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Michelle Tanzer

Michelle Tanzer

Partner

Lynn Financial Center
1905 NW Corporate Blvd
Suite 310
Boca Raton, FL 33431
T 561.866.5700
michelle.tanzer@nelsonmullins.com
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Michelle is chair of the firm’s Global Club and Branded Residences Group and co-chair of the Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Team. Michelle advises her club, community association, hotel operator and developer clients with projects in the U.S. as well as the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Latin America, and Asia. Her primary focus is negotiating, structuring, and amending...

Michelle is chair of the firm’s Global Club and Branded Residences Group and co-chair of the Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Team. Michelle advises her club, community association, hotel operator and developer clients with projects in the U.S. as well as the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Latin America, and Asia. Her primary focus is negotiating, structuring, and amending the governance documents for golf, tennis, marina, polo, spa and fitness, tennis, and dining clubs as well as the merger, licensing, marketing, management, and consumer documents necessary for residential and resort communities, mixed-use projects, community associations, condominiums, and clubs of all types.

Michelle uses her global hospitality industry experience to guide her clients through complex substantive issues in the current legal and economic environment, as well as operational, business, and financial issues to be addressed through the life of the project. When working on development projects overseas, she helps achieve integration of western business and legal objectives within foreign jurisdictional frameworks by implementing innovative and creative solutions.

As a Florida Supreme Court qualified arbitrator, a certified circuit civil mediator, and one of four professionals selected by the American Arbitration Association for the National Golf Industry Panel, Michelle serves as arbitrator or mediator to resolve a wide range of disputes. When assisting clients, she uses her dispute resolution experience to provide counsel with a view toward dispute avoidance. She has written and lectured extensively on the issues concerning residential, resort, and golf projects and authored the book “The Club Litigation Book – Keeping Clubs out of Court.”  

Michelle Tanzer

the governance documents for golf, tennis, marina, polo, spa and fitness, tennis, and dining clubs as well as the merger, licensing, marketing, management, and consumer documents necessary for residential and resort communities, mixed-use projects, community associations, condominiums, and clubs of all types.

Michelle uses her global hospitality industry experience to guide her clients through complex substantive issues in the current legal and economic environment, as well as operational, business, and financial issues to be addressed through the life of the project. When working on development projects overseas, she helps achieve integration of western business and legal objectives within foreign jurisdictional frameworks by implementing innovative and creative solutions.

As a Florida Supreme Court qualified arbitrator, a certified circuit civil mediator, and one of four professionals selected by the American Arbitration Association for the National Golf Industry Panel, Michelle serves as arbitrator or mediator to resolve a wide range of disputes. When assisting clients, she uses her dispute resolution experience to provide counsel with a view toward dispute avoidance. She has written and lectured extensively on the issues concerning residential, resort, and golf projects and authored the book “The Club Litigation Book – Keeping Clubs out of Court.”  

Experience

The following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.

Representative Matters

  • Represented prestigious country club and community association in various community association and club matters, including amending and restating all community governance documents (multiple locations throughout the U.S.)
  • Represented member-owned golf and country club in the strategy, negotiation, documentation and logistics for the successful sale of all of its assets to a third party owner-operator (multiple locations throughout Florida)
  • Represented international hotel company in structuring and documenting branded residential project, creating innovative solutions to local law management, branding, and customer contract limitations to enable client to utilize preferred business model to brand and operate the project. Also produced association documentation, customer agreements, and licensing and management agreements (Southeast Asia)
  • Served as expert witness for exclusive country club in litigation with resigned members (Southwest Florida)
  • Represented owner/operator in the negotiation and documentation for the acquisition of a private golf and country club (Maryland and North Carolina)
  • Represented private country club and community association in a successful merger of the two entities (Florida)
  • Represented top–tier international hotel brand in hotel and residential project including all licensing, development, and management agreements, rental program, and customer agreements (the Maldives)
  • Represented private club owner in restructuring of membership offering to eliminate the refundable equity component (New Jersey and Florida)
  • Represented resort owner in restructuring and documenting mixed use resort, including termination of golf and yacht club programs, cost sharing, and reciprocal easement agreements (The Bahamas)
  • Represented timeshare resort owner in termination of timeshare plan and repositioning of resort to whole unit condominiums (Florida and The Bahamas)
  • Represented national home builder in restructuring residential country club community to mandatory membership regime (Delaware)
  • Represented resort owner in structuring and documenting condo hotel project, including all governing documents and cost sharing arrangements as well as all related rental program agreements and operating arrangements (The Bahamas)
  • Represented international luxury hotel brand in structuring and documenting hotel and branded residential components of mixed–use project, including licensing, marketing and management agreements, rental program and consumer agreements, and association documents (multiple locations throughout the U.S.)
  • Represented hotel owner of iconic property in connection with amenities, membership, and loyalties programming (Florida)
  • Represented member owned club in connection with retention of private club status (multiple locations throughout the U.S.)
  • Represented trade association in the private club industry on document production and membership issues (Nationwide)
  • Represented high–end private equity club in negotiated buy–out of developer’s interest to allow members to control and operate club (Florida)
  • Represented international luxury hotel brands in structuring and documenting branded residential component of mixed–use resort projects, including licensing and management agreements, consumer agreements, association governance documents, and rental program documents (Bali, Indonesia, Bangkok, Thailand, and multiple other locations throughout the region)
  • Represented top–tier luxury hotel brand in structuring and documenting branded residential component, including utilities infrastructure documentation, licensing, marketing and management agreements, and rental program agreements (Puerto Rico)

Previous Professional Experience

  • Chair of the Residential, Resort & Club Section and Chair of the Hospitality industry group at Boca Raton office of an East Coast law firm
The following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.

