Condo and HOA
Top-Ranked Condo and HOA Lawyers in West Palm Beach, Florida
Summary
As of November 1, 2026, the top-ranked condo and HOA lawyers in West Palm Beach, Florida are Laura Michelle Manning-Hudson (LexRank 84.00), John Reid Sheppard Jr. (84.00) and Scott A Stoloff (84.00).
This ranking lists 9 condo and HOA lawyers in West Palm Beach, Florida, in order of their LexRank score, calculated from their Florida Bar records and other cited sources. All 9 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Condominium and Planned Development Law by The Florida Bar, a credential held by 4.9% of Florida lawyers in any field. Their experience ranges from 18 to 43 years in practice. 1 of the 9 lists Spanish on their Florida Bar profile.
- Lawyers ranked
- 9
- Fully verified
- 9 of 9
The ranking
Ordered by organic LexRank score; paid placements are labelled and never affect a position. How we rank
- Rank1-No changeLM
Laura Michelle Manning-Hudson
Independent practice · West Palm Beach, FL
Verified- 28 years experience
- Condo and HOA
- ✓ Bar status verified
84.00LexRankView profileWhy #1?
Ranks #1 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).
Strongest
- Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.7)
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.5)
Held back by
- Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
- Rank2-No changeJJ
John Reid Sheppard Jr.
Independent practice · West Palm Beach, FL
Verified- 35 years experience
- Condo and HOA
- ✓ Bar status verified
84.00LexRankView profileWhy #2?
Ranks #2 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).
Strongest
- Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.7)
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.5)
Held back by
- Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
- Rank3-No changeSS
Scott A Stoloff
Stoloff & Manoff, P.A. · West Palm Beach, FL
Verified- 34 years experience
- Condo and HOA
- ✓ Bar status verified
84.00LexRankView profileWhy #3?
Ranks #3 with 84.00: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Data quality (10/10); held back by Reputation (4/20).
Strongest
- Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.7)
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.5)
Held back by
- Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
- Rank4-No changeRB
Robert Benjamin Burr
Independent practice · West Palm Beach, FL
Verified- 37 years experience
- Condo and HOA
- ✓ Bar status verified
82.60LexRankView profileWhy #4?
Ranks #4 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 1.40 points behind #3, mostly data quality.
Strongest
- Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.7)
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.6)
Held back by
- Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
1.40 points behind #3 (Scott A Stoloff): Data quality −1.4.
Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.
- Rank5-No changeSD
Steven L Daniels
Independent practice · West Palm Beach, FL
Verified- 43 years experience
- Condo and HOA
- ✓ Bar status verified
82.60LexRankView profileWhy #5?
Ranks #5 with 82.60: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20).
Strongest
- Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.7)
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.6)
Held back by
- Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.
- Rank6-No changeMF
Mark David Friedman
Independent practice · West Palm Beach, FL
Verified- 21 years experience
- Condo and HOA
- ✓ Bar status verified
79.20LexRankView profileWhy #6?
Ranks #6 with 79.20: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 3.40 points behind #5, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.5)
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.6)
Held back by
- Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
3.40 points behind #5 (Steven L Daniels): Experience −4.8.
- Rank7-No changeLM
Laurie G Manoff
Stoloff & Manoff, P.A. · West Palm Beach, FL
Verified- 35 years experience
- Condo and HOA
- ✓ Bar status verified
78.85LexRankView profileWhy #7?
Ranks #7 with 78.85: strongest in Experience (30/30) and Local relevance (5/5); held back by Reputation (4/20). 0.35 points behind #6, mostly professional credentials.
Strongest
- Experience 30/30 (ranking avg 27.7)
- Local relevance 5/5 (ranking avg 5)
Held back by
- Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
0.35 points behind #6 (Mark David Friedman): Professional credentials −3.8, Data quality −1.4.
Not on record (scores 0, never estimated): website.
