Overview
Robyn Nordin Stowell brings nationally recognized and extensive experience in the private club, golf, and resort industries.
Robyn works closely with private clubs, golf resorts, nonprofit entities, developers, borrowers, lenders, and member groups on a variety of transactions involving private clubs, golf, spa, retail, fitness, and residential community assets. She advises clients on club turnovers; equity conversions; the purchase, sale, and financing of golf and resort assets; structuring member-financed renovation and expansion programs; contract negotiations; and the sale of amenities valued in the tens of millions of dollars. She regularly advises Boards and provides documents related to governance, member discipline, and operational issues.
Robyn maintains a reputation as one in a handful of attorneys recognized nationally in the hospitality and resort industries for her unique experience in golf course and private club matters. She represents clients throughout the U.S., including properties that are recognized as some of the most exclusive in the world.
Robyn also regularly counsels private clubs on governance and membership issues and advises clients on a wide range of legal issues, including restructuring club operations and membership offerings, cybersecurity and data privacy, contracts, insurance, employment, operations best practices, and dispute settlements. She is a recognized thought leader and author in the private club and golf resort sector and regularly contributes as a columnist on topics that are timely for club operations and governance in BoardRoom Magazine. She is also a frequent presenter at the Club Management Association of America’s (CMAA) Business Management Institute, CMAA Annual World Conference, and CMAA chapter meetings around the country.
Credentials
Education
- Georgetown University Law Center, 1988 (J.D.)
- University of Kansas, 1985 (B.A.), with honors
Court Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona
- Represented member-owned and developer-owned clubs across all of their legal needs.
- Represented developers and member groups in golf and private club turnovers and equity conversions.
- Served as counsel to developers of master-planned communities.
- Counseled member-controlled private clubs and developer-controlled clubs.
- Counseled buyers and sellers of golf courses.
- Experience handling significant golf-related lending work, including $100 million-plus golf course and resort loans and has worked on various golf course matters related to financing and construction.
- Led the negotiation and implementation of settlement of real estate and golf course litigation demanding $750 million in remedies and provided significant real estate and business support for other litigation.
- Worked with homeowner associations and condominium associations, including addressing liability and operations issues prior to and after turnover.
- Represented developers of condominiums and mixed-use projects.
- Represented an owner of mixed-use property in tenant leases and lease modifications, addressed CC&R issues and access easement issues, and handled ongoing tenant and business matters for property; handled all aspects of refinancing transaction; negotiated and documented sale transaction for ultimate disposition of project.
- Represented the lender in multiple loans secured by income-producing real estate in Arizona, including negotiating loan documents and opinion letters, and review of title, survey, and tenant documents.
- Represented buyers, sellers, developers, landlords, lenders, and others in a variety of real estate developments and transactions.
- Arizona Character Education Blue Ribbon Task Force, Arizona Department of Education, Former Member
- Arizona Character Education Foundation, Former Vice President and Board Member
- Ronald McDonald House Charities, Former Board Member
- Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Law, 2011-2022, 2024-2025
- Chambers USA, Leisure & Hospitality, Nationwide, 2018; Leisure & Hospitality, Nationwide, 2014-2016
- The BoardRoom Magazine, Excellence in Achievement Award for Educator of the Year, 2015, 2019; Lawyer of the Year, 2019
- Golf, Inc., Recommended Attorney, 2011-2013
- Arizona Business Magazine, Top Lawyer in Arizona, 2010-2011
- Arizona Commercial Real Estate Magazine, Top People to Know in Commercial Real Estate, 2008-2011
- The BoardRoom Magazine, Seventeen Most Prominent Women: Golf Industry, 2009
- Phoenix Business Journal, Best of the Bar, 2004
- Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent
- State Bar of Arizona
- State Bar of Florida
- State Bar of North Carolina
- State Bar of South Carolina
- Maricopa County Bar Association, Former Foundation Board of Trustees Member
- National Club Association, Associate Member; Former Board Member
- National Golf Course Owners Association, Former Corporate Member
Articles
- “Cybersecurity Tips for Private Clubs: Protecting Your Members and Operations”, BoardRoom Magazine, September / October 2024
- “Prepare Now for Inevitable Discipline”, BoardRoom Magazine, March / April 2024
- “Preparation Prevents Disputes and Lawsuits and Protects Managers and Boards,” BoardRoom Magazine, January / February 2024
- “Proxy Voting,” BoardRoom Magazine, September / October 2023
