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Attorney and Consultant / Expert Witness on title insurance management, escrow and related matters

From an industry experience perspective, Expert has been actively involved in all phases of the title insurance industry from the period where he was issuing title agent while engaged in private law practice from 1978 through 1983. During this period, he personally conducted title searches, drafted deeds and title corrective documents, prepared closing statements, handled escrows and escrow reconciliations, and issued final title policies. While President of an active underwriter owned title insurance agency, expert was actively involved in supervision of the handling of over 12,000 FHA, VA and conventional loan closings. Subsequent to that time, he had remained active in dealing with title agent and approved attorney issues in 20 states through responding to underwriting issues presented for underwriter approval and management of claims presented in the ordinary course of business.

Expert has over 30 years of senior level and executive experience in managing title insurance operations, serving as an attorney and the President of two multi-state regional title insurance underwriters and a regional President for 17 years. Duties included supervision of legal underwriting, development of strategic business plans, opening and closing of offices, budgeting, creation of goal focused incentive plans, designing operational software and managing enterprise risks. Expert also has extensive experience in handling defalcations, including conducting immediate onsite interviews, identification of recoverable assets, securing injunctions/ receiverships, preparing victim impact testimony at post-conviction sentencing hearings.

Since 1983, expert's primary responsibilities have been performing and managing a wide variety of underwriter and agent support functions. In the most recent position with Southern Title Insurance, I had day to day responsibilities for managing all aspects of company and 4 related entities. Southern Title operated through 8 branches covering 17 states, and I actively supervised an average of 600 active agents and 1,500
approved attorneys annually. During my tenure with Southern, these agents produced over 865,000 policies and $265 million in gross premiums since 2002. During this period, I accomplished the following:
o Created and successfully implemented comprehensive title agency application forms, review procedures and with written approval guidelines,
o Created and implemented title agency and approved attorney termination procedures,
o Revised and implemented ‘goal focused’ title agency manager compensation plans,
o Developed and implemented a comprehensive escrow account and procedures audit program
o Supervised and managed a $460K re-write of web based underwriter / agency support software system which was successfully deployed in 2011
o Created detailed operational profit center budget programs that rolled into companywide budget
o Conducted periodic budget reviews assessing achievement of quarterly and annual budget goals
o Supervised closure of offices, downsizing of staff and implementation of expense control plans
o Personally handled claims and managed claims departments
o Personally worked defalcations, including
• Conducting immediate onsite interviews,
• Identification of recoverable assets,
• Securing injunctions/ receiverships
• Preparing victim impact testimony at post-conviction sentencing hearings
o Drafted underwriting guidelines designed to minimize future claims
o Personally handled Insurance Department market conduct exam responses
o Developed and modified companywide procedures to insure regulatory compliance.
o Drafted state rate filings and developed programs to insure agent compliance with filed rates