Professional Qualifications

We at Barfield, McCain, P.A., are pleased to submit our qualifications to serve you as legal counsel and to provide you with information about our Firm’s competence to represent your legal interests.  Barfield, McCain, P.A. is an AV-rated real estate law firm that is known throughout the multi-housing industry for providing exceptional, cost effective legal services. An AV rating by Martindale Hubbell, www.martindale.com, indicates that a lawyer has reached the height of professional excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity.  Since 1987, our law Firm has served Florida real estate investors in contract preparation, acquisitions, sales and litigation.  Embracing the multi-disciplinary concept, Barfield, McCain, P.A. affiliates with other real estate professionals in order to support each client and each transaction from contract to closing. Our skilled legal team is exceptionally talented in educating, supporting and representing investors who become landlords.  An overview of our Firm’s, purpose, background, qualifications and credentials follows.

Our Purpose

An observation by the U.S. Supreme Court, made when our country was still defining its core values, is powerful and relevant in the twenty-first century.  Below is the classic declaration by Justice Paterson, which is the foundation of our mission:

“The right of acquiring and possessing property and having it protected,” Justice Paterson wrote in an early Supreme Court opinion, “is one of the natural inherent and unalienable rights of man.  Men have a sense of property:  property is necessary to their subsistence, and correspondent to their natural wants and desires; its security was one of the objects that induced them to unite in society.  No man would become a member of a community in which he could not enjoy the fruits of his honest labor and industry.  The preservation of property, then, is a primary object of the social compact”

(Van Horne’s Lessee v. Dorrance, 2 Dall. 304, 310: 1795).

Scope of Experience

Representation by a small law firm has distinctive advantages.  Unlike the larger firms, we are ready, willing and able to provide each client with personal and individualized service.  Unlike the larger firms, the small firm ensures that only one lawyer will be in charge of bringing the case or project from start to finish.  We are also aware that legal matters involve people and that, along with the very important legalities, we must also take into account the human factor.  As our client, you can rest assured that Barfield, McCain, P.A. will represent your legal interests to the fullest extent of the law.  In addition to providing our clients with vigorous legal representation in ongoing litigation, our firm handles a variety of real estate and business transactions, such as: 

  • Representing residential and commercial landlords in a variety of matters;
  • Representing developers and borrowers in real estate and business transactions;
  • Representing sellers and buyers in real estate and business transactions;
  • Assisting in the private syndication of properties, including apartments;
  • Drafting leases, condominium documents and contracts for real estate sales;
  • Supporting Sage Title & Escrow in its performance of closings in real estate transactions;
  • Assisting Sage Title & Escrow in the formation of new title companies, for which it provides a portion of the investor’s initial capital, organization and ongoing management.
State of the Art Technology & Online Services

Our firm has invested significantly in the research and development of its website, www.barfieldpa.com.  The site is tailored to providing on-line assistance to the apartment industry.  This technology is accessible on our website and includes interactive 3 days notices, 7 days notices, settlement stipulations and other tools designed to avoid errors and to facilitate the expediency and cost control our clients require.  In house, our software creates reports to monitor each phase of an eviction action and includes status reports reflecting money owed, including costs and fees, time of commencement and the position of the case relative to completion.  These invaluable status reports are also privately available to each property on our website.  A property specific password opens access to a personalized area where the list of all open cases and the corresponding status reports can be viewed.  By logging onto our website at www.barfieldpa.com, each client can access “real time” information 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.  Generally, clients who use our software to generate the statutory notices avoid costly mistakes. A notice can be completed by simply filling in the necessary variable information.  All statutory language, date requirements, and mathematical calculations are automated.  The development of www.barfieldpa.com is indicative of our continuing commitment to the promotion of excellence in the housing industry.

Educational Seminars

The attorneys who work with our firm are available to instruct our clients in various areas of the law and to assist in training their personnel to deal effectively with potential legal issues.  We have taught the following educational seminars:

  • The Legal Aspects section of the Certified Apartment Manager Course (offered at Florida Atlantic University);
  • Legal Seminars for the Department of Professional Regulation, Division of Hotels and Restaurants;
  • Legal Seminars for Property Management Companies throughout Florida; and
  • Educational Panels on The Fair Housing Act of 1988.
Publications

Our firm has published various articles in Headliner Magazine of the Broward Palm Beach Apartment Association; and in Impact Magazine, produced by the Florida Apartment Association.

We have annually produced The Legal Guide to Florida Property Management, which is updated every year and is available to our clients without charge.

A Partial List of Our Firm’s Clients
  • Altman Companies
  • Waypointe Residential
  • Cambridge Management
  • ZRS Management
  • Olen Residential Realty Corp.
  • Advenir Real Estate Mgmt.
  • Greystar
  • Fairfield Residential
  • Incore Residential
  • JMG Realty
  • Lincoln Property Company
  • Behringer Harvard   
  • RAM Realty Services
  • The Related Group
  • Teachers Insurance and Annuity
  • UBS Realty Investors
  • BH Management
  • Winthrop Management
Malpractice Insurance

Though we have never had a claim against us for legal malpractice, we maintain malpractice insurance with Florida Lawyers Mutual Insurance.

Thank You

We at Barfield, McCain, PA welcome this opportunity to introduce you to our firm.  Should you have any questions please feel free to contact us.

Sincerely,
Barfield, McCain Legal Team