Free Landlord-Tenant Law Seminar In West Allis on March 31, 2011

I will be presenting a seminar for the West Allis Landlord Training Program on Thursday, March 31, 2011 from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm. This seminar is sponsored by the West Allis Police Department and is open to the public at no cost.

I will be speaking on two specific areas:

1. Rental Documents -- specifically what rental documents you should be using with your tenants to protect yourself such as: Rental Agreement, Nonstandard Rental Provisions, Rules and Regulations, Rental Application, Pet Agreement, Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Forms, Carbon Monoxide Detector Forms, Check-In & Check-Out forms and more.

2. Screening Prospective Tenants -- this topic will include discussion of the federal and state Fair Housing laws, written screening criteria, credit checks, CCAP, and how to reject an applicant.

The Seminar will be held in the West Allis Municipal court room which is located at 11301 W. Lincoln Avenue in West Allis. Seating is limited so I would encourage anyone that is interested in attending to arrive early to insure a seat.

A detailed outline on the above topics will be given to each attendee and Wisconsin Legal Blank Co. will be on hand with their landlord tenant law forms available for purchase.

Hope to see everyone there.

The Ever Important Security Deposit Transmittal Letter (or "21 Day Letter")

Aside from evictions, issues regarding the failure to properly return a tenant's security deposit are, in my opinion, the single most litigated area in landlord-tenant law.

In Wisconsin, if a tenant has deposited a security deposit to his/her landlord as part of a residential tenancy, the landlord must comply with one of two options within 21 days after the tenant "surrenders" the landlord's rental unit:

1. Return the tenant's security deposit, or

2. Send the tenant a security deposit transmittal letter (which I refer to as a "21 day letter") explaining how the tenant's security deposit was applied.

Unfortunately too many landlords have gotten themselves into trouble when it comes to the issue of returning a tenant's security deposit. While there are many ways to screw up, most of the mistakes that landlords make regarding this topic fall into one of three categories.

• First, a landlord makes improper deductions from the tenant's security deposit.

• Second, the 21 day letter is sent late.

• Third, the 21 day letter is not sent at all.

Failure to abide by ATCP 134.06 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code — which deals with security deposits in residential tenancies — can result in the tenant being awarded double damages and attorneys fees.

A little over a year ago I wrote a post on the topic of how to draft a legal 21 day letter to your tenant. Due to the continued popularity of that post I thought it would be helpful to include a video clip from a seminar that I presentedawhile back on this important topic.

Don't Miss Landlord Boot Camp on February 26th!

The Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin's (AASEW) will be offering its third annual Landlord Boot Camp on Saturday, February 26, 2011 from 8:30 am - 5:30 pm. Learn everything that you need to know about Landlord-Tenant law in Wisconsin at this all-day seminar.

Yours truly will be the presenter and I will be addressing the following topics:

- Screening Rental Applicants

- Written Screening Criteria

- Fair Housing (Discrimination) law

- Rental Documents (Rental Agreements, Nonstandard Rental Provisions, Rules & Regulations, Pet Agreements . . .)

- Notices Terminating Tenancy

- Causes for Eviction

- ATCP 134

- Security deposit transmittal letters ("21 day letters")

- The judicial eviction process

- Abandoned tenant property

- Collections . .. . and much much more.

You can view a detailed outline of the course here.

Cost to attend the seminar will be $159 for AASEW members and $249 for non-members. All attendees will receive a manual that includes over 100 pages of outlines, case law, relevant statutes and regulations, and templates to assist you with managing your rental properties.

The seminar will be held at the Clarion Hotel located at 5311 S. Howell Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53207.

Last year's AASEW Landlord Boot Camp was filled to capacity and we even had to turn a few people away. So call early to reserve your spot.

Here are two comments from attendees at last year's Boot Camp:

"I really enjoyed the class. The course materials were very helpful. The location was very convenient. I learned a lot about screening and evictions. I would highly recommend the course. It should be taught to all landlords. Thanks" - Lisa Wolff

"We have owned our rental properties for over ten years and in January of 2009 we decided to join the AASEW. We jumped right in by signing up for the Landlord Boot Camp. We both learned so much and have had the opportunity to utilize so much of what we learned already. Tristan is an excellent teacher and the included manual is a wonderful resource." - Steve and Kathy Kinnamon, Woodcreek Apartments, LLC.