- Rank8-No changeAH
Allison Lawrence Hertz
Independent practice · West Palm Beach, FL
Verified- 19 years experience
- Condo and HOA
- ✓ Bar status verified
76.80LexRankView profileWhy #8?
Ranks #8 with 76.80: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20). 2.05 points behind #7, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.5)
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.6)
Held back by
- Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
2.05 points behind #7 (Laurie G Manoff): Experience −7.2.
- Rank9-No changeMP
Martha Platts
Independent practice · West Palm Beach, FL
Verified- 18 years experience
- Condo and HOA
- ✓ Bar status verified
75.60LexRankView profileWhy #9?
Ranks #9 with 75.60: strongest in Data quality (10/10) and Professional credentials (15/15); held back by Reputation (4/20) and Experience (21.6/30). 1.20 points behind #8, mostly experience.
Strongest
- Data quality 10/10 (ranking avg 9.5)
- Professional credentials 15/15 (ranking avg 14.6)
Held back by
- Reputation 4/20 (ranking avg 4)
- Experience 21.6/30 (ranking avg 27.7)
1.20 points behind #8 (Allison Lawrence Hertz): Experience −1.2.
Data sources behind the scores
Every score on this page is calculated from facts backed by these sources. Each profile shows which source supports which fact and when it was last checked.
- floridabar.org · Official / regulatory · 9 profile pages96 facts for 9 lawyers
Condo and HOA market in West Palm Beach
LexRanked tracks 9 lawyers and 1 law firm in condo and HOA law in West Palm Beach, Florida. 9 of the lawyers have verified professional data. Data verified October 10, 2026.
- Lawyers
- 9
- Law firms
- 1
- Verified professional data
- 9 of 9
- Average rating
- Withheldtoo few sourced ratings
- Median review count
- Withheldtoo few sourced counts
- Median experience
- 34 years9 lawyers
Calculated by LexRanked from its own records on ; data verified . Ratings and review counts count only when backed by a source; figures from fewer than three profiles are withheld. All lawyers in West Palm Beach
What sets these West Palm Beach lawyers apart
All 9 lawyers in this ranking are Board Certified in Condominium and Planned Development Law by The Florida Bar, which only about one in twenty Florida lawyers achieves in any field. Florida Bar board certification requires at least five years of practice, substantial involvement in the field, peer review by other lawyers and judges, continuing legal education and a written exam, and it must be renewed every five years. The figures below come from each lawyer's Florida Bar profile.
| Fact about the 9 ranked lawyers | Figure |
|---|---|
| Board Certified in Condominium and Planned Development Law | 9 of 9 |
| Years in practice | 18 to 43 (median 34) |
| Languages besides English | Spanish (1) |
| License status with The Florida Bar | Eligible to practice, verified for every lawyer |
| Most common law school | Nova Southeastern University - Shepard Broad College of Law (3 lawyers) |
Who is included in this ranking?
Lawyers eligible to practice in Florida, with a West Palm Beach office address and condo and HOA as a practice area on record. It compares 9 condo and HOA lawyers, using only facts with a cited source. How we rank.
Florida rules to know
Florida condominiums are governed by chapter 718 and homeowners' associations by chapter 720, and many disputes must go to arbitration or mediation before a lawsuit.
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Access to records | The association must make official records available within 10 working days (condo) or 10 business days (HOA) of a written request (Fla. Stat. §§ 718.111(12), 720.303(5)) |
| Fines | At most $100 per violation and $1,000 in total, after 14 days' notice and a hearing before a committee of owners (§§ 718.303(3), 720.305(2)) |
| Before suing | Many condo disputes go to nonbinding arbitration with the state (§ 718.1255); many HOA disputes require presuit mediation (§ 720.311) |
| Milestone inspections | Condo buildings three stories or taller need a structural inspection by December 31 of the year they turn 30, then every 10 years (§ 553.899) |
| Reserve studies | Condo associations must complete a structural integrity reserve study at least every 10 years for buildings three stories or taller (§ 718.112(2)(g)) |
| Court | Where cases are heard |
|---|---|
| State court circuit | Palm Beach County is in Florida's Fifteenth Judicial Circuit |
How to choose among these lawyers
Confirm the license, ask who will handle your matter, and get the fee terms in writing before you sign.
