A sidebar with Robert Meisner.

Byline: Thomas Franz

One of the leading voices in condominium law throughout Michigan is celebrating 50 years of practice this year.

Bingham Farms attorney Robert M. Meisner, founder of The Meisner Law Group PC, was recognized by the State Bar of Michigan on Sept. 27 for being a member for 50 years.

Meisner spoke with Michigan Lawyers Weekly about his career and how condominium law has changed during that time.

First off, do you think, at 50 years of practice, do you plan on slowing down at all?

I've slowed down to the extent that I may spend more time in Florida, but even though I live in Naples, I'm still in contact with my office daily and hourly sometimes. I'm still getting and responding to calls and emails. I probably spend more time out of the office for travel or just relaxing during the winter in Florida, but I'm still pretty active and plan to continue to be in the law practice.

My dad and uncle were lawyers and they practiced when they were in their 80s. I'm not sure if I'll last that long, but I am from a family of lawyers and I'm still enjoying the challenges that the law provides.

How did you decide to specialize in condo law?

I recognized that you needed to have a specialty. Early in my career, I met a former classmate who was working in the condominium section of the Department of Commerce. Back then, that department regulated the sale and development of condos. He used to tell me about the way the state was regulating condos.

I learned about that and when I got back to Detroit, I worked at a law firm that had a developer client who wanted to do a condo development, and the attorney I worked for asked me to put that together.

I later got referred to represent a condo association, and then I saw a note in the paper about a meeting of members of condo associations to discuss their collective problems.

I decided to go to that meeting and spoke up a little bit and was involved in establishing what is now still in existence an organization called United Condominium Owners of Michigan, which has been an educational nonprofit for 45 years. It puts on seminars and advances the rights and interests of condo owners and condo associations. I've been general counsel to that organization for all of these years.

What went into drafting the Michigan Condominium Act?

I got a call from the state in 1978. There was a Commerce Department Advisory Committee, which was made up of developers, title companies, communities, condo associations and...