What Swedelson Gottlieb does

Swedelson Gottlieb is a Los Angeles-headquartered, full-service community-association law firm founded in 1987 that has dedicated its entire practice to California homeowner association (HOA) law. The firm serves condominium associations, planned developments, stock cooperatives, high-rise and mixed-use associations, commercial and industrial common interest developments, age-restricted and senior communities, and sub/master association structures — collectively described as "thousands of" clients statewide. Service scope spans corporate counsel, covenant and rule enforcement, architectural compliance, assessment collection (judicial and non-judicial), construction-defect litigation, elections, fair-housing and disability accommodations, employment law, insurance disputes, environmental/land-use matters, and developer transitions.

Core offerings are organized around seventeen legal service lines plus the registered Amend!® program, a tiered (Option 1/2/3) flat-fee service that restates outdated CC&Rs and Bylaws to conform with current California law. The firm operates an affiliated entity, Association Lien Services (ALS), which handles non-judicial assessment collection using the proprietary Assessment Recovery Management System (ARMS) — an online account-monitoring tool for managers and boards. There are no software products, APIs, or technology platforms owned by the firm itself.

The business model is professional-services fee-for-service: legal fees are quoted by matter, with the Amend!® program serving as the only standardized flat-fee offering. Go-to-market is sales-led through industry-society participation (CAI, CACM, ECHO), referral relationships with management companies, board-member recommendations, speaking and training engagements, and content marketing via HOALawBlog.com, guidebooks, and newsletters. Delivery occurs across five California offices (Orange County/Irvine, Los Angeles, Palm Desert, San Francisco, Ventura) staffed by a team of 11–50 employees, including multiple senior partners with national-level industry recognition.

Name

Swedelson Gottlieb

Legal name

Swedelson Gottlieb

Website

https://lawforhoas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Swedelson Gottlieb is a California community association law firm founded in 1987 that provides full-service legal counsel to condominium, townhouse, stock cooperative, and planned development HOAs statewide from five offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services for Community Associations

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (54111), Offices of Lawyers (541110), All Other Legal Services (541199)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

HOA/Condo Document & Estoppel Services (BPAJAOAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employment & Labor Law (BPAHAAAD), Legal Collections & Litigation Support (Judgments, Garnishments) (FSAKAJAD)

Keywords

• Community association law
• HOA legal counsel
• Condominium law services
• Governing document amendment
• Assessment collection law

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Professional Fees: Swedelson Gottlieb generates revenue through legal fees for providing comprehensive legal counsel to community associations. Services include corporate counsel, litigation, assessment collection, architectural enforcement, contract review, governing document amendment, and general association representation. The firm offers different service tiers through its Amend!® program options (Option 1, 2, and 3) with varying levels of customization and flat fee pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Swedelson Gottlieb provides full-service legal counsel exclusively to California community associations (condominiums, planned developments, stock cooperatives, high-rise and mixed-use associations, and senior communities). Services span corporate counsel, covenant and rule enforcement, assessment collection (judicial and non-judicial), disputes and litigation, developer transition, elections, employment law, architectural enforcement, insurance disputes, and the proprietary Amend!® program for updating governing documents to reflect current California law.

Product overview

Swedelson Gottlieb is a full-service community association law firm (not a technology company) that has provided legal counsel exclusively to California community associations since 1987. The firm offers a comprehensive portfolio of legal services including Architectural Matters, Assessment Collection, Board & Manager Education, Capital Improvement Projects, Contract Review and Drafting, Corporate Counsel, Covenant and Rule Enforcement, Developer Transition, Disputes & Litigation, Disability & Fair Housing, Elections, Employment Law, Environmental & Land Use, the Amend!® Program for governing document amendments, Insurance, and Maintenance & Repairs. The firm also provides educational guidebooks and maintains an affiliate relationship with Association Lien Services (ALS) for non-judicial assessment collection. All services are focused on California community association law with no software products or technology platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Matters Legal Services Legal counsel for architectural control, including assistance with developing application processes and enforcing architectural guidelines for community associations.
• Assessment Collection Services Legal services for assessment collection including nonjudicial collection, judicial assessment collection through litigation, and assistance with payment plans under California Civil Code.
• Board & Manager Education Educational programs and training for community association board members and managers covering fiduciary duties, financials, governing document enforcement, assessment collection, and new legislation.
• Capital Improvement Projects Legal guidance for capital improvement projects including assistance with loan applications and compliance with governing document restrictions.
• Contract Review and Drafting Transaction team services for contract negotiation, review, and preparation with stock contracts developed for maximum client protection.
• Corporate Counsel Day-to-day legal advice for homeowner associations including Fair Housing compliance, Davis-Stirling Act compliance, and practical counsel on association operations.
• Covenant and Rule Enforcement Enforcement of CC&Rs and rules including demand letters, hearing attendance, dispute resolution, and litigation for violations.
• Developer Transition Services Assistance with developer transition including preparation of member control, record audits, and turnover checklists.
• Disputes & Litigation Full-service litigation representation including construction defects, contractor disputes, mediation, arbitration, member disputes, and small claims court.
• Disability & Fair Housing Compliance Compliance counsel for federal Fair Housing Regulations and California Department of Employment and Housing regulations including reasonable accommodation requests.
• Elections Services Drafting of election materials including notices and ballots to ensure compliance with California civil code requirements.
• Employment Law Services Labor and employment legal needs including employment contracts, harassment prevention, employee manuals, and personnel discipline.
• Environmental & Land Use Restrictions Representation in compliance issues before government agencies including Prop 65, Coastal Commission, and water quality matters.
• Amend!® Program (Governing Document Amendment and Restatement) Specialized trademarked program for updating outdated CC&Rs and Bylaws to conform with current California law, available in three tiered options (Option 1 basic fixed fee, Option 2 greater customization, Option 3 includes policies, rules, and maintenance matrix) based on community size and customization needs.
• Insurance Legal Services Counsel on insurance policy types, limits, disputes with carriers, settlement negotiations, and litigation oversight covered by insurance.
• Maintenance & Repairs Legal Services Legal opinions on maintenance and repair responsibilities through review of CC&Rs, condo plans, and state laws, including preparation of maintenance matrices.
• Association Lien Services (ALS) - Non-Judicial Assessment Collection Non-judicial assessment collection service delivered through affiliate company Association Lien Services (ALS), utilizing the Assessment Recovery Management System (ARMS) which enables managers and boards to monitor delinquent accounts online 24/7; all ALS services are attorney-supervised and supported by Swedelson Gottlieb attorneys.