- Look up the lawyer in The Florida Bar's directory and check the bar number shown on their LexRanked profile.
- Ask whether the lawyer you meet will handle your matter personally, and how many matters like yours they have handled recently.
- Ask how they charge and what costs are extra, and get the agreement in writing.
- If you prefer to work in another language, check the languages listed on each profile.
Further reading
- Florida condo and HOA disputes: your rights as an owner
- Questions to ask a lawyer before hiring
- How to check a Florida lawyer before you hire them
Sources for the rules above
- The Florida Bar: member directory (license, certification, languages, admission dates)
- The Florida Bar News: Board certification continues to set Florida lawyers apart (July 2026)
- Florida Statutes, section 718.111 (condominium official records)
- Florida Statutes, section 718.112 (structural integrity reserve study)
- Florida Statutes, section 718.303 (condominium fines)
- Florida Statutes, section 718.1255 (condominium dispute resolution)
- Florida Statutes, section 720.303 (HOA official records)
- Florida Statutes, section 720.305 (HOA fines)
- Florida Statutes, section 720.311 (HOA dispute resolution)
- Florida Statutes, section 553.899 (milestone inspections)
Frequently asked questions
How much can a Florida HOA or condo association fine me?
Up to $100 per violation and $1,000 in total for a continuing violation, unless an HOA's governing documents allow more, and only after 14 days' written notice and a hearing before a committee of at least three owners.
Do I have to go to arbitration or mediation before suing my association?
Often, yes. Many condominium disputes go first to nonbinding arbitration with the Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares and Mobile Homes, and many HOA disputes require a demand for presuit mediation.
When does a Florida condo building need a milestone inspection?
Buildings three habitable stories or taller need one by December 31 of the year the building reaches 30 years of age, and every 10 years after that. Local officials can require it at 25 years near salt water.
Who certifies condominium lawyers in Florida?
The Florida Bar certifies lawyers in Condominium and Planned Development Law after at least five years of practice, peer review and a written exam.
What does Board Certified in Condominium and Planned Development Law mean?
It is a credential from The Florida Bar for lawyers with substantial experience in the field who have passed peer review and a written exam. 9 of the 9 lawyers in this ranking hold it; 4.9% of Florida lawyers hold a board certification in any field.
Which court handles cases in West Palm Beach?
State court cases in Palm Beach County are heard in Florida's Fifteenth Judicial Circuit.
Are there Spanish-speaking condo and HOA lawyers in West Palm Beach?
Yes. 1 of the 9 ranked lawyers lists Spanish on their Florida Bar profile. Each LexRanked profile shows the languages on record.
How is this ranking ordered?
By the LexRank score, calculated only from facts with a cited source: experience, practice-area relevance, awards on record such as board certification, professional credentials, data quality and location. Client reviews do not affect the LexRank score: neither star ratings nor the number of reviews is scored. Payment never changes a position.
Do client reviews affect the LexRank score?
Client reviews do not affect the LexRank score: neither star ratings nor the number of reviews is scored. Reviews are shown on profiles for information only, and Reputation counts only awards on record, such as board certification. How we rank
Which lawyers are verified?
9 of the 9 ranked lawyers have fully verified profiles: Laura Michelle Manning-Hudson, John Reid Sheppard Jr., Scott A Stoloff, Robert Benjamin Burr and Steven L Daniels and others.
About this ranking
- Last updated
- Methodology
- LexRank v1.2 - deterministic, reproducible scoring
- Editorial review
- LexRanked editorial team,
- Independence
- Positions are never sold. Paid placements, if any, are labelled and do not affect scores.
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