Obituary: Alan Becker, co-founder of Becker & Poliakoff law firm, 74

Alan S. Becker, a pioneer in Florida condo law and founder of the Becker & Poliakoff law firm, died Saturday after a lengthy illness. He was 74.

Becker grew up in Brooklyn, but his quest for a law degree brought him to the University of Miami. His first legal jobs were with government, in the Office of the Attorney General and as an assistant public defender.

But a fateful matchup with Gary Poliakoff in a law school mock trial destined the two of them to change Florida law forever, forging new legal ground when it comes to community associations and condos. They formed a law partnership that first operated out of the trunk of a car.

Now, Becker & Poliakoff is one of Florida’s largest, with offices in New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.

Poliakoff died in 2014, but the law firm lives on.

Becker took on many titles and mantles in his life. He had the highest grade on the 1969 legal Bar exam. He was the youngest state legislator when in 1972 he started his three terms of service. He was a lifelong Democrat, but worked well with Republicans. He passed the Czech Republic Bar exam and served as the honorary consul there. For 20 years he sat on the board for Enterprise Florida, the state’s economic development organization. Official accolades and honors for Becker were too numerous to count. He wrote two books. He taught college students.

“Always the historian, he was known to quote world leaders,” an obituary from his family said. “His first lesson in every class: Winston Churchill’s ‘Never, ever, ever quit.’ “

Becker is survived by his mother, wife, two daughters, son-in-law and two grandchildren.

Services will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. online on Zoom. Shiva will follow from 2 to 4 p.m., and again on Wednesday, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. To attend, register online.

In lieu of flowers or food, the family asks that donations go to Wuf Shanti Children’s Wellness Foundation.