Attorney Profiles-Barnett Law Firm, Ltd.

Shelley R.Z.Barnett, principal attorney of Barnett Law Firm, Ltd., has been licensed to practice law in Illinois since 1985, and in California since 1993. Ms. Barnett has extensive experience in both litigation and transactional matters. Ms. Barnett is a member of the Trial Bar of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and she is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
Ms. Barnett began working with condominium and homeowners associations over 12 years ago. Immediately prior, Ms. Barnett was receiving awards for her work with the United States Department of Defense, addressing defense contractor mischarging. Ms. Barnett's career includes work in various areas of the law, such as all phases of litigation, venture capital, securities, contracts, corporate, bank representation (loan documentation) and tax. Ms. Barnett presents a panoply of skills on which to draw in her representation of associations clients which are faced with problems in a wide variety of legal fields. Ms. Barnett operates www.condolawyers.com, as part of her firm's commitment to computer-based operations.
Ms. Barnett was educated at the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign. After three years, Ms. Barnett was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree with Distinction in Finance. She was one of the University's youngest graduation participants at 19; granted a few months later, her diploma is dated less than a week after she turned 20. Two years of life abroad, European travel and local retail management followed. Again after only three years, Ms. Barnett was awarded both her Juris Doctor and Master of Accounting Science degrees. During two of those years, Ms. Barnett held a research assistantship, analyzing tax cases and working on the tax chapter of the annual Farm Income Tax School Workbook.
Ms. Barnett speaks English, French and Hebrew. She relaxes to tales of serial killers; an inveterate reader and television connoisseur, she has a habit of helping stray animals. Her home is a classic example of the domination of 200+ pounds of dogs by less than 75 pounds of cats.
Ms. Barnett's comments in the field of association law can be found in the major papers; examples include:

Chicago Tribune:

An Advice-Filled Day for Conference Attendees
Pamela Dittmer McKuen – November 8, 2002
Bending compassion with a keen business sense
Pamela Dittmer McKuen – July 25, 2003
Cost Cutters for 2003 budgets – Reserve studies refinancing loans are two options
Pamela Dittmer McKuen – July 19, 2003
Don’t be shocked by association rules –
Regulations can govern your activities and sense of style
Pamela Dittmer McKuen – August 22, 2003
From nuisances to foul odors – legal panel offers guidance
Pamela Dittmer McKuen – November 15, 2002
Green thumbed-residents standing on delicate ground
Pamela Dittmer McKuen – May 23, 2003
Is Big Brother really watching homeowners?
Pamela Dittmer McKuen – May 3, 2002
It’s always good policy to buy personal insurance
Pamela Dittmer McKuen – May 16, 2003
Know the Rules Before You Buy a Townhouse
Pamela Dittmer McKuen – November 1, 2002
More residents are going condo; Economy and ease drive downtown sales.
Maggie Sieger – July 17, 2002
Regulations can govern your activities and sense of style
Pamela Dittmer McKuen – August 22, 2003
Seasonal decorating rules help keep the peace
Pamela Dittmer McKuen – November 28, 2003
Some common reasons to call an association meeting or workshop.
Pamela Dittmer McKuen – October 4, 2002
Tackling the sex-offender issue
Pamela Dittmer McKuen – October 24, 2003
The realities of association life
Pamela Dittmer McKuen – January 10, 2003
Up-to-the-minute tips about legal issues
Pamela Dittmer McKuen – December 12, 2003
When it’s time for clutter patrol – Maintaining common areas.
Pamela Dittmer McKuen – January 18, 2002

Chicago Sun-Times:

Battle of patios vs. wood balconies
David Mack – February 6, 2004
Bevy of barristers tackles condo issues
David Mack – February 14, 2003
Board must recognize new insurance laws
David Mack – July 19, 2002
Boards, owners sometimes battle over for-sale signs and flags
David Mack – February 22, 2002
Flexibility is permitted in rules for condo board elections
David Mack – June 27, 2003
Hall paint a questionable use of reserve
David Mack – February 28, 2003
How condo owners monthly assessments are calculated
David Mack – July 11, 2003
Lack of board members could lead to legal hassles, weak association
David Mack – May 17, 2002
Panel of lawyers help to clarify common condo issues
David Mack – February 21, 2003
Some associations ban non-residents from board
David Mack – May 9, 2003
When associations shouldn’t involve lawyers
David Mack – June 13, 2003
Who pays when only some affected?
David Mack – November 30, 2001

JEFFREY A. GOLDBERG

Jeffrey A. Goldberg is of counsel to the firm of Barnett Law Firm, Ltd. Mr. Goldberg has worked in the field of condominium and homeowners association law and real estate litigation since 1985, first as a legal assistant, then as an associate attorney at a suburban law firm. He supervised that firm's legal collection department for several years, and was one of the managing associates of the firm responsible for the real estate and business transactional area. Ultimately, Mr. Goldberg was the principal attorney of Jeffrey A. Goldberg, Ltd., which combined its Illinois practice with that of Ms Barnett effective January 1, 2001.
Jeffrey A. Goldberg was awarded a Juris Doctor degree with High Honors from the IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. He was the valedictorian of his class and was elected to membership in the prestigious Order of the Coif.
Mr. Goldberg received over twenty academic honors including: appointment to the staff of the Chicago-Kent Law Review (August 1987 to May 1988); receipt of the West Publishing Corpus Juris Secundum and Hornbook Award (1988 and 1989); receipt of the Lawrence Doppelt Scholarship; receipt of the Chicago-Kent Academic Achievement Award (1988-89 and 1989-90); receipt of the Marshall D. Ewell Founder's Award (1987); and receipt of five (5) American Jurisprudence Awards and six (6) Chicago-Kent Class Awards.
Jeffrey A. Goldberg was awarded a Juris Doctor degree with High Honors from the IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. He was the valedictorian of his class and was elected to membership in the prestigious Order of the Coif.
Jeffrey A. Goldberg is a frequent speaker at association law seminars and an author of numerous articles on community association law. He is a member of the Business Law, Law Practice Management and Nonprofit Organization sections of the American Bar Association , and is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association , the Association of Condominium, Townhouse & Homeowners Associations (ACTHA) and Community Association's Institute (CAI) . Mr. Goldberg is authorized to practice in the State of Illinois, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and in the State of New Mexico. Mr. Goldberg is a licensed title insurance agent with First American Title Insurance Company.