Remember that "landlording" is a business --- so take the time to educate yourself on how to better manage your business.

Contact Paulette Vildberg, Executive Director of AASEW, at (414) 276-7378 or paulette@apartmentassoc.org today to reserve your spot.

Don't Miss DR. RENT at AASEW's Next Meeting on Monday, January 17th!!

On Monday, January 17, 2011 at 7 p.m., John "Dr. Rent" Fischer will be the featured speaker at the AASEW's February membership meeting. John will be presenting his most requested seminar entitled "Top Ten Mistakes That Landlords Make." The meeting will be held at the Best Western Midway Hotel which is located at 1005 S. Moorland Road in Brookfield.

Besides, being a blogging buddy of mine --- John's blog is entitled the Dr. Rent Chronicles --- John is a Wausau area landlord and landlord-tenant law guru, and Past-President og the Wisconsin Apartment Association. John is a very dynamic speaker - you will not want to miss his presentation. His most recent post is a great overview of Rent Certificates.

Here is some more info about John:

John H. Fischer is a Wausau area landlord. He started working part-time with Emmerich & Associates, Inc. in 1993 and since then has worked in nearly every aspect of the real investment field. Although he still works with Emmerich & Associates, managing their non-residential portfolio, in 2006 he purchased the bulk of their residential inventory and founded HelpRent, Co.

Observing a number of old and new landlords going to court and having a hard time because of their lack of understanding of Wisconsin's complicated landlord-tenant laws and procedures, John has been making an effort to educate landlords on the proper way to do things for over a decade. He has taught classes on everything from accounting, to proper management procedures, to landlord-tenant law. He has provided training sessions to a number of local apartment associations as well as the Wisconsin Apartment Association. He offers a series of courses in real estate through the University of Wisconsin Continuing Education program.

John is the past president of the Wausau Area Apartment Association and was the 2010 president of the Wisconsin Apartment Associations. He has degrees in International Business Management as well as Human Resources Management from the UW-Madison School of Business. He is also a graduate of Bryce Harlow Institute for Business and Government Affairs at Georgetown University.

Also known as Dr. Rent, John answers landlord and tenant questions on his weekly radio talk show which can be heard on Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on WNRB-LP 93.3 FM, a local Wausau readio station. He also participates in a number of online forums. He is a feature contributor to WausauBlog and is a featured writed at Citizen Wausau.

I hope to see everyone at the meeting!

Landlord Boot Camp - Saturday, February 26, 2011

The Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin's (AASEW) will be offering its third annual Landlord Boot Camp on Saturday, February 26, 2011 from 8:30 am - 5:30 pm. Learn everything that you need to know about Landlord-Tenant law in Wisconsin at this all-day seminar.

Yours truly will be the presenter and I will be addressing the following topics:

- Screening Rental Applicants

- Written Screening Criteria

- Fair Housing (Discrimination) law

- Rental Documents (Rental Agreements, Nonstandard Rental Provisions, Rules & Regulations, Pet Agreements . . .)

- Notices Terminating Tenancy

- Causes for Eviction

- ATCP 134

- Security deposit transmittal letters ("21 day letters")

- The judicial eviction process

- Abandoned tenant property

- Collections . .. . and much much more.

You can view a detailed outline of the course here.

Cost to attend the seminar will be $159 for AASEW members and $249 for non-members. All attendess will receive a manual that includes over 100 pages of outlines, case law, relevant statutes and regulations, and templates to assist you with managing your rental properties.

The seminar will be held at the Clarion Hotel located at 5311 S. Howell Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53207.

Last year's AASEW Landlord Boot Camp was filled to capacity and we even had to turn a few people away. Don't let that happen to you!

Here are two comments from attendees at last year's Boot Camp:

"I really enjoyed the class. The course materials were very helpful. The location was very convenient. I learned a lot about screening and evictions. I would highly recommend the course. It should be taught to all landlords. Thanks" - Lisa Wolff

"We have owned our rental properties for over ten years and in January of 2009 we decided to join the AASEW. We jumped right in by signing up for the Landlord Boot Camp. We both learned so much and have had the opportunity to utilize so much of what we learned already. Tristan is an excellent teacher and the included manual is a wonderful resource." - Steve and Kathy Kinnamon, Woodcreek Apartments, LLC.

