Business Acquisitions & Sales Attorney

Ronald Garfield

Practice Areas: Banking, Business Transactions, Commercial Lending, Contracts, Creditors Rights,Foreclosures, HOAs, Landlord/Tenant, Including Retail and Commercial Leasing, Opinion Letter Practice, and Real Estate

Office: Aspen

Position: Managing Shareholder

Experience

Ron (along with Andy Hecht) is a founding partner of the firm which first opened its doors in 1975. The firm recently celebrated its 40^th Anniversary. Ron is the managing shareholder of the firm which has five locations on the Western slope employing 22 attorneys. Ron keeps active in various practice areas representing individual and corporate clients (including a number of banks) in their various activities. Ron also oversees the firm’s opinion letter practice.

Ron has represented landlords and tenants alike in negotiating retail, office and residential leases. Ron has handled annexation of development lands into municipalities. Ron has authored covenants and declarations for all kinds of developments from duplexes to PUD’s including high-end subdivisions such as Wildcat Ranch.

Ron has represented banks and private lenders in their lending activities as well as the restructure of non-performing loans and where needed collection activity including foreclosures and UCC sales. Ron has represented purchasers and sellers of all manner of real estate including fractional, single family, duplexes, commercial properties, farm and ranch lands and parcels earmarked for development.

Ron has represented clients in the negotiation and drafting of shareholder and operating agreements. Ron has represented clients that are parties to shareholder or operating agreements where disputes have arisen and has successfully negotiated resolutions without resort to litigation. Ron has all represented Buyers and Sellers of businesses and companies including stock and asset sales with and without leverage.

Education

Bucknell University (B.S.B. A., 1966)
Brooklyn Law School (J.D., 1969)

Court Admissions

State of Colorado (1972)
State of New York (1969)

Bar Associations & Professional Societies

Pitkin County Bar Association
Colorado Bar Association
American Bar Association (Member, Sections on: Real Estate; Business Law; Law Office Management)

Community Involvement

Since 2002, under Ron’s guidance, the firm has contributed almost $175,000 to local charities, non-profits and other worthy organizations. Representative of the organizations that the firm has supported are: The Aspen Music Festival, Music in the Park, Habitat for Humanity, Lift Up, Aspen Junior Hockey, Hospice of the Valley, Vail Valley Charitable Fund, Eagle Valley Land Trust, MD Anderson, Anderson Ranch, Independence Pass Foundation, Response, Raising a Reader, Aspen Community Theater and English in Action.

The firm was an original sponsor of the Aspen Young Professional Association (AYPA) and continues it’s financial support. The firm makes annual presentations to the AYPA on timely legal topics of interest to young professionals.

Ron was elected to serve on Pitkin County’s Home Rule Charter Commission. Over the years Ron has served on the boards of various non-profits, homeowner associations and special districts.

E-mail Address

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Published Articles/Speaking Engagements

S K Peightal v. Mid Valley – Construction Defect Litigators and Bank Attorneys Take Notice
Public Trustee Foreclosures: Be Aware of What Remains, The Colorado Lawyer, September 2011 ( 40 No. 9). This article on public trustee foreclosures discusses what third party liens may survive a foreclosure.
Third Party Opinion Letters: Limiting Liability of Opinion Givers, The Colorado Lawyer November 2013 (Vol 42 No. 11). This article regarding opinion letters addresses ethical and other considerations and drafting suggestions for attorneys interested in limitations on potential liability with respect to opinion letters provided to non-client third parties.
When Homeowner Associations Borrow- What Attorneys and Lenders Should Know, The Colorado Lawyer December 2015 ( 44 No. 12). This article on homeowner association borrowing discusses, in light of recent legislation, what bank attorneys should know about collateral for these loans (typically a pledge of assessments) and what attorneys who represent homeowner associations should know about how these loans are structured.
Ron has made numerous in-house presentations to the firm’s bank clients on various topics of interest to lenders including reserve studies for homeowners associations, secured lending under the Colorado Uniform Commercial Code and lending to homeowner associations.
Ron has authored some helpful articles for clients and potential clients appearing on the firm’s website including Purchasing Mountain Property, Renting Mountain Property and Selling Mountain Property.