cheryl takes pride in providing prompt and effective counsel to her clients. She is dedicated to listening carefully to what each client wants to achieve and is creative in her approach to realizing that result. Her focus on providing legal solutions that are grounded in practical business know-how is further supported by her dedication to responsiveness, strong communication skills, and a higher and more personal level of commitment to her client’s specific needs.
Cheryl is AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell and recognized by The Best Lawyers in America 2023 for Community Association Law and Real Estate Law in the Fort Myers, Florida metropolitan area. She joined the firm in 2023 and has practiced law in Southwest Florida since 2002.
Experience
- Represented the developer in the development, leasing, condominization and sale of a complex urban mixed-use project located in Naples, Florida. The project consists of wet slip condominiums, retail and restaurant space, hotel, and residences.
- Represented the developer in the development, leasing and condominization and sale of a 16-story mixed-use building located in downtown Sarasota, Florida.
- Represented a national developer of condominium and homeowners’ association projects throughout the State of Florida.
- Obtained HUD Advisory Opinion with respect to combining exemptions under the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act.
- Assisted co-counsel in registering projects with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Interstate Land Sales and preparing Statements of Record to be filed with HUD and the Property Reports to be given to prospective purchasers.
- Represented landlords and tenants in the preparation and negotiation of commercial leases.
- Represented developer clients in mass condominium unit closings.
- Handled claims under title insurance policies for major Florida title insurance underwriter.
- General counsel to a number of homeowner, condominium and cooperative associations.
Honors
- AV Preeminent rating as independently determined by Martindale Hubbell
- The Best Lawyers in America®, 2023-25
- Community Association Law
- Real Estate Law
News & Insights
- Author, Chapter 9, Mixed-Use Communities and Mixed-Use Buildings, Florida Real Property Complex Transactions, 8th, 9th and 11th Editions, 2016, 2018, 2022
- Speaker, Common Pitfalls of Contracts, The Entrepreneur’s Law School – Florida Gulf Coast University, 2010
Involvement
Professional Associations & Memberships
- American Bar Association
- The Florida Bar
- Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Sections
- Condominium and Planned Development Committee
- Florida Association for Women Lawyers
- Collier County Bar Association, Real Estate Section
- Collier County Women’s Bar Association
- U.S. Green Building Council, Florida Gulf Coast Chapter
- Leadership Collier, Class of 2012
Civic & Community Service
- Early Learning Coalition of Southwest Florida, Literacy Buddy, past Member
- Board of Advisor – Florida Bar Real Property Litigation Handbook
- Education Foundation of Collier County, Grant Review Committee, past Member
- Grace Jones Community Center, past Member
- Zonta Club of Marathon, Florida, past Member
Practices
Education
- University of Florida Levin College of Law, J.D., 1999
- University of South Florida, B.A., with honors, 1994
Admissions
Florida, 2000