Representative Matters

  • Represented prestigious country club and community association in various community association and club matters, including amending and restating all community governance documents (multiple locations throughout the U.S.)
  • Represented member-owned golf and country club in the strategy, negotiation, documentation and logistics for the successful sale of all of its assets to a third party owner-operator (multiple locations throughout Florida)
  • Represented international hotel company in structuring and documenting branded residential project, creating innovative solutions to local law management, branding, and customer contract limitations to enable client to utilize preferred business model to brand and operate the project. Also produced association documentation, customer agreements, and licensing and management agreements (Southeast Asia)
  • Served as expert witness for exclusive country club in litigation with resigned members (Southwest Florida)
  • Represented owner/operator in the negotiation and documentation for the acquisition of a private golf and country club (Maryland and North Carolina)
  • Represented private country club and community association in a successful merger of the two entities (Florida)
  • Represented top–tier international hotel brand in hotel and residential project including all licensing, development, and management agreements, rental program, and customer agreements (the Maldives)
  • Represented private club owner in restructuring of membership offering to eliminate the refundable equity component (New Jersey and Florida)
  • Represented resort owner in restructuring and documenting mixed use resort, including termination of golf and yacht club programs, cost sharing, and reciprocal easement agreements (The Bahamas)
  • Represented timeshare resort owner in termination of timeshare plan and repositioning of resort to whole unit condominiums (Florida and The Bahamas)
  • Represented national home builder in restructuring residential country club community to mandatory membership regime (Delaware)
  • Represented resort owner in structuring and documenting condo hotel project, including all governing documents and cost sharing arrangements as well as all related rental program agreements and operating arrangements (The Bahamas)
  • Represented international luxury hotel brand in structuring and documenting hotel and branded residential components of mixed–use project, including licensing, marketing and management agreements, rental program and consumer agreements, and association documents (multiple locations throughout the U.S.)
  • Represented hotel owner of iconic property in connection with amenities, membership, and loyalties programming (Florida)
  • Represented member owned club in connection with retention of private club status (multiple locations throughout the U.S.)
  • Represented trade association in the private club industry on document production and membership issues (Nationwide)
  • Represented high–end private equity club in negotiated buy–out of developer’s interest to allow members to control and operate club (Florida)
  • Represented international luxury hotel brands in structuring and documenting branded residential component of mixed–use resort projects, including licensing and management agreements, consumer agreements, association governance documents, and rental program documents (Bali, Indonesia, Bangkok, Thailand, and multiple other locations throughout the region)
  • Represented top–tier luxury hotel brand in structuring and documenting branded residential component, including utilities infrastructure documentation, licensing, marketing and management agreements, and rental program agreements (Puerto Rico)

Previous Professional Experience

  • Chair of the Residential, Resort & Club Section and Chair of the Hospitality industry group at Boca Raton office of an East Coast law firm

Media

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Recognitions

The bar rules of some states require that the standards for an attorney's inclusion in certain public accolades or recognitions be provided. When such accolades or recognitions are listed, a hyperlink is provided that leads to a description of the respective selection methodology.

Professional Activities

  • The Florida Bar
  • National Club Association, Board (2015–present)
    • Membership Committee, Chair (2019–2021)
    • Conference Planning Committee, Co–Chair (2019–2020)
    • Legal Committee (2020–present)
  • National Golf Foundation
  • American Arbitration Association
    • National Golf Industry
      • Advisory Committee (2012–2014)
      • Panel Arbitrator (2012–present)
  • Golf Course Builders Association of America, Board of Directors (2010–2011)
  • Florida Real Estate Sales Licensee
  • Club Tax Network
  • Club Spa and Fitness Association
    • National Advisory Committee (2016)

Community

  • Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce
    • Creator of iConnect, a forum designed to expand international business opportunities in south Florida
    • International Trade Committee Chair (2012)
    • Board of Governors (2011–2012)
  • Assisting Students With Disabilities, Creator
  • Autism Speaks 

Michelle is chair of the firm’s Global Club and Branded Residences Group and co-chair of the Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Team. Michelle advises her club, community association, hotel operator and developer clients with projects in the U.S. as well as the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Latin America, and Asia. Her primary focus is negotiating, structuring, and amending... the governance documents for golf, tennis, marina, polo, spa and fitness, tennis, and dining clubs as well as the merger, licensing, marketing, management, and consumer documents necessary for residential and resort communities, mixed-use projects, community associations, condominiums, and clubs of all types.

