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May Educational Luncheon Recap
TALK LESS, SAY MORE (LEGALLY) THE BOARD AWAKENS: BRINGING BALANCE TO CONFIDENTIALITY AND TRANSPARENCY
On May 14, 2025, the CAI-GRIE Education Committee hosted A.J. Jahanian, Esq.; Sarah Karlovic, CMCA; and Daniel C. Heaton, Esq., to deliver an engaging luncheon presentation focused on achieving the difficult balance between transparency and confidentiality in community association communications.
Everything kicked off with a jampacked Exhibitor Hall that was visited by over 65 community managers and homeowner leaders. While everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch from Luna Grill, the panel opened with a discussion on why robust, clear, and legally compliant communication is essential for trust-building and operational success in associations. As a seasoned community association manager, Sarah highlighted real-world examples which successfully navigated good communication without compromising sensitive information. A.J. dove into the legal nuances between stakeholders (i.e., owners vs. tenants vs. managers vs. trustees, etc.), and what level of information access each should be afforded. This discussion included tips from Sarah on how to verify access rights and communicate effectively with different stakeholders of the community.
Daniel then shared his legal expertise as to which records must be produced under California law, and how to handle these requests both efficiently and timely. He also addressed cost recovery, managing repeated or harassing requests, and best practices for avoiding disputes as an experienced litigator.
The panel concluded with a focused discussion on privilege and what to do if confidential information is inadvertently disclosed. Further complicating this sensitive issue is the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and ubiquitous implementation of new technologies which, unknowingly, might be compromising confidentiality and privacy. The panel underscored the importance of policy implementation by boards and management executives alike to help navigate these new (and old) technologies.
The shared message of the trio was that legal compliance and protection of confidential information do not, necessarily, have to come at the expense of effective, transparent communication, and trust-building.
