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November 2015 | Volume 8 - Number 9

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How NOT to Fall Victim to Wire Fraud

Advice and Tools from the FBI to Fight the Growing Threat

Cybercrimes are on the rise, and the title insurance industry is being targeted. So much so that the American Land Title Association (ALTA) has made cybersecurity one of the focuses for the year ahead. The schemes change regularly, the fraudsters are sophisticated, and every part of our region has been affected. This is not limited to one geographic area or state — all ATG agents must be vigilant. Read more...

Christine Sparks
ATG Vice President and Managing Attorney, Claims and Audit

ATG Holiday Hours

• Thanksgiving Day - All ATG offices closed
• Friday after Thanksgiving Day - All ATG offices closed
• Christmas Eve - All ATG offices close at noon
• Christmas Day - All ATG offices closed
• New Year's Eve - All ATG offices close at noon
• New Year's - All ATG offices closed

NOTE: For Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve closings, the latest possible start-time is 11:00 a.m. We hope this advance notice allows you to arrange your schedule accordingly. Thank you, we appreciate your business!

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ATTORNEYS | Practice Notes

Real Estate and Title Insurance News

Meet Debra Thompson, ATG's New Indiana State Manager — ATG welcomes Debra Thompson, Indiana State Manager. In this new role, Deb will support existing ATG members, recruit new members, and coordinate Indiana operations. Deb's professional background and previous job experience yield a thorough understanding of real estate transactions and title insurance. Based in the Indianapolis area, Deb will travel the state to provide support for ATG members and their employees on title examination, underwriting, and real estate closing procedures.

Legislative Update

Illinois
Certification of Trust: Public Act 99-0337 — Trustee no longer has to furnish a copy of the trust instrument to a person other than the beneficiary.

Casenotes

Illinois
Conditions, Covenants and Restrictions: Bank of America, N.A. v Cannonball LLC — Tax reimbursement and lien rights on real estate constitute covenants that run with the land, if the parties so intend, and cannot be extinguished by subsequent mortgage foreclosure.

Indiana
Mortgages: Estate of Borgwald v Old National Bank — A mortgage does not need to be notarized in order to be enforceable in Indiana.

Wisconsin
Mortgage Foreclosure: Bank of America, N.A. v Prissel — Under Wis. Stat. § 846.101(2), the phrase “shall be given,” as it pertains to notice of a foreclosure sale during the six-month redemption period, is directory and not mandatory.

IN THE NEWS | ATG Wisconsin Underwriter James M. Marlin Retires, Levine Institute a Success

ATG Underwriting Attorney Retires — We wish Jim Marlin a happy retirement as he wraps-up nearly 30 years as a lawyer, the last four of which as our chief Underwriting Attorney for Wisconsin Operations. Jim was respected by Wisconsin members for his vast knowledge and voice of experience. He was a frequent and highly-rated seminar speaker, known for his thoroughness and entertaining style.

Eleventh Annual Harold I. Levine Real Estate Institute: What Every Real Estate Attorney Must Know - NOW — ATG brought together an outstanding group of speakers covering of vital array of topics pertinent to today's rapidly changing real estate practice. Key executives from Wells Fargo, First American, and ALTA, along with ATG senior staff provided mortgage lender and title industry perspectives on the recent TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule and the implementation of ALTA Best Practices. Scott Renfroe from the ARDC provided Professional Responsibility credit in a presentation directed to attorney/title agents. Experienced attorneys including Samuel Levine (son of the late Harold I. Levine) focused on recent case law and statutory changes in real estate law, with special emphasis on Illinois condominiums.

ATG Trust Celebrates New President — In October, ATG Trust held a reception introducing new company president Kathy Van Eeuwen (second from right) to its members and clients. See photos and wrapup.

WHAT'S NEW | Trust, CLE, and Process Services

Got Trust and Estate Questions? — Our FAQ page has your answers. At ATG Trust Company, our mission is to bring a complete line of professional trust, estate, and investment services to attorneys and their clients. Need to know more? Contact us — we're here to help.

Get Started in the New ATG Legal Education — We recently launched our new CLE platform. It is both robust and efficient and has many great features that we know will make managing your CLE much easier, including the ability to take recorded OnDemand programs with most mobile devices. You'll have your own account that keeps track of your hours and allows you to print your certificates once you complete the confirmation surveys (see details, including a five-minute video tutorial).

If you haven't set up your account yet, see Stage One: Creating Your Account.

Get the Last of Your CLE before the Holidays

FEATURED ONDEMAND PROGRAMS: (login required)

Estate Planning in a Digital Era | DiMonte & Lizak, LLC attorneys Patrick Owens and Jonathan Morton discuss digital assets — THE hot topic in the estate planning arena.

Illinois Underwriting, Part 3 | Experienced ATG underwriters address the most common issues member agents and their employees ask about in underwriting calls and other inquiries (mechanics' liens, condominiums, and more).

Lender Vetting – A Guide for ATG Agents | An overview of Lenders' requirements of title companies in the vetting process.

Wisconsin Underwriting Manual, Part 2 | This two-part program series is designed to familiarize you with its content and how to use it when conducting your real estate transactions.

FAST AND FLEXIBLE: The Process Server Responsive to Your Needs — Get the finest process serving available to lawyers today. Learn what the LegalServe Difference can make in your practice and place your order today! Find us with Google Plus.

[Last update: 11-19-15]