Landlording is a business --- take the time to educate yourself on how to better manage your business.

Contact Paulette Vildberg, Executive Director of AASEW, at (414) 276-7378 or paulette@apartmentassoc.org today to reserve your spot.

Upcoming Landlord-Tenant Law Seminar on Nov. 3rd.

I will be co-presenting a landlord-tenant law seminar for Sterling Education Services (S.E.S.) on Wednesday, November 3, 2010.

The seminar is entitled "8th Annual Landlord-Tenant Law Update" and will run from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. Registration will open at 8 am. The seminar will be held at The Residence Inn Downtown which is located at 648 N. Plankinton Avenue in Milwaukee.

I will be speaking on three main topics:

1. Screening & Qualifying Prospective Tenants

2. Rental Documents

3. The Judicial Eviction Process

Other topics that will be covered by my co-presenters include:

- Terminating a Tenancy

- Bankruptcy and Collection Issues

- "Green" Building and "Green" Leases

- Ethical Considerations in Landlord-Tenant Law

My co-presenters include: Attorney Richard Check of Richard A. Check S.C., Attorney Brian Schuk of Wassel, Harvey & Schuk LLP, and Attorney Matt Fortney of Quarles & Brady LLP.

Cost is $319 per person and includes a manual complete with the presenters outlines and additional handouts and forms. If you mention that you are a friend of mine, SES will give you a $50 discount -- $269.

This seminar would be perfect for landlords, property mangers, realtors and attorneys. CLE credits have been applied for both Wisconsin and Illinois as have BOMI credits and CPE credits

To register please contact Sterling Education Services at (715) 855-0498 or www.sterlingeducation.com. The seminar registration number is 10WI11245.

Here is a link to a PDF of the brochure that was sent out.

Hope to see you there.

AASEW Landlord Tradeshow - This Wednesday - Sept. 22nd

Annual Landlord Tradeshow!

Bring 2 non perishable food items that we will donate to the Hunger Task Force for free admission, free seminars, free entrance to the exhibit hall, a chance to win some great raffle prizes and free appetizers

September 22nd, 2010

Serb Hall, 5101 W. Oklahoma Avenue, Milwaukee

Seminars 12:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. (doors will open at 11:40 p.m. for first seminar)

Exhibit hall open from 12:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Be sure to visit our exhibit hall to talk with vendors that offer products and services for the rental property industry and graciously support our tradeshow!

Click here for a listing of the seminars that will be presented

Do Not Miss the 11th Annual AASEW Tradeshow on Sept. 22, 2010

Do you know what you can legally deduct from a tenant's security deposit? Looking for ways to improve your cash flow? Need a few sales tips to fill your vacancies? Are you in Compliance with State and Federal Fair Housing Laws? You will get the answers and more at the Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin (AASEW) Annual Landlord Tradeshow!

Free seminars.

Free entrance to exhibit hall.

Free appetizers.

Network with hundreds of rental property owners and real estate professionals!

Need a product or service for your rental business? Visit our exhibit hall and talk with vendors that service our industry!

Plus, find our Traders' Corner in the exhibit hall and bring your property listings if you are in the market to buy or sell!

Admission is FREE with 2 non-perishable food items that we will donate to the Hunger Task Force

September 22nd, 2010

Serb Hall, 5101 W. Oklahoma Avenue, Milwaukee, 53219

Seminars 12:00 p.m. -6:00 p.m.

Exhibit Hall open from 12:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

The seminars that will be offered include:

- Security Deposits: What A Landlord Can Legally Deduct From A Tenant’s Security Deposit (Attorney Tristan R. Pettit of Petrie & Stocking S.C.)

- Improving Your Cash Flow: Tips for Rental Property Owners (Don Hill of Heartland Information Research)

- Rental Business Ownership: Pros and Cons of Using An LLC (Attorney Heiner Giese of Giese & Weden S.C.)

