RPA Law & Risk Management

In today’s complex business environment, it is becoming increasingly important for property managers to know how to address legal and risk management issues. This course will provide a foundation in the basic principles of law and risk management, helping you deal with everyday legal and risk issues.

This course provides a guided tutorial for the correct process of creating a deed and the legal aspects of enforcing it, tools and strategies to ensure your lease agreements are fully compliant - minimizing risks and maximizing returns, and an understanding of how to manage insurance coverage strategically, ensuring optimal protection while avoiding over-insurance pitfalls.

Upon successful completion of this course, learners will be able to:

• Discuss the issues surrounding contracting law
• Explain the legal aspects of real estate financing
• Understand environmental law and land use
• Identify potential legal liability situations
• Formulate effective loss control programs
• Understand insurance policies needed to help protect your company from potential liability claims
• Describe how underwriting for insurance affects your coverage
• Provide comprehensive employee benefit plans

Key topic areas:

Conveying and financing real estate • contracts • property interests • premises liability • environmental law and concerns • employment relationships and agency • introduction to risk management • insurance company operations • principles of insurance and insurable risk • general liability insurance and employee benefit plans • loss exposures

Instructor: Sarahann Shapiro, Spencer Fane | Sarahann Shapiro enjoys her practice focusing on all aspects of commercial real estate, including both the transactional and litigation sides. She frequently assists clients in buying, selling, leasing, financing, and developing properties, as well as helping clients with litigation related to commercial real estate, including commercial evictions, breach of lease, construction issues, title issues, and tax appeals. Sarahann tells clients that law is her profession but commercial real estate is her industry. In support of her industry, Sarahann is an active member of the Building Owners and Managers Associations of California and Silicon Valley and CREW Silicon Valley. She was elected President of BOMA California for 2024 and serves as a Director of the California Business Properties Association (CBPA). She is also Professor in Residence of Real Estate and Director of the Real Estate Center at Menlo College, which hosts an annual Symposium with real estate-related presentations. Additionally, Sarahann was appointed in 2023 by the Governor of California for a three-year term to the California Commission on Disability Access, as one of the three appointed members representing the real estate industry.

• BOMA Members: $950 - or just $700 if you take advantage of the $250 education reimbursement available to BOMA principal members! Click here to learn more. This cost includes the e-textbook. Hardcopies book can be purchased for an additional fee.
• Non-members: $1,250
• Designation Course Enrollment Fee (required by BOMI): $100 (pay each course if not enrolling in the RPA or FMA Designation program)
• RPA or FMA Designation Enrollment Fee (required by BOMI): $225 (one time only)

Apply for a BOMA Scholarship! 

Did you know BOMA members and non-members can apply for the BOMA Silicon Valley Sherie Dunn education scholarship? Awarded once a quarter, this scholarship provides paid registration for one of the following 1) BOMI class offered for a designation or certificate program anywhere in the USA 2) A qualifying college level real estate course or 3) A real estate school course to count towards a CA BRE license or license renewal. To apply or learn more, click here.