Good morning! I like to say that one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. Here’s the quote:
No man is above the law, and no man is below it.
Theodore Roosevelt
Now, first of all, if Teddy were speaking today, he would say no “person.” And second of all, the law (both of Teddy’s time and today) probably belies that statement on a regular basis. So why include it as a quote?
Well, the MMM series is about nothing so much as aspiration. And this, to be sure, is an aspirational quote. But that’s what I like about it. Our firm exists in no small part in order to provide access to the legal system to associations who may not otherwise be able to obtain it. Our Pyramid of Services describes the ways in which we assist community associations – often small, or under-served, or on a tight budget, or otherwise “below the law.”
You may have stopped by our booth this weekend at the WMCCAI Expo and heard me telling lawyer jokes that dabbled in some of the more negative stereotypes surrounding lawyers. While that was all in good fun, the truth is that attorneys involved in the community association industry, myself included, spend a great deal of time thinking about how to make the law more accessible to and beneficial for more members of the general public. One great example is the many steps attorneys take to make education and information available to the general public.
So if you as a community association board member or resident are feeling somewhat excluded or marginalized, I encourage you to look around just a bit for the many resources that are available to you, and consider speaking to a lawyer who might be able to fill you in on your rights. No person, and no community, should be either above or below the law.
Have a great week everybody!