- Are You In Compliance With State and Federal Fair Housing Laws? (Margaret Bowitz of the Milwaukee Fair Housing Council)

- Sales Tips To Fill Your Vacancies (Andi Simmons of Start Renting)

- Saving Energy and Dollars In Your Rental Business (Jeffrey Mackey of WE Energies)

- Reduce Interior and Exterior Paint Problems: Save Time and Money (Gary Paul and Steve VanGorp of Diamond Vogel Paints)

- Is Your Prospective Tenant a Good Credit Risk? (Kathy Haines of Landlord Services LLC)

- Financing Programs For The Investor (Dan Kleinke of Merit Financial)

FREE Seminar on Evictions - Saturday, August 14th

I will be presenting a free seminar on the topic of evictions for the City of Milwaukee's Landlord Training Program on Saturday, August 14th. I am presenting this seminar on behalf of the Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin (AASEW).

The Seminar will run from 9 am - 12 noon and will be held at Alverno College's Wehr Theater which is located at 3441 S. 39th Street. I was informed that there is a parking lot located at 40th & Morgan for attendees to use.

I will cover three topics:

1. Causes for Evictions - I will explain the different types of notices that can be served on a tenant and explain under what circumstances you should use the different notices)

2. Notices Terminating Tenancy - I will explain what must be included in a proper notice and how to properly serve a notice), and

3. The Judicial Eviction Process - I will cover the "nuts and bolts" of what you must do to file an eviction lawsuit and what to expect once you arrive in court).

The attendees will receive copies of my detailed outlines on the above topics plus examples of various forms.

If you are interested in attending the seminar you must register in advance by calling (414) 286-2954 or email jhagne@milwaukee.gov.

Hope to see you there!

UPCOMING SEMINAR - How Evictions Work: Rules for Landlords and Property Managers

I will be presenting a seminar for the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM Milwaukee Chapter #13) on several landlord - tenant law related topics in the near future

Topics to be covered:

1. Causes for Eviction

2. Notices To Terminate Tenancy

3. The Judicial Eviction Process

This seminar will be held on Thursday, June 17, 2010 from 9am - 10:30 am. Registration will start at 8:30 am.

The seminar will be held at The Wisconsin Club which is located at 900 W. Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee (right across from the Milwaukee County Courthouse - how appropriate : )

There will be handouts including a comprehensive outline on the topics covered and forms.

The cost will be $10 for ARM members, $25 for other IREM members and $45 for non-IREM members. If you are interested in attending please contact Jennie Macaluso-Ruditys at (414) 476-4736. Call Jennie ASAP as she will need to get a head count to the Wisconsin Club.

Hope to see you there.

LANDLORD BOOT CAMP: Only 4 Open Seats Remain

UPDATE 2/17/10 - WE ARE AT FULL CAPACITY FOR LANDLORD BOOT CAMP ON 2/27/10. If you are interested in attending please contact Paulette at (414) 276-7378 or paulette@apartmentassoc.org and she will put your name on a "waiting list" and contact you should a seat become available.

Thank You

T

________________________________________________________

We had a great AASEW monthly membership meeting last night -- close to 90 people. That was the largest crowd that I have seen at a meeting in my many years as a member. Many of the attendees at the meeting also signed up for the AASEW's Landlord Bootcamp that I will be teaching in about 10 days. If you are interested in attending I would encourage you to do so immediately as I am told that there are only 4 seats left. Looks like we will have a full house!

Below is my earlier blog post about the Boot Camp and the topics that I will address on Feb. 27th:

I will be presenting an all-day seminar on residential landlord tenant law in Wisconsin for the Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin, Inc. (AASEW). The seminar is entitled "Landlord Boot Camp" and will take place on Saturday, February 27, 2010 from approx. 8:30 am - 5 pm at the Clarion Hotel located at 5311 S. Howell Avenue in Milwaukee.

The cost will be $159 for AASEW members and $259 for non-members. You will receive a 100 page plus manual. I have given a similar seminar to lawyers, landlords, and property managers over 25 times during the past few years and the organizations that have sponsored these seminars typically charge between $300-$400. This is your opportunity to learn all of the same information at a much discounted price.