- “More Voting Questions,” BoardRoom Magazine, March / April 2023
- “Vote Early, Vote Often!” BoardRoom Magazine, February 2023
- “What to Consider When Crafting a Leave of Absence Policy,” BoardRoom Magazine, November / December 2022
- “Document Retention,” BoardRoom Magazine, May / June 2022
- “Don’t Lose Sight of the Fundamentals,” BoardRoom Magazine, January / February 2022
- “Lassie Stay Home,” BoardRoom Magazine, September / October 2021
- “Money, Money, Money, Money,” BoardRoom Magazine, May / June 2021
- “Proper Documentation Matters: Correct Them Now for Your Operations and the Next Crisis,” BoardRoom Magazine, May / June 2020
- “Do You Make New Year’s Resolutions,” Boardroom Magazine, January / February 2020
- “Updating Your Club Documents: How Female Participation is Driving Change,” NCA Club Trends, Fall 2019
- “Website Tips for Your Club,” BoardRoom Magazine, September / October 2019
- “Goldilocks Minutes: What’s Enough Information,” BoardRoom Magazine, May / June 2019
- “Let This be the Year Your Club is Truly Private,” BoardRoom Magazine, January / February 2019
- “Significant Others,” Club Director, Fall 2018
- “Paying Refunds on Deceased Members’ Estates,” Club Director, Spring 2018
- “When Significant Others Break Up,” Club Director, Spring 2018
- “Sticker Shock: Employee Fraud and Theft,” BoardRoom Magazine, January / February 2018
- “Document Retention Policies,” BoardRoom Magazine, September / October 2017
- “Educate Staff to Reduce Cyber Security Risks,” BoardRoom Magazine, May / June 2017
Presentations
- “Private Club Governance and Member Discipline”, CMAA’S Business Management Institute’s Leadership Principles, January 2024
- “Board Orientation Planning”, CMAA’s Business Management Institute’s Leadership Principles, March 2024
- “Ten Scary Things Your Lawyer Does Not Want to Hear You Say,” Florida Chapter CMAA Webinar, April 10, 2024
- “Member Discipline,” Greater Chicago Chapter CMAA, April 16, 2024
- “Member Discipline,” Wisconsin Badger Chapter CMAA, April 15, 2024
- “Ten Scary Things Your Lawyer Does Not Want to Hear You Say,” Philadelphia & Vicinity Chapter CMAA, February 20, 2024
- “Did You Call For My Magic Wand,” Florida Chapter CMAA, April 26, 2023
- “Member Discipline,” Texas Lone Star Chapter CMAA, Great Hills Country Club, Austin, Texas, April 12, 2023
- “Don’t Be Put in Time Out by Members Misbehaving,” California State Club Association, November 17, 2022
- “Legal Update,” Greater Southwest Chapter CMAA, November 14, 2022
- “Did You Call for My Magic Wand? – Make the Call When I Can Help Instead of When It Is Too Late,” Oregon Chapter CMAA Webinar, September 26, 2022
- “When Members Misbehave,” NCA Webcast, August 4, 2022
- PKF O’Connor Davies Private Club Symposium, June 29, 2022
- “Do the Right Thing: Building Better Board and Conducting Member Discipline,” Evergreen Chapter CMAA, Fircrest Golf Club, Seattle, April 4, 2022
- “Fireside Chat: Club Attorneys Brad Steele and Robyn Nordin Stowell Discuss the Most Current Legal Issues on Their Minds,” Carolinas Chapter CMAA, Carolina Country Club, March 20, 2022
- “Fifty Tips to Build a Better Board,” Ohio Valley Chapter CMAA, The Columbia Club, Indianapolis, March 14, 2022
- “Club Governance; Board and Committee Orientations,” CMAA’s Business Management Institute’s Leadership Principles, March 2022
- “Guiding Governance and Building Trust in Turbulent Times,” Golden State Chapter CMAA, April 15, 2021
- “Modify Your Documents Now to Prepare for the Next Pivot,” CMAA Webinar, Aug. 19, 2020
- “Member Legal Issues,” PCMA Webinar, Aug. 13, 2020
- “Member Discipline Issues After COVID-19,” CMAA Webinar, April 29, 2020
- “COVID-19 Update: Top Employment Issues,” Colorado Chapter CMAA and Arizona Chapter CMAA, March 20, 2020
- “Club Governance; Board and Committee Orientations,” CMAA’s Business Management Institute’s Leadership Principles, October 2019
- “Basic Legal Issues Every General Manager and Board Should Understand,” Evergreen Chapter CMAA, May 2019
- “Club Governance; Board and Committee Orientations,” CMAA’s Business Management Institute’s Leadership Principles, April 2019
- “Club Law Boot Camp: All the Basic Legal Issues Every General Manager and Board Should Understand,” CMAA 92nd World Conference, Feb. 28, 2019
- “Club Governance; Board and Committee Orientations,” CMAA’s Business Management Institute’s Leadership Principles, January 2019
- “Tips for Staying Sane, Employed, and Valued in the Club Industry,” OB Sports Management, January 2019
- “Advanced Issues in Employee Theft and Fraud,” CMAA 91st World Conference on Club Management, March 3, 2018
- “Advanced Issues in Member Discipline,” CMAA 91st Word Conference on Club Management, March 3, 2018
- “Cyber Insurance for Private Foundations,” PKF O’Connor Davies, Oct. 26, 2017
- “Employee Fraud and Theft — If We Were Your Employees We Could Rob You Blind,” 2017 Greater Southwest Chapter CMAA Summit, Aug. 21, 2017
- “HR Cultural Pain Points Roundtable,” Club Benchmarking and Master Club Advisors Human Resources Symposium, Aug. 17, 2017
- “Member Discipline: Don’t Make Me Stop This (Golf) Car,” Golden State Chapter of the Club Managers Association of America, April 11, 2017
- “Governance and Board & Committee Orientation,” CMAA Business Management Institute II, Jan. 11-12, 2017