Maureen F. Guinan

Maureen's practice focuses on real estate and business matters. She advises clients on a wide array of real estate transactions, such as acquisitions and sales, finance, common interest subdivisions and development, land use and entitlements, HOA formation, CC&Rs, and easements. She counsels developers and contractors regarding construction contracts, subcontracts, and compliance with construction defect and home improvement contracts.  Additionally, she advises general business clients in entity formation and governance. She is admitted to practice in California and Washington State, and is a member of the Desert Bar Association.
 
Prior to joining Slovak Baron & Empey LLP in 2005, Maureen practiced law with the firm Johnson, Gaukroger, Drewelow & Woolett, P.S., in Wenatchee, Washington, focusing primarily on real estate and municipal matters. She served as counsel for the Housing Authority of Chelan County and the City of Wenatchee. After assisting the city housing authority in reforming as a joint City-County housing authority, she participated in the development and implementation of policies, employment matters, real estate acquisition, finance, and development or rehabilitation of affordable housing, including both rental properties and home ownership opportunity projects. The firm also served as counsel to several school districts, cities and towns in North Central Washington. Maureen supported this role by advising school districts in policy, real estate, and employment matters, including collective bargaining and labor arbitration. For municipalities, she advised primailiy in the areas of land use, public works projects and constitutional issues. Additionally, Maureen advised private real estate and business clients in a wide variety of transactions, such as acquisitions and sales, subdivision and condominium projects, foreclosures, commercial and residential leasing, crop share lease agreements, easements and shared use water and road agreements.
 
Maureen obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1988.  In 1994, she earned her Juris Doctor degree, graduating cum laude from Seattle University Law School (formerly University of Puget Sound School of Law), after having received the American Jurisprudence award in Advanced Real Estate Transactions and Legal Writing II. During law school, she served as a law clerk for Weyerhaeuser Company working on real estate, business, environmental and natural resource matters, supporting company businesses, regulatory liasons and lobbiests.  
 
Maureen moved to Palm Springs in July 2005 with her husband Eric, who is also an attorney, and their 4 year old daughter.  Maureen returns to Southern California after 15 years absence, and with their free time, the Guinans travel around Southern California becoming happily reacquainted with family, friends and places.  When they are not traveling, they explore locally, pursue the never ending project of "improving" their new home, and report the Palm Springs weather to their old friends in Washington State.