Real Estate Lawyer Interviews

Olathe, KS Art Chartrand, an attorney with the National Home Service Contract Association, wants to get the record straight regarding some confusion over the American Home Shield Corporation. “There is no such thing as home warranty insurance,” says Chartrand, “and home warranty companies such as American Shield are not in the insurance business.”

Philadelphia, PA Got to hand it to attorney John Narkin. He's got this foreclosure crisis thing figured out—well, near as anyone can figure it out. The 113-page class-action suit on behalf of distressed homeowners filed by Narkin's firm, BHN Law in Philly, lays out the whole sorry story in amazing detail, complete with links to video clips.

Jacksonville, FL Florida attorney Chip Parker says he is "appalled" by the way the fundamental rules of law are being bent, twisted and even ignored in order to ram foreclosures through the courts at lightning speed. "One day you could be the victim of an auto accident, or accused of a crime—there could be a number of reasons why you find you need access to the legal system," says Parker from Parker & DuFresne in Jacksonville. "If the rules of law are capable of being bent during this foreclosure crisis—then it means the rule of law can be bent at anytime!"

Washington, D.C. Banks are being hit with a hailstorm of class actions for being quick to trigger foreclosures without actually reviewing the facts of the case. So-called "robo-signers" from GMAC and several other lenders have admitted in depositions that they signed thousands of foreclosure affidavits without ever reading the files.

Seattle, WA The mere mention of Dr. John Kilpatrick's name can settle litigation. Kilpatrick holds a Ph.D. in Real Estate Finance from the University of South Carolina and is arguably the country's leading expert in the area of real estate valuation. He has testified at trial on behalf of plaintiffs or provided expertise to legal firms across the US in dozens and dozens of litigation proceedings that involve damage to property.

New York, NY If attorney Susan Chana Lask is right, she has hit on class action suit that will go down in history as one of the critical features of the foreclosure crisis that has ruined the lives of millions of Americans. "It is disgusting," says Lask, a smart and feisty New York City lawyer. "I am really starting to hate banks. They are messing with our lives."

Mesquite, NV Residents along Desert Tortoise Drive and Shell Turtle Lane in Mesquite, Nevada were taken by surprise when rainwater charged toward their homes. "It doesn't rain much here in Mesquite or Las Vegas, but when it does, their backyards are flooded," says Neil Hyman, a young attorney with a good track record for recouping losses in construction defect cases.

Irvine, CA: Attorney Sean Rutledge from the United Law Group in Irvine, California spends more hours than you can imagine mowing through mounds of paper, writing letter after letter to banks trying to arrange loan modifications for clients teetering on the brink of foreclosure. "Unfortunately," says Rutledge, "the banks continue to phone and harass homeowners and use every possible excuse to delay a final decision on loan modifications." Judging from what Rutledge and his firm have experienced the last few months, the situation for homeowners is appalling.

Frederick, MD Attorney Brian Maul says he has had several phone calls this week from people who would like his help, after he won a whooping $1.25 million in compensatory and punitive damages at trial against the Wells Fargo Bank on behalf of woman who was a victim of the sub prime mortgage debacle.