Real Estate Sales

M. ELIZABETH HILS

** ****** **** ***** ******** SPRINGS, KY 41017

HOME PHONE: 859-***-**** CELL PHONE 859-***-****

abnilq@r.postjobfree.com

Highly experienced attorney with broad expertise in commercial and consumer transactions, real estate,

litigation, creditor’s rights, bankruptcy and regulatory compliance, including 15 years as in-house

counsel. Skilled at drafting, reviewing and editing all types of legal documents, including contracts,

briefs and corporate governance documents.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2008 – Present Cincinnati, OH

Lerner Sampson & Rothfuss LPA

Represent the City of Cincinnati in foreclosure proceedings relating to Hyatt Regency Hotel, including

review and analysis of real estate and bankruptcy records, briefing, discovery and court appearances.

Prepare trial and appellate briefs in contested foreclosure and bankruptcy cases; present oral

arguments; formulate litigation strategies in response to challenges to lenders’ standing and capacity to

sue; prepare client advisories regarding industry trends and compliance issues; mentor junior attorneys.

2007 Ft. Mitchell, KY

Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP

2006 – 2007 Ft. Mitchell, KY

Columbia Sussex Corporation

Columbia Sussex Corporation outsourced its legal work to GH&R in 2007.

Represented Columbia Sussex Corporation, one of the largest privately held hospitality companies in

the U.S., in hotel sale transactions, litigation and operational matters.

Performed all legal work relating to sales of 5 hotels, generating aggregate gross sale proceeds in

excess of $15 million, and sale-leaseback of corporate headquarters, generating gross sale proceeds in

excess of $2.5 million, including preparation of purchase and sale agreements, transfer instruments and

due diligence materials.

Represented corporation in $100 million hotel and condominium development in St. Maarten,

Netherlands Antilles, including negotiations with lender and franchisor; restructuring of corporate

entities; preparation of deed of division (i.e., condominium declaration) and related real estate

documents; retention and supervision of offshore professionals; and development of website and other

marketing materials.

Negotiated and drafted leases, vendor contracts, franchise agreements, software contacts, promotional

contracts, settlement agreements and documents affecting hotel operations in multi-state environment.

Managed litigation, including massive document productions and electronic discovery.

2004 – 2006 Cincinnati, OH

National City Bank

2004 – 2006

Vice President, Senior Corporate Counsel, Retail and Insolvency Practice Groups

Prepared and negotiated purchase and servicing agreements for bulk sales of residential mortgage loans

with par values of up to $500 million.

Prepared and negotiated contracts, including inter-creditor, master funds recipient and indemnity

agreements, for asset-based warehouse lending division with $12 billion in aggregate annual fundings.

Represented special and managed asset divisions. Prepared forbearance agreements, reservation of

rights letters, loan modifications and other documents implementing commercial loan workouts;

pursued recoveries through bankruptcy and state court actions; facilitated collection of $6.2 million

through sale of extended care facility.

Participated in divestiture of residential mortgage loan servicing platform, including oversight of due

diligence efforts and extensive negotiations relating to sale of retained interests in securitized assets

and third party servicing rights.

1992 – 2004 Cincinnati, OH

The Provident Bank

The Provident Bank was merged into National City Bank on July 1, 2004.

2000 – 2004

Vice President and Lead Attorney, National Servicing Center

Served as lead counsel for servicing unit managing $12 billion portfolio of nonconforming residential

mortgage loans.

Successfully defended bank in state and federal lawsuits, including class actions, filed by nationally

recognized consumer advocacy attorneys seeking remedies for alleged violations of consumer

protection statutes.

Settled claims asserted against bank in consolidated class action against 20 local financial institutions

alleging violation of statutory deadline for filing satisfactions of mortgages.

Successfully resolved numerous consumer complaints, including complaints filed with HUD for

alleged discrimination in origination and servicing of residential mortgage loans, and complaints filed

with Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland for alleged predatory lending.

Counseled senior management concerning legal trends affecting the industry, including onslaught of

enforcement actions and litigation relating to predatory lending and servicing practices.

Prepared and negotiated vendor contracts with local and national service providers for real estate

valuations, evictions, consumer credit reports, force-placed insurance, property preservation and other

outsourced services.

Prosecuted third party recourse claims and established procedures for systematic recovery of title

insurance proceeds.

1996 – 1999

Corporate Counsel II

Assisted in formation and expansion of The Provident Bank’s Consumer Financial Services Division,

which issued 15 securitizations of nonconforming residential mortgage loans totaling $5.5 billion in

origination volume between 1996 and 2000.

Developed prototype compliance program tailoring loan products to state and federal consumer

protection regulations. Prepared policy statements and procedural guidelines.

Created customized forms for use in nationwide loan origination program.

1992 – 1996

Corporate Counsel

Addressed day-to-day needs of various departments, including commercial lending, retail and private

banking and automobile financing.

Prepared loan documents for commercial mortgage loans, including development and construction

loans, term and revolving loans, working capital and asset-based loans and equipment financing.

Implemented workout and debt restructuring proposals on defaulted commercial loans.

Represented bank in commercial and consumer litigation.

1989 – 1991 Cincinnati, OH

Hunter Savings Association

Hunter Savings Association was merged into The Provident Bank on December 16, 1991.

Served as counsel of record in various lawsuits, including lender liability, breach of contract,

foreclosure, fraud, forgery, interpleader, partition, quiet title, eminent domain and consumer protection

actions.

Acted as branch liaison. Responded to daily inquiries from branch personnel. Prepared forms,

correspondence and memoranda relating to retail banking issues.

1986 – 1988 Houston, TX

McConn & Hardy

Specialty practice devoted exclusively to commercial litigation. Prepared pleadings, discovery

documents and briefs for complex commercial cases involving breach of contract and business torts.

Prepared witnesses and exhibits for deposition and trial; negotiated settlements; appeared at depositions

and hearings and counseled clients.

1982 – 1985 Cincinnati, OH

Heckerman & Hood

General practice with emphasis on creditor’s rights. Represented financial institutions and other creditors

in collection actions, foreclosures and bankruptcies. Represented individuals in real estate transactions,

estate planning, probate, domestic relations proceedings and landlord-tenant disputes.

1980 – 1981 Cincinnati, OH

Strauss, Troy & Ruehlmann

General practice with emphasis on corporate law and real estate, including litigation.

EDUCATION

Notre Dame Law School – Juris Doctor, 1980, Cum Laude, G.P.A. 3.5

Thomas More College – Bachelor of Arts, English, 1977, Summa Cum Laude, G.P.A. 3.9

BAR ADMISSIONS

Ohio, Kentucky and Texas

U. S. District Courts for the Southern District of Ohio and the Eastern District of Kentucky

U. S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

Member, Cincinnati Bar Association Bankruptcy Committee, 1989 – Present (CLE Chair, 1995)

May 1, 2008 Completed commentary on behalf of Cincinnati Bar Association Real Property

Law Committee regarding proposed Local Rule 45 relating to foreclosure

proceedings in Hamilton County, Ohio

April 15, 2008 Panelist on Securitizations at Cincinnati Bar Association Bankruptcy Committee

Meeting

February 25, 2005 Panelist on Real Estate Issues and Lien Perfection at Northern Kentucky Bar

Association Bankruptcy Seminar

December 16, 2004 Panelist on Notary Clauses in Mortgages at Cincinnati Bar Association

Bankruptcy Law Update Seminar

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