Joseph (Jay) Cusimano
Ohio
Kaman & Cusimano, LLC
Terminal Tower
50 Public Square, Suite 2000
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
Tel: 1-888-800-1042
Email:
jcusimano@kamancus.com
Web:
www.communityassociations.law
Jay Cusimano is the Managing Partner of Kaman & Cusimano and a leader in the field of community association and real estate law in Ohio.
In 2005, Jay became the second attorney from Ohio to be accepted into the national College of Community Association Lawyers. In 2013, Jay was first selected by his peers for inclusion in the 20th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America for his work in the area of Real Estate and Community Association law; and has received the same honor every year since 2013. In 2023, Jay was selected to Thompson Reuters 2023 Ohio Super Lawyers list; a selection Jay has received in 2024 and 2025 as well. Super Lawyers is a non-partisan annual ranking of attorneys with attorneys in the top 5 percent overall named Super Lawyers.
Jay’s effective communication style and personable attitude have catapulted him within the community association legal field. He focuses his practice on operational issues, such as the interpretation of governing documents and document rewrites, contract preparation and review, and loans to community associations. To date, the value of the loans Jay has handled for community associations exceeds $150 million.
Jay co-authored an article entitled “Loans to Condominium Associations” that was published in The Practical Real Estate Lawyer, a magazine that is published by the American Law Institute and American Bar Association. Jay is a past author of the chapter on “Ohio’s Condominium Act/Consumer Protection Provisions” that is published in the Ohio Consumer Law book.
Jay has recently spoken on topics including:
- Association Technology Use Including Facebook and Community Blogs
- Latest in Leasing Restrictions
- Legal Aspects of Condominium Developments and Homeowners Associations in Ohio
- Helpful Hints to Happy Condominium Living
- Title Issues Related to Condominiums
- Manager’s Seminar – Legal Concerns and Practical Considerations
- Update on Satellite Dish Laws and Regulations
- Face Lift to the Ohio Condominium Act
- Disaster Will Strike! Planning and Preparing for the Unexpected (Insurance)
- Running a Community Association Practice – 40th College of Community Association Lawyers Seminar
- Filling in the Gaps in Insurance Coverage through Document Amendments – 42nd Annual College of Community Association Lawyers Law Seminar
- Law Practice Management Workshop – 2023 Annual College of Community Association Lawyers Law Seminar
Education
- Middlebury College, B.A., International Political Science and Economics, cum laude, 1988
- Case Western Reserve University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1992
Associations
- American Bar Association
- Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
- College of Community Association Lawyers
- Community Associations Institute
- Ohio State Bar Association
Courts
- Admitted to Northern District of Ohio, Federal Court, 1993
We recognize that we do not just represent clients; we represent communities, and every association is first and foremost a community. Rather than seeking legal counsel after an association is in trouble, we provide education for board members to prevent problems. In other words, just like you go to the doctor for regular checkups for preventative medicine, we practice preventative law. We believe that our primary responsibility is to help keep our community association clients out of legal trouble. To achieve that responsibility, we recognize that it takes a team of people working together to run successful community associations. Our lawyers work together with all association advisors including managers, management companies, engineers, insurance agents, and accountants to assist community associations to operate efficiently and consistently.
Because all we do is represent Ohio condominium and homeowner associations, our mission is built on providing comprehensive education and representation to avoid litigation. To achieve this, we work together, staff, paralegals, and attorneys alike to collaborate on client issues and resolve them by team effort instead of individual effort.