Craig B. Zaller
Craig is both a principal and the managing partner of Nagle & Zaller. He has spent the majority of his legal career with Nagle & Zaller, representing the interests of community associations throughout Maryland and in the District of Columbia. In addition to his core practice, Craig has also represented clients in the areas of corporate law, contract law, creditor’s rights/collections, commercial law and real estate.
Craig is an active member of the Community Associations Institute (CAI). He is a past president of the Chesapeake Region Chapter and continues to lecture and teach frequently. He has written several articles for Common Ground and local CAI chapter newsletters. He has also been a speaker at national and regional conferences and local events on various issues relating to community associations. Craig has also participated in legislative and lobbying efforts undertaken by CAI at the state and national level.
Craig has achieved many victories in the community association field that have defined the state of the law over his twenty year career. He was instrumental in turning the tide of Federal Communications Commission rulings following the enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Prior to the case in which Craig prevailed on behalf of his condominium client, the FCC had been ruling in favor of homeowners in virtually every case; but, Craig was successful in persuading the FCC that no condominium owner’s satellite dish could extend into the common element area beyond where the owner had exclusive control. The ruling made in Craig’s case was the first in what has become a line of cases favoring condominiums who sought to protect their right to control the manner in which satellite dishes are installed and maintained by unit owners. The subsequently developed “cellophane wrap rule” has since been applied consistently to describe the outer limits of the area in which a unit owner has the unfettered right to maintain a satellite dish or other device protected by the federal statute. Craig has seen it all in the field of community association law, having handled some of the most complex cases at the trial and appellate levels, dealing with real estate, restrictive covenant and rule enforcement, construction defect litigation, and a broad range of transactional and operational issues, giving him the knowledge and experience to handle anything in the community association field. He has been commended by colleagues and clients alike for his sharp mind, relentless pursuit of improvements in the law, and zealous advocacy on behalf of his clients.
Education:
Mr. Zaller is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, earning a Bachelor of Science in Finance in 1989. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, with distinction, in 1993, and was admitted to the Traynor Honor Society while in law school. Mr. Zaller also received his Master of Business Administration from the University of San Diego in 1994, with a concentration in Management.
Licensure:
Mr. Zaller is licensed to practice law in all federal and state courts in Maryland and in the District of Columbia.
Besides Nagle & Zaller:
Mr. Zaller was raised in Howard County, where he still lives today with his wife and sons. In his spare time, Craig likes to spend time with his wife and 3 active boys. He enjoys playing racquetball, coaching his boys’ soccer teams, and cheering on his favorite local teams – the Maryland Terps, Baltimore Orioles and Baltimore Ravens.