Quantifiable outcome

• Statewide reach throughout California with offices in Orange County, Los Angeles, Palm Desert, San Francisco, and Ventura
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Association Lien Services (ALS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1987Association Lien Services (ALS) is an affiliate of Swedelson Gottlieb, co-founded by the firm's partners. ALS specializes in non-judicial assessment collection for California community associations. While Swedelson Gottlieb handles judicial assessment collection, ALS handles non-judicial collection matters. ALS utilizes its proprietary Assessment Recovery Management System (ARMS) enabling managers and boards to monitor delinquent accounts online 24/7. All ALS services are attorney-supervised and supported by Swedelson Gottlieb attorneys. Contact: 800.825.5510 or [email protected].
• Community Associations Institute (CAI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwedelson Gottlieb is a Business Partner member of many California Chapters of CAI. The firm regularly attends and teaches at Chapter monthly education luncheon events and national CAI events. Attorneys have spoken at hundreds of CAI programs and authored articles for various California CAI chapter publications. Sandra Gottlieb serves on the CAI National Faculty, CAI National Attorneys Committee, and CAI College of Community Association Lawyers.
• California Association of Community Managers (CACM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSandra L. Gottlieb served on CACM's Legal Advisory Steering Committee for over 15 years, teaching community association managers about legal implications. She completed two six-year appointments as Editor of CACM's Law Journal and serves on CACM's Professional Standards Committee. The firm provides CCAM certification courses including four California law module courses and Ethics for California Community Association Managers.
• Executive Council of Homeowners (ECHO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwedelson Gottlieb attorneys participate in ECHO's annual seminars and legislative advocacy program, and regularly author articles for the ECHO Journal. ECHO is a membership organization serving California community association homeowners and professionals.
• California Banks Specializing in HOA ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwedelson Gottlieb has relationships with many of California's leading banks who specialize in providing services to community associations. These relationships help associations obtain financing more efficiently for capital improvements and construction defect remediation. The firm's understanding of bank loan underwriting processes enables them to assist in preparing appropriate loan application documents.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Epsten Grinnell & Howell: Full-service California HOA law firm representing condominiums, planned developments, and cooperatives with services spanning corporate counsel, litigation, collection, and developer transition — directly comparable service mix and geographic footprint.
• Adams Stirling PLC: California HOA law firm with a strong online presence (davis-stirling.com), providing community association counsel including governing document drafting, collection, and dispute resolution — comparable niche specialization.
• Berding | Weil: California-based law firm focused exclusively on community association law, offering overlapping services including governing document amendments, assessment collection, construction defect litigation, and corporate counsel for HOAs across the state.
• Fiore Racobs & Powers: California law firm focused on HOA and common interest development law, providing corporate counsel, enforcement, collection, and dispute resolution — competing in the same niche with overlapping service offerings.
• Peters & Freedman: California community association law firm serving HOAs, condominiums, and planned developments with corporate counsel, collection, and litigation services — comparable specialty focus and California statewide reach.
• Richardson Ober DeNichilo LLP: California firm specializing in community association law, offering counsel to condominium and planned development associations on governance, enforcement, collection, and litigation matters.
• Tinnelly Law Group: Southern California firm dedicated to community association law, providing counsel on governing documents, assessment collection, construction defects, and dispute resolution for HOAs — directly competing for the same California client base.
• Advance Professional Law Group: California HOA-focused law practice offering general counsel, assessment collection, governing document amendments, and litigation — a directly comparable specialty firm competing for board and management company referrals.

Others

• Community Associations Institute (CAI): National trade association for the community association industry — not a competitor but a key ecosystem partner that shapes education, certification, and referral flows for specialty HOA law firms like Swedelson Gottlieb.
• Association Lien Services (ALS): Affiliate of Swedelson Gottlieb providing non-judicial assessment collection to California HOAs via its ARMS platform — comparable in customer base but not a competing law firm; adjacent ecosystem participant.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SwedGottHOALaw
• Facebookfacebook.com/SwedelsonGottlieb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swedelsongottlieb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Swedelson Gottlieb