Ryan Shrouder currently serves as a City Commissioner for the City of Cooper City, where his firm is based, a role that places him at the intersection of local government and legal practice in a way that directly informs the firm’s municipal code enforcement and association law work. His partners bring their own distinctive backgrounds: Stacy Mager was a member of the 1992 NCAA Division I National Championship tennis team at the University of Florida and later the NCAA Division II National Singles Champion, while Larry Karns brings more than 50 years of legal experience dating to his 1974 graduation from Ohio State University Law School, Order of the Coif. Together with attorney W. Marie Elianor, whose background includes years as a CFO, the firm presents a combination of practical and professional experience unusual for its size.
Practice Areas
Civil Litigation
The firm’s litigation practice covers contract disputes, commercial litigation, and construction litigation, among other civil matters. The attorneys have experience at both the trial and appellate levels, which matters because effective litigation strategy must account for how a case will look on appeal, not only at trial. Civil litigation is one of the more demanding aspects of the firm’s work, requiring evidence management, motion practice, and courtroom advocacy.
Real Estate Law
Shrouder, Karns & Mager handles residential and commercial real estate transactions, closings, and title examination, as well as real estate disputes, landlord-tenant matters, and foreclosure-related work. Stacy Mager has nearly two decades of real estate law practice in Florida, and she holds licensure throughout the state. Florida real estate transactions require attorney oversight of title work, and the firm provides that service for both buyers and sellers.
Association Law
Legal counsel for homeowners associations and condominium associations is an active part of the practice. Cooper City and the broader South Florida market have a dense concentration of HOA and condo communities, and the legal issues they face, ranging from collection of assessments to enforcement of covenants and responding to unit owner disputes, require an attorney familiar with Florida’s specific statutory framework for associations.
Probate
When a Florida resident dies leaving assets subject to probate, the estate passes through a court-supervised administration process. The firm guides families through probate, from the initial petition through final distribution to beneficiaries. Larry Karns’s decades of Florida practice provide depth in navigating the procedural requirements of the probate process.
Wills and Trusts
The firm drafts wills and trust documents for clients seeking to direct the disposition of their assets. Trust-based planning allows assets to avoid probate and provides ongoing management during incapacity. Will-based planning establishes testamentary direction for assets not held in trust.
Estate Planning
Broader estate planning, including guardianship designations and incapacity planning, is part of the firm’s services. W. Marie Elianor practices in the estate planning and guardianship area, bringing both legal expertise and a former CFO’s financial perspective to planning conversations.
Guardianship
Guardianship proceedings establish legal authority over an incapacitated person’s personal or financial affairs. The firm handles both the initiation and ongoing administration of guardianship matters.
Municipal Code Enforcement
Given Ryan Shrouder’s current role as City Commissioner and Larry Karns’s extensive prior experience as City Attorney, Assistant City Attorney, City Prosecutor, and Police Legal Advisor for multiple Florida municipalities, the firm is equipped to advise on municipal code enforcement matters and represent clients in code violation proceedings.
Attorney Profiles
Ryan C. Shrouder, Esq. is Managing Attorney and an equity owner of the firm. He holds a B.S. in Political Science from Florida State University and earned his J.D. from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law, cum laude, on scholarship. He is admitted to the Florida Bar, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. The Florida Bar has recognized his specializations in Business Law, City/County and Local Government Law, and Real Property, Probate and Trust. He currently serves as City Commissioner for the City of Cooper City.
Larry A. Karns, Esq. is a Partner who brings more than 50 years of legal experience. He holds a B.S. in Economics from Ohio State University (1971, summa cum laude) and a J.D. from Ohio State University Law School (1974), where he graduated in the Order of the Coif, recognizing the top 10% of his class. Over his career, he has served as City Attorney, Assistant City Attorney, City Prosecutor, Police Legal Advisor, Pension Board Chairman, and Code Enforcement Legal Advisor for the municipalities of Lake Worth, Plantation, and Wilton Manors, Florida.
Stacy G. Mager, Esq. is a Partner with nearly two decades of real estate law practice in Florida. She began her college career at the University of Florida on a full tennis scholarship and was a member of the 1992 NCAA Division I National Championship tennis team. She transferred to Rollins College, where she graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Communications, and was the NCAA Division II National Singles Champion. She earned her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 2001, cum laude. She is licensed throughout Florida and serves as a board member of the JAFCO Ability Center.
W. Marie Elianor, Esq. is an attorney who practices civil litigation, estate planning, guardianship, and probate law. She is licensed in Florida and is a member of the Florida Bar Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section and the Elder Law Section. Before law, she served as a CFO with extensive executive experience. She is also a licensed real estate agent and is a charter board member of the Bernice Gaines Dorn Black Women Lawyers Association, Inc.
Location and Service Area
9700 Griffin Road, Cooper City, FL 33328
Phone: (954) 329-0001
Website: myfllegal.com/
Office hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
The firm serves Cooper City, South Florida broadly, and clients statewide throughout Florida. The firm holds a 4.8-star rating across 97 client reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Florida Bar’s specialization certifications that Ryan Shrouder holds?
Florida Bar specialization requires meeting practice experience thresholds, passing a written examination, and receiving peer evaluations. Shrouder holds certifications in Business Law, City/County and Local Government Law, and Real Property, Probate and Trust, three distinct designations reflecting depth in each area.
How does Larry Karns’s experience as city attorney inform the firm’s association law and code enforcement work?
Karns served in municipal law roles across multiple Florida cities over decades, giving him direct knowledge of how ordinances are drafted, how code enforcement proceedings work, and how municipalities operate legally. That background translates into more effective representation for clients dealing with HOA governance, code enforcement, and local government matters.
Does the firm handle estate planning as a standalone service or only alongside litigation?
Estate planning, wills, trusts, and guardianship are standalone services available without any litigation component. W. Marie Elianor’s background in both law and financial management informs the firm’s approach to planning for clients with complex financial situations.
What does Stacy Mager’s background in Florida real estate specifically cover?
Mager has practiced real estate law in Florida for nearly two decades, with licensure throughout the state. Her work covers residential and commercial transactions, closings, title examination, disputes, and related matters. Florida’s real estate market and legal requirements differ significantly from those in other states, and her depth in Florida-specific practice is a material factor for clients with in-state transactions.
How does W. Marie Elianor’s background as a former CFO affect estate planning advice?
Estate planning for individuals with business interests, investment portfolios, or complex financial structures benefits from an attorney who understands financial reporting, corporate governance, and asset management from an operational perspective. Elianor’s executive background means she approaches financial components of planning with more than purely legal knowledge.