Michael Kushner

Mr. Kushner was born and raised in Long Beach, California. He obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley, where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa in his third year and graduated with High Distinction and honors the following year. Mr. Kushner then attended law school at the University of California at Los Angeles. After moving to Orange County, Mr. Kushner honed his skills at two of Orange County’s most respected law firms before striking out on his own in 2005. From there, he quickly earned a reputation as a formidable and skilled trial and transactional lawyer in the areas of business and real estate law, as well as an engaging and informative lecturer on emerging legal issues.

Although Mr. Kushner had represented homeowners in HOA disputes since the early years of his practice, it was not until 2010 that he identified and deliberately created what would become the first full-scale homeowner-side niche in California HOA law. As HOA-related disputes began arriving in greater volume and with increasing severity, he recognized that the problem extended far beyond isolated misconduct by a handful of boards. Mr. Kushner identified a systemic imbalance of power embedded throughout HOA governance and, at the same time, could not identify a single California law firm that had made it its mission to represent homeowners exclusively in HOA disputes.

Against this backdrop, Mr. Kushner began delivering a series of lectures focused on the Davis-Stirling Act, California’s HOA law. Through those lectures, he reached two critical conclusions. First, homeowners living in HOA-governed communities faced a profound structural disadvantage when dealing with abusive or out-of-control HOAs (i.e., what he frequently calls "bad HOAs" or "HOAs from HELL"). Second, many real estate attorneys who purported to represent homeowners lacked a working command of the Davis-Stirling Act and its enforcement mechanisms.

Mr. Kushner decided to act. He developed proprietary processes, systems, and legal materials designed specifically to enforce the Davis-Stirling Act on the homeowner side. These methods transformed how his firm handled HOA matters, ensured that its attorneys mastered the statute in practice rather than theory, and delivered consistent, high-level representation to homeowners. Through this work, Mr. Kushner pioneered a new homeowner-side model for HOA representation, grew his firm into California’s most respected and well-known homeowner-side HOA law powerhouse, and materially raised the quality of representation available to homeowners statewide. In the process, he hired, trained, and mentored his attorneys, some of whom later went on to lead their own successful homeowner-side HOA law firms in California.

As part of his broader effort to educate and empower homeowners directly, Mr. Kushner has authored hundreds of articles, fact sheets, Guides, and legal analyses focused exclusively on California HOA law from the homeowner’s perspective. His writing emphasizes statutory enforcement, leverage, and real-world outcomes, and homeowners across the state regularly rely on his work for clear, actionable guidance under the Davis-Stirling Act.

Mr. Kushner also created and hosts the hit podcast HOA HELL, a California-focused podcast dedicated to exposing abusive HOA practices and equipping homeowners with practical, enforceable legal strategies. Through detailed episodes, legal analysis, and real-world guidance, homeowners throughout California now look to HOA HELL as a trusted resource for understanding their rights and holding their associations accountable.

Soon after launching the HOA HELL podcast, Mr. Kushner authored his book, HOA HELL | California Homeowners’ Definitive Guide to Beating Bad HOAs. The book quickly became a number one best seller on Amazon and translates nearly three decades of courtroom-tested tactics and homeowner-side strategies into a clear, step-by-step playbook designed specifically for California homeowners confronting HOA abuse, overreach, and mismanagement. HOA HELL is also available online at barnesandnoble.com.

In addition to his unmatched expertise in California HOA law, Mr. Kushner’s practice areas also include business transactions, franchise law, corporate governance, labor and employment, real estate transactions, and entertainment law. In the business and corporate arena, he brings substantial experience structuring and negotiating complex commercial transactions and drafting a wide range of business-related agreements. His corporate transactional practice includes the representation of large, established companies, as well as start-ups and family-owned businesses.

Mr. Kushner has also been repeatedly recognized as a Super Lawyer, an honor awarded to fewer than 5% of attorneys in California, reflecting peer recognition for professional achievement and legal excellence.

Mr. Kushner’s deep expertise in California homeowner-side HOA law, combined with his decades-long commitment to protecting homeowner rights, has made him a leading authority and indispensable advocate for homeowners facing abusive and out-of-control associations throughout California.