Michael C. Obertone, J.D.

Duluth, Georgia 404-***-**** Cell Phone ad5bnt@r.postjobfree.com

EXPERIENCE

STEWART TITLE GUARANTY COMPANY, Atlanta, GA

Associate Senior Underwriter Counsel Commercial Services January 2021-Present Underwriting Counsel Commercial Services January 2020-December 2020

• Reviewed title for insurability as requested by our clients.

• Worked with the in-house staff answering commercial underwiring questions.

• Presented all required commercial high liability files to the STGC Executive Committee for approval.

• Working with other CS offices and agencies to underwrite GA files and underwriting files in other states as needed.

STEWART TITLE GUARANTY COMPANY, Roswell, GA

Underwriting Counsel March 2017-December 2019

• Reviewed title for insurability as requested by our Georgia agents.

• Issued Letters of Indemnity for other underwriters’ agents based on prior policies issued on our paper.

• Consulted with the Claims Department and advised them of the proper curative actions to be taken on all Georgia claims files.

• Presented all required commercial high liability files to the STGC Executive Committee for approval. THE MARR LAW FIRM, Atlanta, GA

Supervising Attorney September 2016-February 2017

• Duties mirrored those with my practice, Georgia Closing Associates, Inc., as the owner of the firm had very little previous real estate experience.

• From Day 1, assessed the firm’s methods and procedures.

• Made substantial changes to the methods of production to make the process more efficient and reduce errors/claims.

• Reconciled the firm’s escrow account, balanced the account, collected monies owed, and verified wire amounts to address specific shortfalls in the account.

• Developed training materials for all positions within the firm. PEAK TITLE & ABSTRACT, LLC, Atlanta, GA

Title Manager April 2016-September 2016

• In charge of all default title production for both the Georgia and Florida offices.

• Managed 2 supervisors, 14 examiners, and 5 title assistants.

• Met all production goals and generated positive scorecards.

• Developed training materials for all examiners and title assistants.

• Assisted in the development of a company-specific software system tracking orders, examinations, and policies.

• Manager for all commercial examinations for the State of Georgia, supervising and approving the preparation of all commitments, proformas, endorsements, and policies. LAND SERVICES USA, INC., Stone Mountain, GA

Commercial Underwriting Counsel July 2014-April 2016 Title insurance underwriter for this national real estate firm’s Southeast regional office, having underwritten $5 billion in files to date. Responsible for supervising title preparation and underwriting for all 13 states.

• Directed all ordering of titles through local title abstractors and attorneys.

• Reviewed and examined all incoming titles

• Finalized commitments after a thorough review of prior policies and title reports.

• Responded to counsel’s title comments and made all risk-based decisions for 3 separate title insurers.

• Supervised and approved the preparation of all proformas and requested endorsements.

• Directed the preparation and delivery of all title policies.

• Performed all post-closing reviews of files and directed the electronic filing and purging of all necessary documents.

• Supervised all paralegal and title staff.

GEORGIA CLOSING ASSOCIATES, INC., Duluth, GA

President and Owner May 2001-December 2014

Founded and led a legal service and consultancy practice, with a concentration in real estate law. Consistently ensured high-quality operations through the application of novel and industry-leading practices, quality controls, and strong customer-service orientation.

• Directed all real estate closings (~170/month at the peak), with an excess of $300 million processed and reconciled through the company’s escrow account

• Volume was closed exclusively by 1 or 2 attorneys, mandating uniformity in closing files to prevent unnecessary follow-up. Filled in at all positions when needed.

• Consistently provided strong customer service with 24–48-hour turnaround on all title orders and necessary documents

• Instituted title review and resolution by attorneys, dramatically reducing turnaround time from 4-5 days and freeing preclosing to address pressing file requests

• Cataloged title scenarios and title language for commitments, allowing preclosing to prepare title commitments more accurately

• Developed a unique filing system that provided for the immediate location of files and recognition of the files’ status

• Hired, trained, and managed an average of eight employees across four departments.

• Developed a formal cross-training program to always ensure consistent service.

• Performed all accounting for the practice, including accounts payable, payroll, and employee health insurance

• Led daily meetings to review schedule and update the status of each file to provide for managerial action to efficiently complete each closing

• Implemented a continuous quality improvement (CQM) approach to enable employees to suggest methods to improve efficiency and provide the most responsive service

• Performed preliminary title examinations to rule out liens or other encumbrances which might prevent files from progressing to closing, saving our clients time and money

• Introduced novel procedures to conform with new RESPA requirements, providing insured closing letters, preliminary HUDs, and other related closing documents within hours of each title order. Procedures prevented clients from having to re-disclose relevant fees or the alternative, having to reduce their fees at closing

• Transitioned practice from a paper format to electronic; reducing paper and cost and allowing post-closing on-site access to older files

• Continually examined forms and processes utilized in the practice to address changing regulations and other issues encountered

NORTH GEORGIA TITLE, INC., Norcross, GA

Senior Attorney December 1996-May 2001

Served as a closing attorney after law school. Developed numerous process improvement, quality control, and customer service procedures to enhance operations.

