Michael S. Karpoff
PartnerPrinceton, NJ
Michael S. Karpoff is a partner in the Princeton, N.J. office of Hill Wallack LLP and is a member of the firm’s Community Association Group and the firm’s Professional Licensing and Regulation practice group.
Mr. Karpoff is a fellow of the national College of Community Association Lawyers, He has been practicing community association law for over 40 years, providing representation to community associations and developers in judicial, administrative and appellate proceedings and counseling association governing boards. During that time, he has served as lead counsel for numerous community association plaintiffs in construction defect cases. He also has been involved in a wide variety of matters concerning maintenance and repair responsibilities, construction deficiencies, association administration and operation, common expense assessment collection, covenants and rules interpretation and enforcement, contract enforcement, and compliance with local, state and federal laws.
In addition to community association law and litigation, Mr. Karpoff concentrates his practice in administrative law including professional and occupational licensing and regulation, construction code and zoning matters. Previously, as a New Jersey Deputy Attorney General, he represented professional and occupational licensing boards and other state agencies before entering private practice in 1984. His practice now includes representing professional and occupational licensees before New Jersey regulatory boards. He also served as the attorney for the Highland Park Zoning Board from 1987 until 1996.
Mr. Karpoff is admitted to practice law in New Jersey (1980), Pennsylvania (1992) and New York (1989) and before the United States Supreme Court (1987), the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals (1988) and the U.S. District Court for New Jersey (1980). He earned his J.D. from Rutgers Law School, Newark. He received his A.B. degree from Rutgers College and an M.S. degree from Boston University’s School of Public Communication.
Representative Matters- Mr. Karpoff successfully represented numerous community associations in transition and construction defect litigation as well as other types of litigation.
- He has served as an expert witness concerning community association governing documents and legal requirements.
- He was a defense attorney in Committee for a Better Twin Rivers v. Twin Rivers Homeowners Association, in which the N.J. Supreme Court held that common interest communities may reasonably restrict speech on private property without violating the state constitution.
- He counsels associations on a wide variety of issues, such as rules enforcement, document interpretation, alternative dispute resolution, and local, state and federal rights and obligations.
- Mr. Karpoff represents associations before state and local administrative agencies.
- He successfully represented professional licensees before New Jersey regulatory boards for over 25 years, including physicians, veterinarians, nurses and others.
Sample Presentations and Publications- Co-author, Religion in Community Associations: Fair Housing or Free Speech? Thou Shalt Not Violate the Law, 2019 CAI National Law Seminar, received Seminar Best Manuscript award
- Author, Running Out of Time: Deadlines for Common Interest Realty Construct Defect Litigation, New Jersey Lawyer (December 2017)
- Author, Community Association Residents Granted Greater Protection of Speech, Community Trends (January 2015)
- Author, Disabled Residents and the Law Against Discrimination: Reasonable Modifications of Facilities and Accommodations of Rules and Policies, 2012 Community Association Law Summit, at 73 (NJICLE 2012)
- Author, The Right to Speak in Community Associations: Constitutional or Contractual? Pennsylvania Bar Association Quarterly (April 2008)
- Author, The ABCs of ADR: Perspectives and Pointers, New Jersey Lawyer 22 (October 2006)
- Co-author, Community Association Collections: Practice, Pointers and Pitfalls (NJICLE 1993)
- Author, Members’ Speech: The Twin Rivers, Mazdabrook, Dublirer Dilemma, 2014 Community Association Law Summit (NJICLE 2014)
- Co-author, Doing the Unpopular: Protecting Community Assets Despite Owner Opposition, 2011 CAI Annual Conference & Exposition
- Author, The Attorney-Client Privilege and Confidentiality in Community Associations, 2009 CAI National Law Seminar
- Author, Split Personality of Cooperatives Benefits Residents, Creates Obstacles for Governing Boards, Community Trends (October 1999), received CAI-NJ Author of the Year award
He has authored numerous articles and papers. Mr. Karpoff is a frequent speaker at seminars and other events.
Leadership- Selected for inclusion in New Jersey Super Lawyers lists for 2005, 2010 - 2022. (The Super Lawyers list is issued by Thomson Reuters. A description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.)
- Fellow, National College of Community Association Lawyers
- Former Director, Community Associations Institute – New Jersey Chapter
- Past Chairman, Common Interest Ownership Committee, New Jersey State Bar Association
- Served on Community Associations Institute Amicus Curiae Advisory Group