I will cover pretty much anything and everything that you need to know about residential Landlord Tenant law in Wisconsin, including:

1. How to properly screen prospective tenants

2. How to draft written screening criteria to assist you in the selection process

3. How to comply with both federal and state Fair Housing laws including how to comply with "reasonable modifications" and "reasonable accomodations" requests

4. How to legally reject an applicant

5. What rental documents you should be using and why

6. When you should be using a 5-day notice versus a 14-day notice, 28-day notice, or 30-day notice and how to properly serve the notice on your tenant

7. Everything you wanted to know (and probably even more than you wanted to know) about the Residential Rental Practices (ATCP 134) and how to avoid having to pay double damages to your tenant for breaching ATCP 134

8. When you are legally allowed to enter your tenant's apartment

9. How to properly draft an eviction summons and complaint

10. What to do to keep the commissioner from dismissing your eviction suit

11. What you can legally deduct from a security deposit

12. How to properly draft a security deposit transmittal / 21 day letter

13. How to handle pet damage

14. What to do with a tenant's abandoned property and how this may affect whether or not you file an eviction suit

15. How to pursue your ex-tenant for damages to your rental property and past due rent (and whether it is even worth it to do so)

. . . and much more.

Hope to see you there.

Call Paulette at (414) 276-7378 or email her at paulette@apartmentassoc.org to reserve your seat.

LANDLORD BOOT CAMP: Everything You Need To Know About Residential Landlord-Tenant Law in WI

I will be presenting an all-day seminar on residential landlord tenant law in Wisconsin for the Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin, Inc. (AASEW). The seminar is entitled "Landlord Boot Camp" and will take place on Saturday, February 27, 2010 from approx. 8:30 am - 5 pm at the Clarion Hotel located at 5311 S. Howell Avenue in Milwaukee.

The cost will be $159 for AASEW members and $259 for non-members. You will receive a 100 page plus manual. I have given a similar seminar to lawyers, landlords, and property managers over 25 times during the past few years and the organizations that have sponsored these seminars typically charge between $300-$400. This is your opportunity to learn all of the same information at a much discounted price.

I will cover pretty much anything and everything that you need to know about residential Landlord Tenant law in Wisconsin, including:

1. How to properly screen prospective tenants

2. How to draft written screening criteria to assist you in the selection process

3. How to comply with both federal and state Fair Housing laws including how to comply with "reasonable modifications" and "reasonable accomodations" requests

4. How to legally reject an applicant

5. What rental documents you should be using and why

6. When you should be using a 5-day notice versus a 14-day notice, 28-day notice, or 30-day notice and how to properly serve the notice on your tenant

7. Everything you wanted to know (and probably even more than you wanted to know) about the Residential Rental Practices (ATCP 134) and how to avoid having to pay double damages to your tenant for breaching ATCP 134

8. When you are legally allowed to enter your tenant's apartment

9. How to properly draft an eviction summons and complaint

10. What to do to keep the commissioner from dismissing your eviction suit

11. What you can legally deduct from a security deposit

12. How to properly draft a security deposit transmittal / 21 day letter

13. How to handle pet damage

14. What to do with a tenant's abandoned property and how this may affect whether or not you file an eviction suit

15. How to pursue your ex-tenant for damages to your rental property and past due rent (and whether it is even worth it to do so)

. . . and much more.

Hope to see you there.

Call Paulette at (414) 276-7378 or email her at paulette@apartmentassoc.org to reserve your seat.

City of Milwaukee Releases Its 2010 Schedule of Special Sessions for The Landlord Training Program

The City of Milwaukee has just released its 2010 Schedule of Special Sessions for The Landlord Training Program. The focus of these 5 special seminars will be on learning how to effectively and professionally manage your rental properties. All of the sessions will take place on Saturday mornings to allow those of you who work an additional job (aside from being a landlord) to attend.

I am very honored to have been asked, as president of the Apartment Association of SE Wisconsin, to present one of these special sessions on Saturday, August 14, 2010. The topic that I will be addressing is the Judicial Eviction Process. The seminar will run from 9 am - 12 pm at Alverno College's Wehr Theater which is located at 3441 S. 39th Street.

Other special sessions in the 2010 program include:

February 6, 2010: (1) The District Attorney's new diversion program for tenant's who "bounce" their rent checks - presented by A.D.A. Ron Dague, and (2) The EPA's new renovation rules regarding lead-based paint which will become effective later this year - taught by Ada Duffey of Milwaukee Lead/Asbestos Information Center, Inc.