• Promoted to Senior Attorney within 6 months of hire

• Responsible for all closings, totaling 160 monthly at the company’s peak; sole attorney for most of these closings

• Outsourced title examinations by region resulting in higher marginal cost, but gaining a competitive advantage because of 24–48-hour turnaround time; five to seven years before it became common industry practice

• Assisted in hiring and training all employees; managed an average of eight employees in four departments

• Developed processes across all four departments to reduce loss and increase efficiency, including title check downs to reduce post-closing issues

• Produced a reference library of real estate-related documents and forms to immediately address clients’ needs

• Marketed services throughout northern Georgia

• Eliminated the use of individual office voicemail, requiring employees to communicate with clients directly and provide an immediate response to issues being addressed

• Developed a broad knowledge of the industry and each of the positions within the practice NORTHSIDE TITLE & ABSTRACT CO., INC., Atlanta, GA

Paralegal/Title Examiner August 1996-November 1996

• Reviewed titles and resolved issues for upcoming closings, manually examined titles in most of Metro Atlanta counties (before the use of computer examination programs)

• Supervised all examinations in Fulton County; consistently acknowledged as the most difficult county to examine titles in Georgia, based on incomplete indexing and cross-referencing ECKLAND AND ASSOCIATES, Norcross, GA

Associate October 1995-July 1996

• Learned every aspect of the closing process, from processing to underwriting to closing

• Implemented several quality control and performance improvement efforts, including:

• A two-folder file system designed to identify title documents rapidly and efficiently

• A labeling procedure to rapidly illustrate the status of each file, improving client services

• Trained paralegals and new associates in developing procedures within the firm

• Performed every position within the firm, which did not utilize any real estate paralegals

• Prepared and issued all title policies

• Preformed the majority of the closings

• Marketed on behalf of the firm, gaining and maintaining several new clients CONSULTANCY AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Advisory Counsel and Consultant May 2010-February 2017 Serve as quality-control and audit consultant for real-estate-related law practices, providing advice and expertise on operations, quality control, and service. Services performed as engaged.

• Performed overall performance review of practice procedures

• Verified files, insuring payoffs, recordings, and releases were properly paid and released

• Researched and resolved files with shortfalls and missing recordings; worked with the mortgage companies, banks, and Clerks of Superior Courts to correct all issues

• Streamlined file intake, preparation, and distribution to increase efficiency; changes prevented extensive delays in closing

• Instituted procedures to ensure no future shortages and eliminate potential future claims

• Provide and implement (as desired) performance improvement recommendations EDUCATION

EMORY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW, Atlanta, GA

Juris Doctorate May 1995; Top 1/4 of class; Phi Delta Phi honor society UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF LAW, Coral Gables, FL Attended, 1992-1993; transferred to Emory University Class Rank: Top 6% (23/362)

Invited to join the University of Miami Law Review DUKE UNIVERSITY, Durham, NC

AB Degree in Political Science and History May 1991 Treasurer, Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity

PROFESSIONAL

Member, State Bar of Georgia

Member, Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism Member, Georgia Title Standards Standing Committee Participated in the Georgia Bar Association’s Mentoring Program OTHER

Licensed Florida Agent

SPEAKER PRESENTER

Member of the Georgia Title Standards Committee-2019 Speaker-2019 Georgia Title Standards- Transfers and Agents-Chapter 8, Conveyances by and to Trustees-Chapter 29 Creator/Speaker-2017, 2018, and 2019 Georgia Title Training-Individual training for agent’s firms and their staff covering all aspects of Georgia title law and techniques for success Underwriting Panel-2018 Fall SLTA Seminar

Speaker-2018 Stewart Title 101-Title Claims

Speaker-2018 Stewart Title 101-Commitments and Title Policies Speaker-2018 Georgia Residential Real Estate Seminar-POAs in Your Residential Closing (No One Wants to Attend Closing)

Speaker-2018 Georgia Title Standards-The Uniform Power of Attorney Act (UPOAA) Comes to Georgia Underwriting Roundtable-2017 Stewart Title Real Estate in Review Speaker-2017 Stewart Title 101-Powers of Attorney

Speaker-2017 Stewart Title 101-Trusts

Speaker-2017 Stewart Title 101-Corporate Entities and Authority Speaker-2017 Stewart Title East Coast Underwriting Seminar-Negatives Associated with PACE Loan Programs Speaker,-2012 Georgia Association of Realtors Conference and Expo-MARS-Another Planet? Sometimes Seems Like It! Speaker,-2012 Georgia Association of Realtors Conference and Expo -Take Control of Your Buyer Side (REO Updates)

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