Michelle uses her global hospitality industry experience to guide her clients through complex substantive issues in the current legal and economic environment, as well as operational, business, and financial issues to be addressed through the life of the project. When working on development projects overseas, she helps achieve integration of western business and legal objectives within foreign jurisdictional frameworks by implementing innovative and creative solutions.

As a Florida Supreme Court qualified arbitrator, a certified circuit civil mediator, and one of four professionals selected by the American Arbitration Association for the National Golf Industry Panel, Michelle serves as arbitrator or mediator to resolve a wide range of disputes. When assisting clients, she uses her dispute resolution experience to provide counsel with a view toward dispute avoidance. She has written and lectured extensively on the issues concerning residential, resort, and golf projects and authored the book “The Club Litigation Book – Keeping Clubs out of Court.”  

Experience

The following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.

Representative Matters

  • Represented prestigious country club and community association in various community association and club matters, including amending and restating all community governance documents (multiple locations throughout the U.S.)
  • Represented member-owned golf and country club in the strategy, negotiation, documentation and logistics for the successful sale of all of its assets to a third party owner-operator (multiple locations throughout Florida)
  • Represented international hotel company in structuring and documenting branded residential project, creating innovative solutions to local law management, branding, and customer contract limitations to enable client to utilize preferred business model to brand and operate the project. Also produced association documentation, customer agreements, and licensing and management agreements (Southeast Asia)
  • Served as expert witness for exclusive country club in litigation with resigned members (Southwest Florida)
  • Represented owner/operator in the negotiation and documentation for the acquisition of a private golf and country club (Maryland and North Carolina)
  • Represented private country club and community association in a successful merger of the two entities (Florida)
  • Represented top–tier international hotel brand in hotel and residential project including all licensing, development, and management agreements, rental program, and customer agreements (the Maldives)
  • Represented private club owner in restructuring of membership offering to eliminate the refundable equity component (New Jersey and Florida)
  • Represented resort owner in restructuring and documenting mixed use resort, including termination of golf and yacht club programs, cost sharing, and reciprocal easement agreements (The Bahamas)
  • Represented timeshare resort owner in termination of timeshare plan and repositioning of resort to whole unit condominiums (Florida and The Bahamas)
  • Represented national home builder in restructuring residential country club community to mandatory membership regime (Delaware)
  • Represented resort owner in structuring and documenting condo hotel project, including all governing documents and cost sharing arrangements as well as all related rental program agreements and operating arrangements (The Bahamas)
  • Represented international luxury hotel brand in structuring and documenting hotel and branded residential components of mixed–use project, including licensing, marketing and management agreements, rental program and consumer agreements, and association documents (multiple locations throughout the U.S.)
  • Represented hotel owner of iconic property in connection with amenities, membership, and loyalties programming (Florida)
  • Represented member owned club in connection with retention of private club status (multiple locations throughout the U.S.)
  • Represented trade association in the private club industry on document production and membership issues (Nationwide)
  • Represented high–end private equity club in negotiated buy–out of developer’s interest to allow members to control and operate club (Florida)
  • Represented international luxury hotel brands in structuring and documenting branded residential component of mixed–use resort projects, including licensing and management agreements, consumer agreements, association governance documents, and rental program documents (Bali, Indonesia, Bangkok, Thailand, and multiple other locations throughout the region)
  • Represented top–tier luxury hotel brand in structuring and documenting branded residential component, including utilities infrastructure documentation, licensing, marketing and management agreements, and rental program agreements (Puerto Rico)

Previous Professional Experience

  • Chair of the Residential, Resort & Club Section and Chair of the Hospitality industry group at Boca Raton office of an East Coast law firm

Education

  • Emory University School of Law, JD
    • Merit Scholarship
  • Emory University, BA, Psychology
    • Phi Beta Kappa

Admissions

  • Florida

Practice Areas

Industries

The bar rules of some states require that the standards for an attorney's inclusion in certain public accolades or recognitions be provided. When such accolades or recognitions are listed, a hyperlink is provided that leads to a description of the respective selection methodology.

  • The Florida Bar
  • National Club Association, Board (2015–present)
    • Membership Committee, Chair (2019–2021)
    • Conference Planning Committee, Co–Chair (2019–2020)
    • Legal Committee (2020–present)
  • National Golf Foundation
  • American Arbitration Association
    • National Golf Industry
      • Advisory Committee (2012–2014)
      • Panel Arbitrator (2012–present)
  • Golf Course Builders Association of America, Board of Directors (2010–2011)
  • Florida Real Estate Sales Licensee
  • Club Tax Network
  • Club Spa and Fitness Association
    • National Advisory Committee (2016)
  • Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce
    • Creator of iConnect, a forum designed to expand international business opportunities in south Florida
    • International Trade Committee Chair (2012)
    • Board of Governors (2011–2012)
  • Assisting Students With Disabilities, Creator
  • Autism Speaks