April 24, 2010: Screening Tenants and how using a good tenant screening company can assist you during the very important screening process - presented by Kathy Huens of Landlord Services, LLC

June 12, 2010: Fair Housing Practices - Know Your Local, State and Federal Laws - presented by Margaret Bowitz of the Milwaukee Metro Fair Housing Council

October 2, 2010: Fire and Building Codes - presented by Deputy Fire Chief Michael Payne and Department of Neighborhood Services Commissioner Art Dahlberg

All sessions are free of charge but ADVANCED REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. To register call (414) 286-2934 or email jhagne@milwaukee.gov

Upcoming AASEW Meetings, Topics & Speakers

The Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin, Inc. (AASEW) has some very interesting speakers and topics for its upcoming monthly membership meetings in 2010. All meetings are held on the 3rd Monday of the month at 7 pm at the Best Western Midway Hotel which is located at 1005 S. Moorland Road in Brookfield. There is no cost to attend the meetings. If you are not yet a member of AASEW, attending one of our monthly membership meetings is a great way to see what the organization is all about and learn how membership can benefit you as a landlord, property manager or vendor.

Our January 18th meeting will feature Attorney Robert Muten of Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren S.C. Atty. Muten will speak on the issue of employees vs. independent contractors. Whether a person is an employee of your business or an independant contractor will affect all of us at some point in our lives if the issue has not already confronted you. I have done research on this very interesting topic for clients in the past and the determination as to whether you are an employee or an independant contractor is very fact-specific. You will not want to miss this very informative meeting with Atty. Muten.

Steven Antholt of the State of Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services will speak at the February 15th AASEW meeting. He will discuss the new Lead-Based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting Program. This new program will affect everyone that owns or works on rental property and who “disturbs” more than 6 feet of interior space or 20 feet of exterior space, and/or is replacing any doors or windows in pre-1978 housing. This new law requires individuals to get specific training prior to its enactment date and to comply with a myriad of rules and regulations. The fines for ignoring this new law will be stiff --- so it would be in all of our best interests to be in attendence at this meeting.

On March 15th, Stacy Hegg, Property Manager for Wellston Apartments, will discuss best practices in rental property management and provide us with some management tips that we can use when managing our own properties. I have had the pleasure of co-presenting a seminar with Stacy a few months ago and found her to be a dynamic, knowledgeable, and enjoyable speaker. Come learn how to better manage your rentals from an expert in the industry.

I hope to see all of you at these future meetings.

I would like to wish everyone a healthy, safe, and happy holiday season. I apologize for the lack of substantive blog articles this past week but I have been very busy dealing with all of the crowds while trying to finish my last minute holiday shopping : )

FREE SEMINAR ON LLC'S - WHY YOU NEED THEM AND HOW TO INSURE THEY PROTECT YOU FROM PERSONAL LIABILITY

Lydia Chartre and I will be presenting a free seminar at the AASEW's October monthly meeting on October 19, 2009 at 7 pm. The meeting will be held at the Best Western Midway Hotel which is located at 1005 S. Moorland Road in Brookfield.

Lydia and I will be speaking on LLC's and why you should consider using this form of business entity to hold your rental property and what you must do when handling your LLC to insure that your personal assets are protected.

Lydia will be discussing the nuts and bolts of LLC's including:

- Why you may want to form an LLC to hold your rental property

- The necessary steps to form an LLC

- Information that you (or an attorney) will need to form your LLC

I will speak on the topic of what formalities you will need to follow when handling your LLC to insure that your personal assets will be protected. While the general law is that an LLC -- just like a corporation -- is a separate and distinct entity from its individual members, there are instances where courts have allowed an injured party or a creditor to "pierce the corporate veil" or hold the individual personally liable for the actions and/or debts of the LLC.

Last summer I defended a client that was sued personally for the debt of his then defunct corporation. The creditor attempted to "pierce the corporate veil" and hold my client and his new corporation responsible for the debts of his prior company. I will draw from my research, arguments and the experience that I gained during this multi-day trial to explain what you must do in order to keep the shiled of your LLC and avoid anyone suing you personally for its actions or debts.

If you have never been to an AASEW meeting before -- or if you haven't been to one in awhile -- I would strongly encourage you to attend this seminar. It will be filled with lots of practical infromation. I hope to see you there.

