With a national reputation only exceeded by his regional stature, Steven L. Sugarman is widely considered the premier practitioner of community association law in Pennsylvania.
Steve was the founding principal of the esteemed community association law firm, Steven L. Sugarman & Associates, and its merger with Gawthrop Greenwood in August 2023 created one of the largest law firms supporting homeowners associations (HOAs), planned communities, condominium associations and cooperatives in Pennsylvania. The merger ensures that Steve’s clients benefit from an expanded array of services and legal disciplines that are of limited availability elsewhere.
A community association law attorney for more than 40 years, Steve has played a critical role in establishing statutory and decisional law governing Pennsylvania’s common interest communities (CICs). As the chair and active member of the Community Associations Institute’s (CAI) Legislative Action Committee for many years, Steve drafted and advocated for key amendments to Pennsylvania’s statutes as community associations have evolved into the fastest-growing form of housing. He also serves as an expert witness on community association matters brought before Pennsylvania’s courts and General Assembly.
A member of the prestigious College of Community Association Lawyers since 2000 and a past president of CAI’s regional chapter, Steve is an adjunct professor at the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, where he developed and teaches one of the few law school courses nationwide on Condominium and Homeowner Association Law. He has been awarded Martindale Hubbell’s highest AV Preeminent peer review rating and has been featured as a Pennsylvania “Super Lawyer” every year since 2007.
Steve’s writings include, “Setting the Standard of Care in Premises Liability Cases,” published in CAI’s Journal of Community Association Law. A frequent lecturer at the local and national levels on real estate and community association matters, Steve has presented numerous programs for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, CAI, National Business Institute, National Constitution Center and other educational organizations. Programs include:
Steve has been involved in a number of landmark legal decisions, including:
Super Lawyers Pennsylvania 2007 - 2023
Suburban Life Magazine Top Attorneys
Community Associations Institute (CAI) Robert H. Wise President’s Award
AV Rating – Martindale-Hubbell
Philadelphia magazine Influential Philadelphia Area Lawyers