Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging: All-Member Webinar Event
DEIB Webinar: Identifying Divisive/Inclusive Language in Governing Docs
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Event Details
ATTORNEY ROUNDTABLE - IDENTIFYING DIVISIVE/INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE IN GOVERNING DOCUMENTS
Join us to hear from some expert attorneys as they explore inclusive and divisive language within governing documents.
Discussion topics include:
- Historical challenges;
- Ways to improve inclusive language within an association's governing documents;
- How divisive language can impact community living and the inclusion and acceptance of residents.
The DEI&B Committee needs YOU! Please consider volunteering to work with the committee to plan future educational topics and events. The committee meets monthly, the fourth Wednesday of the month at 11:30-12:30 on Zoom. If interested please e-mail info@wscai.org.
Presenters:
Welcome back guest speaker Noelle Hicks!
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Noelle G. Hicks, Esq. is a Shareholder in both the Property Owners Association Law Section and Litigation Section of RMWBH. Noelle assists single-family residential, townhome, condominium, and some commercial associations with various aspects of property owners’ association law including the collection of delinquent assessments, complex deed restriction enforcement issues, developing and interpreting governing documents and drafting and reviewing contracts. In addition, she works with her association clients on various issues such as ensuring compliance with state and federal laws, attending administrative hearings, 209 hearings and board meetings on behalf of her clients. Noelle’s efforts in the industry have been featured by CAI including forming the basis for CAI’s Diverse and Inclusive Communities Guide. Her manuscript on “Overcoming Racism in Community Associations: Attorneys as Agents of Change” was awarded Best Manuscript at the 2021 CAI National Law Seminar. Noelle was awarded Best Manuscript in 2022 for her publication entitled, Tackling Mental Health Issues in Community Associations. The content of this manuscript was converted into a digital book entitled, Minding Mental Illness - A Guide to Handling Conflicts with Residents, published by CAI. Noelle is a member of the Texas Bar College. She received her bachelor's degree from Trinity University in 2005 and her Juris Doctorate from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University in 2008. |
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Valerie Farris Oman, Esq., CCAL is a partner at Condominium Law Group, PLLC, which exclusively serves condominium and homeowners association clients with all of their legal needs. In 2024, Valerie was admitted to the College of Community Association Lawyers (CCAL), and is one of only five attorneys in Washington State having earned that distinction. |
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Theresa Torgesen, Esq. is an experienced attorney who has been serving condominium and homeowner associations as general counsel since 2007. She is passionate about community association education and advocacy and collaborating with other industry professionals. Theresa served on the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (WUCIOA) Drafting Committee for eight years, was the Co-Chair of the CAI Washington State Legislative Action Committee (LAC) when WUCIOA was enacted and is now the chair of the WUCIOA attorney advisory committee to the LAC. Theresa enjoys sharing her community association knowledge and experience so much that she frequently volunteers to present educational seminars for attorneys, association managers, and board members at the state and national level. | |
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Michael D. Brandt, Esq. is the principal of Brandt Law Group, a Seattle law firm that provides legal services to condominium and homeowner associations, their officers, directors, and individual members, as well as to the owners of single family residential properties and commercial properties. He is a past two term Director of the WSCAI Chapter Board and has twice been the Co-Chair of the Legislative Action Committee (CAI-LAC). Michael is returning as a member to the CAI-LAC this session, where he has been an active member of the Legislative Action Committee for most of the last fifteen (15) years. He was the CAI-LAC Covid-19 Co-Chair, where he worked on providing direction to Governor Inslee that resulted in the COVID-19 community association-related Proclamation 20-51. He has also facilitated the Attorney Advisory committee to the CAI-LAC and will be the CAI-LAC’s liaison to a new Attorney Advisory committee to the CAI-LAC, which will be working on representing WSCAI member’s interests in the legislature’s effort to combine the statutes that govern condominium and homeowners associations. Michael has been practicing real estate law in Seattle for 32 years and lives in Snoqualmie, Washington, where he is a member of the Snoqualmie Ridge HOA. |
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