Free Landlord-Tenant Law Seminar To Be Held On October 24, 2009

On Saturday October 24, 2009 from 9:30 am - 4:30 pm at the UWM Union Ballroom the UW-Milwaukee COAST and the City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services will be offering a free landlord-tenant law seminar to the public. This seminar is NOT restricted to just landlords and tenants in the UW-M area.

On behalf of the AASEW, I will be presenting a portion of the seminar on the topics of causes for eviction, notices terminating tenancy and the eviction process. Additional topics that will be covered include applicant screening, rental documents, management of rental properties, fair housing issues, DNS inspection process, and the role of law enforcement.

For more detailed information regarding who the presenters will be and how to register please refer to the attached flyer.

DON'T MISS AASEW'S 10th ANNUAL LANDLORD TRADESHOW THIS WEDNESDAY (9-16-09)

The Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin (AASEW) is hosting its 10th Annual Tradeshow this Wednesday, September 16, 2009, from 12 noon - 7 pm. If you are a rental propertyowner, manager or investor you will not want to miss this FREE tradeshow

It will be held at Serb Hall which is located at 5101 W. Oklanhoma Avenue.

The admission is FREE.

Food and snacks will be offerred.

Many vendors that support the rental housing industry will be on hand to answer your questions, such as Wisconsin Legal Blank Co.,, Giertsen Company of Wisconsin, Inc., Oak Creek Plumbing, Inc. and many more.

There will also be many seminars on topics such as: the new lead paint renovation rules, causes for eviction and notices terminating tenancy, how to collect tenant debt, nuisance properties, execution of writs of assistance (eviction) by the Sheriff, and how to benefit from 1031 exchanges and more. The seminars will be followed by a Town Hall Meeting (no, it won't be about health care) in which 3 members of the industry will answer your questions.

For more information and details please go to www.LandlordTradeShow.com

AASEW'S Annual Landlord Tradeshow To Be Held On September 16th at Serb Hall

The Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin's (AASEW) 10th Annual Landlord Tradeshow and Seminar will be held on Wednesday, September 16, 2009 from 12 noon - 7 pm at American Serb Hall (5101 W. Oklahoma Ave, Milwaukee).

Admission is free for rental property owners and potential owners. Free food and snacks will be offerred. This is a great event for landlords, future landlords, property managers, real estate investors, and anyone else interested in learning how to succeed in today's real estate market.

Attendees will learn how to run their rental properties with more profit and less hassle. They will also have the opportunity to meet the vendors that rental property owners use on a regular basis.

Seminars that will be presented include:

- "How To Collect Tenant Bad Debt" by Bill Gray of Rent Recovery Services

- "Causes for Eviction: Which Notice To Use When" by Tristan Pettit, Esq. of Petrie & Stocking S.C.

- "New Lead Paint Renovation Rules" by Ada Duffy of Milwaukee Lead and Asbestos Center

- "How To Improve the Eviction Process" by the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department

- "How To Benefit from a 1031 Exchange" by Patrick Harrington, Esq. of M&I 1031 Exchange Service

- Town Hall Meeting - Get Answers to Your Rental Property Questions featuring: Attorney Tristan R. Pettit of Petrie & Stocking S.C. and AASEW President, Attorney Heiner Giese of Giese & Weiden LLC and AASEW's general counsel, and Susan Ipsarides, Portfolio Director for StuartCo.

For more information go to www.LandlordTradeShow.com

You will not want to miss this! Hope to see you there.

Article and Video Regarding Recent Seminar On Advising and Defending Property Owners in Nuisance Actions

On May 7, 2009 I spoke at the State Bar of Wisconsin Annual Convention. I was asked to speak at the Government Lawyer Division's seminar that focused on the topic of neighborhoods and nuisance properties. Specifically I was asked to speak on advising and defending property owners that have nuisance properties.

The State Bar recently published a nice article summarizing my seminar presentation which was published through its online Inside Track newsletter. A link to the article and a short video of my presentation on the topic of written screening criteria is below.

House rules: Landlords knowledgeable of tenancy laws improves condition of rental properties, neighborhoods (from wisbar.org)

Landlord accountability: Advising and defending the property owner

July 1, 2009 -- In this video clip, Milwaukee attorney Tristan Pettit explains the importance of the property owner's consistent use of written criteria when screening potential tenants. Pettit spoke at the Government Lawyers Division program at the State Bar Annual Convention in May. (from wisbar.org)