Christopher B. Hanback practices in the areas of Fair Housing, Americans with Disabilities Act and Property Management in the multifamily, hotel and resort, senior living and student housing industries. Mr. Hanback is Chair of the firm's National Residential Multifamily Team, and he also represents national trade associations, non-profits and other businesses.
Mr. Hanback counsels and defends apartment, condominium, hotel, time share, university, retail, commercial office building and senior living developers and managers on Fair Housing Act (FHA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) construction and design requirements as well as disability and accommodation claims by residents, guests and customers. He regularly represents owners, developers, operators and managers in investigations and litigation brought by the Department of Justice (“pattern and practice cases”), Department of Housing and Urban Development, state and local agencies, advocacy groups and private litigants based on claims of discrimination under the Fair Housing Act, Rehabilitation Act and Americans with Disabilities Act. Mr. Hanback has represented coalitions of national housing associations in filing Amici Curiae briefs with the United States Supreme Court and federal appellate courts. He also successfully opposed a preliminary injunction in a fair housing case and “class action” certification in a case involving a significant challenge to an owner’s occupancy standards in Federal Court in California. Mr. Hanback also advises bus and transit operators on ADA compliance issues.
Mr. Hanback previously served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the National Corporation for Housing Partnerships, one of the largest owner-managers of apartments in the country. He has extensive experience negotiating and drafting a variety of commercial arrangements and vendor agreements, management contracts, leases, licenses, group buying arrangements as well as cable television, high speed internet, rooftop antenna and other telecommunications agreements.
Mr. Hanback has also had substantial experience representing national trade associations in industries ranging across health care, electronics, real estate and transportation. He is familiar with the legal issues facing associations regarding governance, antitrust, publications, lobbying, tax, intellectual property and employment. Mr. Hanback has worked closely with associations on convention and hotel arrangements, trade shows, credit card and insurance programs and computer and technology agreements. He has been a presenter at American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and other programs on contracting and meeting exposition issues.
Mr. Hanback has been an author, commentator and speaker on apartment industry, ADA, and fair housing issues and has been featured in programs at the National Apartment Association and American Bar Association conventions.
Mr. Hanback served as Law Clerk to United States District Judge Richard W. McLaren.