Stephen B McWilliam, ABR,CRB,CRS,GRI
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Office: 954-449-1767
Stephen is one of Florida's very best and methodical real estate experts involving both residential and commercial issues. These issues typically include state and federal litigation, arbitration, mediation, and areas of ethical concerns/challenges.
Stephen, originally from Massachusetts, began his real estate career in 1984 with a local Century 21 franchise. He has been living in the Fort Lauderdale area since 1989 and consults exclusively throughout the State of Florida. Stephen has earned four of the most prestigious real estate professional designations offered by the National Association of REALTORS®, ABR (Accredited Buyer's Representative), CRB (Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager), CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) and GRI (Graduate of the REALTOR® Institute). Stephen is a Florida licensed real estate broker, school instructor, and mortgage loan originator.
Stephen served as the elected 2012 president of one of the largest REALTOR® associations in the USA. Additionally, Stephen served for 10 years on the Florida REALTORS®Board of Directors and 7 years on the National Association Board of REALTORS®. Stephen has served and been chairman of numerous committees within his local REALTOR® association and at both the state and national levels. Stephen continues to serve his local association as an ombudsman working to resolve disputes and as a hearing panel chair for both arbitration and ethics hearings.
Stephen has been regularly engaged for over 10 years as a real estate expert witness involving both residential and commercial sales and leasing transactions. Stephen's typical expertise concentration involves fraud, negligence, and standard of care claims, violations of the National Association of REALTORS® Code of Ethics, procuring cause, contractual disputes, commission disputes broker to broker, broker to associates, and consumer and broker. As Stephen was a member of the Florida REALTORS®/Florida BAR (f/k/a FAR/BAR) Committee which included members of the Real Property Section of the Florida BAR and is responsible for the creation and continual revisions to the Florida REALTORS®/Florida BAR (f/k/a FAR/BAR) library of forms; he is an expert in their daily use and interpretation.
- Commercial Real Estate
- Real Estate Agent
- Real Estate Broker
- Real Estate Damages
- Real Estate Leasing
- Real Estate Malpractice
- Residential Real Estate
- Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:
- A: Florida licensed Real Estate Broker
Florida licensed Real Estate Instructor
Florida licensed Mortgage Loan Originator
ABR (Accredited Buyer's Representative)
CRB (Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager)
CRS (Certified Residential Specialist)
GRI (Graduate of the REALTOR® Institute). - Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
- A: Member, National Association of REALTORS®
Member, Florida REALTORS®
Member, Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors REALTORS® - Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
- A: Classroom instructor at various locations and events.
Presenter and moderator while serving as president of the REALTOR® association.
Media training from Florida REALTORS® - Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
- A: No
- Q: On how many occasions have you been retained as an expert?
- A: I've been engaged dozens of times over 10 years to differing degrees.
- Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
- A: Residential and commercial real estate transactions. National Association of REALTORS® Code of Ethics complaints/compliance, procuring cause claims, contractual and specific non-contractual disputes.
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
- A: Less than 10% plaintiff representation.
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
- A: More than 90% defendant representation.
- Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
- A: More than a dozen times.
- Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
- A: Within the past 2 years.
- Q: On how many occasions have you been qualified by a court to give expert testimony?
- A: I've never been specifically qualified as an expert witness as I've never been disqualified as an expert. My qualifications, testimony in court and/or in depositions and/or declarations/affidavits have always been admitted and never subject to a challenge.
- Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
- A: Specifically, in court and/or before an arbitrator approximately six times as most cases have settled prior to trial but post-depositions.
- Q: For how many years have you worked with the legal industry as an expert?
- A: Over 12 years as an expert in the real estate profession.
- Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
- A: Consulting, mediation, arbitration, federal declarations and/or affidavits, expert witness evaluation and testimony both via deposition and courtroom testimony anywhere throughout Florida in both state and federal courts.
- Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
- A: No charge for the initial consultation. Minimum $2000 non-refundable retainer; flat rate $295 per hour plus expenses thereafter.
- Q: What is your hourly rate to review documents?
- A: Flat rate $295 per hour.
- Q: What is your hourly rate to provide deposition testimony?
- A: Flat rate $295 per hour/4 hour minimum.
- Q: What is your hourly rate to provide testimony at trial?
- A: Flat rate $295 per hour/4 hour minimum.
- Q: Please list any fees other than those stated above (E.g.: travel expenses, copy fees, etc.)
- A: Portal charges from Fort Lauderdale and travel expenses.
Robert T. Slatoff, Esq.
Frank Weinberg Black, P.L.
1875 NW Corporate Blvd., Suite 100
Boca Raton, FL 33431
(561) 989-0700
(954) 474-9850 Fax
rslatoff@fwblaw.net
www.fwblaw.net
Blake S. Sando, Esq.
Cole, Scott & Kissane
9150 South Dadeland Boulevard, Suite 1400
Miami, Florida 33156
Blake.Sando@csklegal.com
Tel: 305-350-5365 | Fax: 305-373-2294