Howard S. Dakoff
Partner
Community Association
Howard S. Dakoff is a partner in the Community Association Group of Levenfeld Pearlstein. He concentrates his practice in condominium, real estate, and general corporate law. Howard has extensive experience in drafting condominium declarations and bylaws, counseling condominium and homeowners’ associations through governing documents enforcement and rendering legal advice on general governance issues for community associations.
Howard is the co-author of the current chapter on "Condominium Management" for the Condominium Law textbook published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education. Howard also regularly publishes articles on a variety of condominium and community association topics and has lectured extensively at seminars on homeowner association law. Howard has been featured in such publications as Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun Times, and Common Interest Magazine and is a columnist for the Chicago Tribune, Sunday Edition, as the Condo Adviser.
Howard was elected to the College of Community Association Lawyers of the Community Associations Institute, was named by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin as one of "40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch" at age 32, was listed as an Illinois Leading Lawyer, and also has been named an Illinois Super Lawyer.
Additional Information
Education & Admissions
Education
- John Marshall Law School, J.D.
- University of Wisconsin - Madison, B.S.
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Memberships
- Chicago Bar Association - Subcommittee on Condominiums
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Community Associations Institute
- The Association of Condominiums, Townhouse and Homeowners' Association
- Elected to the College of Community Association Lawyers of the Community Associations Institute
Awards
- AVVO Rated 10 out of 10
- Named as one of "40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch" by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
- Illinois Super Lawyer, 2005, 2007, 2010-2014, 2025
- Leading Lawyer, Leading Lawyers Network
Q&A
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
The best piece of advice I ever received is that life is about experiences, not things (i.e. engaging in family experiences will bring more existential happiness than the purchase of items.)What was your first job?
My very first job was a summer job working in a warehouse driving a forklift at age 14 loading freight onto trailers to be driven across the country. Driving a forklift when you cannot drive a car was pretty cool.What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
The best compliment I ever received from a client is when he said “I cannot imagine doing this job without your legal guidance.”
“Howard comes with such authority. It takes the pressure off me as President when he is able to advocate for our best interests, and it doesn’t have to come from me.”
Related articles
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Treasury Department Announces Suspension of the Corporate Transparency Act, Exemption for U.S. Citizens and Domestic Reporting Companies: What Do Community Associations Need To Know?
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October 30, 2024
CAI’s Litigation Challenge to the Corporate Transparency Act Stalls: What Do Community Associations Need to Know?
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August 21, 2024
Howard Dakoff Provides Guidance on Chicago’s Cooling Ordinance in Lexis Practical Guidance
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August 14, 2024
New Accessible Parking Requirements Passed Into Law: What Do Illinois Community Associations Need To Know?
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July 30, 2024
Supplementary Guidance on the Corporate Transparency Act for Illinois Community Associations
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July 26, 2024
Illinois Legislature Approves New Accessible Parking Requirements: What Do Illinois Community Associations Need to Know?
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April 03, 2024
City of Chicago Adopts New ‘Cooling Ordinance’: What Do Chicago Community Associations Need to Know?
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March 20, 2024
Clarified Rights and Obligations Under the Illinois Electric Vehicle Charging Act: What Do Illinois Community Associations Need to Know?
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March 13, 2024
Federal Court Finds Corporate Transparency Act Unconstitutional: What Do Illinois Community Associations Need to Know?
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February 07, 2024
Corporate Transparency Act Reporting Requirements: What Do Illinois Community Associations Need to Know?
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January 31, 2024
Suzanne Karbarz Rovner and Howard Dakoff Featured in Law360: “Ill. Insurance Ruling Helps Developers, Community Orgs. Alike”
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December 20, 2023
Major Ruling: Illinois Supreme Court Provides Clarity and Changes Precedent on CGL Coverage for Defective Work (Positively Affecting Real Estate Developers and Community Associations)
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August 16, 2023
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Release Lender Bulletins for Condo and Co-Op Mortgages – What do Illinois Condominium Associations and Co-Ops Need to Know?
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July 12, 2023
Illinois Legislature Approves New Temperature Requirements for 55-And-Over Communities: What do Illinois Community Associations Need to Know?
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July 05, 2023
UPDATE: Electric Vehicle Charging Act Signed Into Law – What Do Illinois Community Associations Need to Know?
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March 29, 2023
Can a Condo Owner Do That? What Community Association Boards Need to Know About Smoking and Cannabis Use in the Building
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September 12, 2022
New Proposed City of Chicago Electric Vehicle Charging Ordinance: What Do Chicago Community Associations Need to Know?
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June 21, 2022
Can Condo Associations Rent their Activity Centers and Swimming Pools? Howard Dakoff Joins WGN’s ‘Chicago Afternoon News’ to Discuss Hot Topics Facing Condo Owners and Boards
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April 18, 2022
Updated Statutory Disclosure Requirements for Illinois Condominium and Community Associations
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September 29, 2021
SEIU Local 1 Agrees to Allow Mandatory Vaccination Policies for Certain Union Employees – What Do Chicago Community Associations Need To Know?
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Illinois Eviction Moratorium Extended (Again) through October 3rd, But the End May Be in Sight
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Howard Dakoff to Present at Community Associations Institute – Illinois Chapter Webinar on Aging Infrastructure
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July 28, 2021
CDC Issues Updated Mask Guidance On July 27, 2021 – What Do Chicago Community Associations Need To Know?
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