In a recent article in The Private Club Advisor, Boca Raton partner Michelle Tanzer discusses the importance of a thorough member evaluation process. Clubs that do not carefully review and consider each member candidate in a consistent manner open themselves up to a number of claims, including negligence and discrimination claims. 

"If a person has a history of bad conduct and the club does not properly vet them, or isn’t aware of their history, and that person engages in similar conduct at the club and someone is harmed (either a member or an employee), there could be claims by the damaged individual that the club was negligent in allowing this individual to have access as a member to the club facilities, its members and employees," says Tanzer. Additionally, Tanzer mentions that once a candidate is approved for membership, it is difficult to remove them despite bad conduct or their inability to meet financial obligations. 

To avoid such claims, Tanzer reccommends that clubs hire third-party companies to conduct membership vetting. Doing so ensures a full review of membership candidates without bias or favoritism. 

Click here to read the full article. 

Reprinted with permission.