Member
Business
J.D. Southwestern Law School
B.A. Bucknell University
Office:
Collin County, TX
(469) 920-8240
Biography
Leah K. Burton is a Member of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC’s Collin County Office. She serves as general counsel to property owners’ associations, including but not limited to single-family communities, master-planned developments, condominium regimes and cooperatives in all aspects of corporate governance, including governing document creation, amendment and interpretation, contract review, collection of delinquent assessments, restrictive covenant enforcement, alternative dispute resolution and federal and state law compliance.
Leah developed a passion for property owners’ association law when, upon relocating to Florida following five years of practice in California, fate led her to a community association law firm in Sarasota, Florida. Although small in size (but mighty!), the firm represents hundreds of communities in the Sarasota-Bradenton area. As a result, Leah was able to gain valuable ground level experience in all aspects of the practice. Leah is also licensed to practice law in Tennessee.
Leah strives to develop meaningful relationships with her clients, as well as to provide prompt service, healthy communication, competent and effective counsel and ongoing education on topics of concern to community associations.
Leah is most passionate about her continued work to improve diversity within community associations. Her work on the topic has been featured by Community Associations Institute (“CAI”) on an international scale and formed the basis of CAI’s renowned Diversity and Inclusion Guide. Leah is frequently called upon by boards, managers and attorneys across the country to advocate for and provide education on the topic. Leah’s 2021 and 2022 Law Seminar manuscripts entitled “Overcoming Racism: Attorneys as Agents of Change” and “Tackling Mental Health in Community Associations” were both awarded the esteemed College of Community Association Lawyers (“CCAL”) Best Manuscript Award and have been subsequently published by CAI and other national publications.
Leah currently serves on the Board of Directors of the CAI DFW Chapter. She also serves as a member of the CAI National Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force and the Texas Bar College and is Board Certified in Property Owners Association Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Leah is a graduate of the Bexar Country Women’s Bar Foundation’s LEAD Program, which serves to encourage the retention of women attorneys in the legal profession and to assist them in attaining the highest levels of success in their firms, organizations, and communities. Leah received her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and History from Bucknell University and her law degree from Southwestern Law School.
Memberships & Awards
Professional
2022 College of Community Association Lawyers Best Manuscript Award – “Tackling Mental Health in Community Associations” 2021 College of Community Association Lawyers Best Manuscript Award – “Overcoming Racism: Attorneys as Agents of Change”Contributor, Creating Harmony in Diverse Communities - 2021 CAI Foundation for Community Association Research Board Director, Community Associations Institute Dallas-Forth Worth Chapter Member, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force – Community Associations Institute Member, Class of 2019, Bexar County Women’s Bar Foundation LEAD Academy Member, Texas Bar College Member, Class of 2019 Bexar County Women’s Bar Foundation LEAD Academy
Key Experience
Assisted clients with preparation of governing documents in order to ensure compliance with state and federal law
Defended clients in Texas Workforce Commission complaints arising out of claims of Fair Housing Act violations involving discrimination on the basis of disability and race
Provided general counsel to residential property owners associations in all aspects of corporate governance
Work Experience
2022 Steptoe & Johnson PLLC
2020-2022 Roberts Markel Weinberg Butler Hailey PC
2018-2020 Cagle Carpenter Hazlewood
2011-2017 Law Offices of Wells | Olah | Cochran, P.A.
2008-2011 Robie & Matthai, A Professional Corporation
2005-2008 Lynberg & Watkins, APC
2020-2022 Roberts Markel Weinberg Butler Hailey PC
2018-2020 Cagle Carpenter Hazlewood
2011-2017 Law Offices of Wells | Olah | Cochran, P.A.
2008-2011 Robie & Matthai, A Professional Corporation
2005-2008 Lynberg & Watkins, APC
Speaking Engagements
“Tackling Mental Health in Community Associations” – 2022 Community Associations Institute Community Association Law Seminar "Overcoming Bias" – 2022 Community Associations Institute Rocky Mountain Chapter Spring Conference
Spring Conference; "What's the Meme? Social Media Issues for POAs" - 2021 State Bar of Texas Advanced Real Estate
Course"Fostering Diverse and Inclusive Communities" – 2022 CAI Canada V-CON(DO) Conference“Overcoming Racism: Attorneys as Agents of Change” – 2021 Community Associations Institute Community Association Law Seminar“Overcoming Racism: Attorneys as Agents of Change" – 2021 State Bar of Texas Advanced Real Estate Course“Overcoming Racism: Attorneys as Agents of Change" - 2021 Community Associations Institute National Seminar"What's the Meme? Social Media Issues for POAs" – 2021 State Bar of Texas Advanced Real Estate Course