Joseph J. "Jay" Cusimano

In 2005, Jay became the second attorney from Ohio to be accepted into the national College of Community Association Lawyers. In 2013, Jay was included in the 20th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America for his work in the area of Real Estate Law. Jay’s effective communication style and personable attitude have catapulted him within the community association legal field. He focuses his practice on operational issues, such as the interpretation of governing documents and document rewrites, contract preparation and review, FHA approvals, satellite dish issues, and loans to community associations. To date, the value of the loans Jay has handled for community associations exceeds $80 million. Jay co-authored an article entitled “Loans to Condominium Associations” that was published in The Practical Real Estate Lawyer, a magazine that is published by the American Law Institute and American Bar Association. Jay is a past author of the chapter on “Ohio’s Condominium Act/Consumer Protection Provisions” that is published in the Ohio Consumer Law book.

Jay has recently spoken on topics including:

• Association Technology Use Including Facebook and Community Blogs
• Latest in Leasing Restrictions
• Legal Aspects of Condominium Developments and Homeowners Associations in Ohio
• Helpful Hints to Happy Condominium Living
• Title Issues Related to Condominiums
• Manager’s Seminar – Legal Concerns and Practical Considerations
• Update on Satellite Dish Laws and Regulations
• Face Lift to the Ohio Condominium Act

Education

• Middlebury College, B.A., cum laude, 1988
• Case Western Reserve University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1992

Courts

• Admitted to Northern District of Ohio, Federal Court, 1993

Associations

• Community Associations Institute
• College of Community Association Lawyers
• Ohio State Bar Association
• Cleveland Bar Association, past Chair of the Real Estate Section; Co-chair of the Common Ownership Committee of the Real Estate Section; Member of the Model Forms Committee of the Real Estate Section
• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
• American Bar Association