LAWYERS

John Morris is one of Utah’s foremost attorneys in the field of community association law. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in Utah Business magazine’s Utah Legal Elite™ from 2013 through 2019 and was listed in the 2016 through 2022 editions of the Mountain States Super Lawyers, which recognizes attorneys for excellence in legal practice. John is also one of less than 160 nationwide fellows of the Community Association Institute College of Community Association Lawyers (CCAL). CCAL only accepts lawyers who have distinguished themselves through contributions to the development of community association law and through the education and empowerment of boards and residents in community associations. John served as a board member and the past President of the local chapter of the Community Association Institute. He also continues his long standing legislative service on the Utah CAI Legislative Action Committee (a non-partisan organization dedicated to furthering the legislative interests of the community association constituency) as a subcommittee member, a committee he chaired for three years. John is a founding member of Morris DeVoe, the only law firm in Utah focused entirely on community association law.

John advises many community associations, boards, developers, and private owners. He is regularly appointed by insurance companies to defend community associations. John lived in a condominium association for nearly ten years. He served as a member of the board of his association for several years and at various times as the President, Vice President, and Secretary of the association. Since 2008, John has been involved in the drafting of multiple and extensive amendments to the Utah Condominium Ownership Act and the Community Association Act. In cooperation with others in the industry, John has been and continues to be active in drafting legislation, testifying in senate and house committees about pending legislation, communicating with legislators about community association legislation, and advocating for community association legislation that is balanced and sensible. John has presented on community association law topics at dozens of seminars for the Community Associations Institute, the Utah State Bar, insurance trade organizations, real estate groups, and individual groups of managers and owners. He has been certified by the Division of Real Estate in Utah as a Continuing Education Instructor.

John’s practice includes all aspects of community association law, including governing document drafting and rewrites, governance issues, complex litigation, governing document enforcement, new association development and turnover, disputes between owners and associations, and construction defect related disputes. John was the lead trial lawyer in a recent very complicated community association case, obtaining a judgment after trial in excess of fifteen million dollars for his association clients against the community master association. That wrongful lien judgment is the largest of its kind in Utah and perhaps the largest in the United States. John was also the lead attorney in a hard fought effort on behalf of a group of owners to obtain the appointment of a receiver over a Park City Condominium Hotel.

When John is not working he enjoys wakesurfing and wakeboarding with his family, indoor climbing, cheering for his three kids at their soccer games and activities, and spending as much time as he can at Lake Powell.

Education:

University of Utah, J.D., 1994

• Order of the Coif (top 10% of graduating class);
• Member: Utah Law Review (1992-1993);
• Recipient: American Jurisprudence Award, Constitutional Law and Contracts (Awarded to the highest-scoring student in the class)

University of Utah, M.B.A., 1994
University of Utah, B.S. (Business Management), 1991

Memberships and Associations:

• Utah State Bar, admitted 1994
• Colorado Bar Association, admitted 1996
• Community Associations Institute (CAI)
• College of Community Association Lawyers (CCAL)
• Utah CAI: Legislative Action Committee Subcommittee, Past Chair for three years; Chapter President-Elect 2013-2014; Chapter President 2014-2015
• Former President, Vice President, Secretary, and member at large of the Board of Directors, Towne Park Condominium Homeowners’ Association
• Former Small Claims Court Judge

Admitted to Practice:

• Utah, State and Federal Courts
• Colorado, State and Federal Courts
• United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit