Author: The Wolf Firm

The USFN Loan Management & Servicing Seminar will be taking place at the Hyatt Regency in Jacksonville, Florida from Wednesday, March 20, 2013 to Friday, March 22, 2013.  Several employees of The Wolf Firm will be attending this event including:

• Alan S. Wolf– President and Managing Attorney
• Krys Fuller Delk– Director of Operations
• Alkisti Karmokolias– Director of Client Relations

We hope to see you at this event, and if you get the chance, please try to attend the following panel discussions being lead by our team members:

Impacts of CFPB and Dodd Frank: Thursday, March 21 – 8:45am to 10:15am

Alan S. Wolf, President and Managing Attorney at The Wolf Firm, will be a panelist on the session entitled, “Impacts of CFPB and Dodd Frank” which will be held on Thursday, March 21 from 8:45am to 10:15am.  In this session, Mr. Wolf will be part of a roundtable discussion on the Dodd-Frank Act to help translate how it will impact the mortgage servicing industry.  From understanding what makes a Qualified Mortgage and the protection the exemption provides, to learning about the super regulator called the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), this session will help you gain a better understanding of the many areas the Act covers and to help you prepare for the changes we can expect to see.

 Compliance and Audits: Thursday, March 21 – 1:30pm to 3:00pm

Krys Fuller Delk, Director of Operations at The Wolf Firm, will be a lead panelist on the session entitled, “Compliance and Audits” which will be held on Thursday, March 21 from 1:30pm to 3:00pm.  In this session Ms. Fuller Delk, along with the other panelists, will discuss the current pressures faced by mortgage lenders and loan servicers to comply with their oversight entities, the current requirements placed on their counsel and the path to future communication and efficient review between the participants. The discussion will review industry best practices and engage other members of the servicing community with insight, collaboration and cutting edge discussion on these strategically mission critical facets of daily interaction.

For more information or to register for this event, please visit USFN Loan Management & Servicing Seminar.

For over 25 years, The Wolf Firm has provided a broad range of legal services to members of the financial services community.  Recognizing that in today’s environment, labor and employment claims pose some of the most potent threats to productivity, profitability and, in some instances, even company viability, and in an attempt to better protect its clients, the firm has taken its work in this area and formed a separate Department called the Labor and Employment Department.

Please join attorney Eric D. Dean (Managing Litigation and Transactions Attorney) on January 24, 2013 at 11:00 am PST (2:00 pm EST) for a free webinar hosted by the California Mortgage Bankers Association (CMBA) on the California Homeowner Bill of Rights.  Mr. Dean will provide a summary of the new pre and post Notice of Default requirements for servicers under the Act along with recommended action for servicers to take in order to  limit liability under the Act.  Please contact Carol Danaher of CMBA at carol@cmba.com with your full contact information for more details and directions on how to register for this event.

The Wolf Firm has written a series of three articles related to the California Homeowner Bill of Rights which we suggest you read in preparation for this webinar.  The first article in this series was recently published by the California Mortgage Bankers Association (CMBA).  Links to all three articles are provided below.

Please note that these articles are merely a general summary of various provisions of the Homeowner Bill of Rights and not legal advice.  We encourage our clients to read the Act in its entirety and to contact appropriate counsel for guidance in complying with this new and highly complex law.

Part 1: A Preliminary Guide to the California Homeowner Bill of Rights

Part 2: The Protection of Tenants and Prospective Tenants under the California Homeowner Bill of Rights

Part 3: Penalties against Lenders and Servicers for Blight under the California Homeowner Bill of Rights

In response to requests from several of our financial services clients, The Wolf Firm has developed a fixed fee litigation schedule for certain real estate and business loan litigation.  Clients now have the option to choose either a fixed fee or hourly billing schedule on most litigation matters.  The fixed fee litigation schedule allows the lender greater control over the costs involved in each step of the litigation process.

If you are interested in receiving a copy of our fixed fee litigation schedule please contact Eric D. Dean at eric.dean@wolffirm.com.

Attorney Kajal N. Islam has moved from the Firm’s Eviction Department to its Compliance Department and will now work with clients, vendors and staff to ensure full compliance with the various procedures required by our clients.

In the past month, The Wolf Firm has proudly donated to the following notable organizations and we encourage our clients and industry affiliates to also get involved and raise awareness.

In lieu of gifts this past holiday season and consistent with our commitment to the financial services community, a contribution was made to Habitat for Humanity, a charity that provides low income housing worldwide.  To get more information on Habitat for Humanity’s mission or to make a donation please visit http://www.habitat.org/.

Each holiday season, the firm contributes to the mission of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program by collecting new, unwrapped toys to be distributed as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community.  To get more information on Toys for Tots’ mission or to make a donation please visit http://www.toysfortots.org/.

The Wolf Firm coordinated several donations to Goodwill this holiday season.  Goodwill’s mission is to enhance the dignity and quality of life of individuals and families by strengthening communities, eliminating barriers to opportunity, and helping people in need reach their full potential through learning and the power of work.  To get more information or to locate a Goodwill store near you please visit http://www.goodwill.org/. 

Members of The Wolf Firm donated to Operation Blanket of Love, a non-profit charity which collects, transports and distributes recycled and new pet-related items to comfort stray, sick, neglected and abused homeless animals in shelters, rescue groups, sanctuaries and foster groups.  To get more information or to make a donation please visit http://www.operationblanketsoflove.com/.

We had some end of the year fun with the introduction of our newly formatted website and the creation of our 2012 holiday card.  Many thanks to those who took the time to send us holiday greetings and for the many kind e-mails we received regarding the website and card.  Also, kudos to those who figured out that the t-shirt graphic of the present found on our holiday card is a hidden QR code that takes one to our new website!

The Wolf Firm, A Law Corporation, has once again been honored with the USFN Diamond Award of Excellence.  The USFN is the nation’s oldest, most selective and most well respected association focused on mortgage default and related mortgage banking legal issues.  While all USFN Members must meet rigorous screening standards, the Award of Excellence recognizes member firms that excel and are proven leaders in the industry by an analysis of the firm’s active participation and leadership in the mortgage industry; community and charitable involvement; on-going staff development and superior client relations.

The USFN initiated the Award of Excellence program in 1993. The Wolf Firm has won the Award of Excellence every year since its inception and is the only law firm in California to have been so honored.  The Wolf Firm is nationally recognized as a leader in the mortgage banking industry.  Firm members hold positions of leadership in various industry groups, speak at national industry events and have published articles in leading industry trade publications.

For over 25 years, The Wolf Firm has provided a broad array of legal and related services throughout California to lenders, servicers, investors, governmental agencies and other members of the financial services community. From simple routine work, to highly complex Bankruptcy and Litigation matters, The Wolf Firm is committed to an approach that results in strategic, cost-effective solutions specifically directed to the requirements of the particular matter and the expectations of each client. The Firm’s Departments include Litigation, Bankruptcy, Judicial and Non-Judicial Foreclosure, Unlawful Detainer/Eviction, Loss Mitigation, Escrow/Closing, Regulatory Compliance and Transactional.

The Wolf Firm, A Law Corporation, is proud to announce that President and Managing Attorney Alan S. Wolf, has been selected by his peers to be included in the 2013 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the practice area of Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law.

Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. Best Lawyers compiles lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting exhaustive peer-review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. Since lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be included, a listing in Best Lawyers is widely regarded within the legal profession as a singular honor, conferred on a lawyer by his or her peers.

The Wolf Firm’s Lead Trial Counsel Joseph J. Nardulli, has been selected as a 2012 Top Rated Lawyer in Commercial Litigation. American Lawyer Media, a leading provider of news and information to the legal industry has teamed with Martindale-Hubbell to create a special section in Litigation Fall 2012 highlighting this achievement.  The list was created by LexisNexis-Martindale-Hubbell’s database of Peer Review AV Preeminent Rated Attorneys.  Reviewers are asked to assess their colleague’s general ethical standards, reliability, diligence, legal skill and other criteria relevant to their professional responsibilities in a specific area of practice.

The Wolf Firm, A Law Corporation welcomes three new attorneys to its growing legal team:  Christine E. Howson, Jared D. Bissell and Joely K.L. Bui.

Christine E. Howson brings to the Firm’s Litigation Department over 26 years of experience in real estate litigation.  Prior to joining the Firm, Ms. Howson was a senior attorney in a California law firm representing corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies and public entities in real estate litigation matters.  Ms. Howson received her Juris Doctorate from the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California and received her undergraduate degree from Ma rquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she majored in Journalism and History and minored in Philosophy.  Ms. Howson was admitted to the California State Bar in 1988.

Jared D. Bissell is an associate in the Firm’s Bankruptcy Department.  Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Bissell was an attorney with a California law firm where he managed Chapter 7, 11 and 13 bankruptcies on behalf of financial institutions.  Mr. Bissell received his Juris Doctorate from the California Western School of Law in San Diego, California where he was a recipient of the Faculty Scholars Program Scholarship and was a Member and Fellowship Leader of the Christian Legal Society.  Mr. Bissell received his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of West Georgia. Mr. Bissell was admitted to the California State Bar in 2010

Joely K. L. Bui is also an associate in the Firm’s Bankruptcy Department.  Ms. Bui started her legal career working for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the District of Arizona.  Prior to passing the bar, Ms. Bui also worked at The Wolf Firm as a paralegal.  Ms. Bui received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law where she was awarded with the Dean’s Merit Scholarship.  She was also an active member in the Bankruptcy Reaffirmation Clinic, Minor Guardianship Clinic and Lawyers for Literacy.  Ms. Bui received two degrees from California State University in Fullerton, a Masters of Arts in Political Science, where she was awarded with the Julian Foster Award for Best Political Philosophy Student and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science.  Ms. Bui was admitted to the California State Bar in 2012.