Attorney
Resume:
CHRISTINE C. LEONARD, ESQ.
***** ***** ******* ****, ************, FLORIDA 32223
*****************@*****.***
Education
Florida Coastal School of Law, Jacksonville, Florida Juris Doctor, May 2007
Member of the Florida Bar
Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina Bachelor of Science in Applied Communications, May 2001 Concentration in Interpersonal and Organizational Communications Minor in Computer Information Systems
Experience
Select Portfolio Servicing, Inc. April 2014 – Present MANAGER, CONTESTED DEFAULT MANAGEMENT Jacksonville, Florida
§ Responsible for regular reporting, timeline exception monitoring, and staff oversight
§ Involved in employee selection, career development, succession planning, and training
§ Monitor and evaluate staff productivity and performance to ensure individual and departmental goals are met
§ Trains and mentors team members
§ Holds staff meetings and training seminars each month to ensure continued team development
§ Train staff on review procedures and servicing system features
§ Supervise and manage the overall performance of staff in the department
§ Provide continuous coaching and feedback for team player development
§ Served as departmental contact for compliance issues
§ Tasked with special projects pertaining to procedural audits, regulatory updates, and investor relation matters
§ Provide feedback and make recommendations to management concerning problems or areas of improvement
§ Ensure adherence to State and Federal laws along with regulatory requirements and compliance guidelines
§ Address escalated issues and present solutions to Executive Management and Investors to ensure client satisfaction
§ Developed Policies and Procedures and training manuals for operational processes
§ Responsible for the successful implementation of departmental Policies and Procedures
§ Support validation of existing and new Policies and Procedures, processes, and standards to ensure they accurately identify, assess measure, manage, and report operational risk
§ Tasked with maintaining Foreclosure Attorney Network, adjustments in referral volumes, and State oversight
§ Recommend actions with respect to Attorney Firm management
§ Implemented program of regular, periodic compliance audits of firms to ensure goals are met, communication remains open, and quality of representation is maintained
§ Recommend remediation actions where necessary as part of ongoing perform monitoring or audit activity
§ Discuss audit findings and performance with the attorney firms on a regular basis
§ Prepare, Review, and Provide reporting to Executive Management on delinquency and compliance audits for Foreclosure
§ Attend mediations, depositions and hearings with full authority to settle as well as make decisions that benefit the Investor and Company
§ Responsible for creating litigation strategy and case handling approach that included mitigating risk and losses, directing local counsel on litigation, tracking and reporting litigation and results to Senior Management
Selene Finance, LP May 2013 – April 2014
CONTESTED DEFAULT MANAGEMENT Jacksonville, Florida
§ Work closely with executive management and retained counsel to work toward an expedited resolution on litigated matters
§ Assist in the management of document review and attestation, all court-ordered hearings, including scheduling, loan history analysis, default representation, and attendance with outside counsel of all telephonic and in-person hearings
§ Communicates line of business expectations to foreclosure counsel
§ Team/Department leader
§ Accountable for ensuring objectives and standards are consistently met
§ Identifying problems, creating choices and providing alternative courses of actions
§ Provide feedback and make recommendations to management concerning problems or areas of improvement
§ Ensure adherence of State and Federal laws along with regulatory requirements and compliance guidelines
§ Research, analyze, and interpret servicing law, regulations, and related commentaries
§ Audit, research and escalate all aspects on the default loan portfolio
§ Ensure compliance with office, and company standards, policies, and procedures
§ Attend mediations, depositions and hearings with full authority to settle as well as make decisions that benefit the Investors and the Company
§ Responsible for creating litigation strategy and case handling approach that included mitigating risk and losses
Homeward Residential, Inc. February 2012 – May 2013 DEFAULT CASE MANAGER Jacksonville, Florida
§ Work closely with executive management and retained counsel to work toward an expedited resolution on litigated matters
§ Assist in the management of document review and attestation, all court-ordered hearings, including scheduling, loan history analysis, default representation, and attendance with outside counsel of all telephonic and in-person hearings
§ Communicates line of business expectations to foreclosure counsel
§ Team/Department leader
§ Accountable for ensuring objectives and standards are consistently met
§ Participates in due diligence and risk management reviews
§ Work closely with other departments to understand procedures and research issues to provide witness testimony
§ Complete root cause analysis of issues to identify process improvements or gaps and engage appropriate parties to remediate
§ Review and research legal cases and provide options for resolutions in a timely manner
§ Represent the Corporation and investors at trials, mediations, bench trials, settlement conferences and depositions
§ Complete accurate account research for legal cases and develop appropriate strategy to resolve litigation risks
§ Act as a custodian of records for litigation matters assigned
§ Knowledge of all loss mitigation options including investor delegated workout options
§ Assist in maintaining positive working relationships and strategic partnerships with vendors and internal business units
§ Responsible for ensuring adequate staffing, training development of team members
§ Actively and efficiently manage both contested and non-contested foreclosure cases
§ Manage and meet all deadlines for major case milestone with timely follow-up, attorney contact, and proper completion and execution of case pleadings and documents
§ Perform factual research and provide summary information for management and local counsel
§ Analyze, recommend, and negotiate settlement opportunities to minimize financial exposure and reputational risk
§ Responsible for reviewing attorney recommended strategies and solutions
§ Makes all case decisions regarding actions to be taken and instructs attorneys on how to proceed on the Company’s behalf
§ Drives outside counsel to case resolution/completion
§ Independent analysis and sound judgment in identifying and handling case escalations as needed
§ Designated and authorized to testify at depositions, trials, and mediations in Contested and Non-Contested Foreclosure Trials
§ Makes recommendations for and participates in the implementation of process improvements as identified
Campbell & Associates June 2011 – December 2011
SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS CASE MANAGER / CLIENT ADVOCATE Charlotte, North Carolina
§ Responsible for the efficient management of Social Security Benefits cases and Collaborate as a team with medical personnel concerning the assessment, planning, facilitation and advocacy for options and services to meet an individual’s health needs through communication and available resources to promote quality cost-effective outcomes
§ Experience framing and analyzing legal issues
§ Development and implementation research strategies
§ Prepare summaries of assigned cases
§ Discuss and defend analysis of assigned cases
§ Evaluate prospective cases and present findings to senior and associate attorneys
§ Interview clients to determine their legal issues
§ Prepare clients and witnesses for administrative hearings, court proceedings and depositions
Hudson Legal / Synergy Legal Professionals October 2007 – March 2010 LITIGATION SPECIALIST Charlotte, North Carolina
§ Provide litigation and document support services to law firms and corporate legal departments
§ Evaluate and determine the relevance of documents as they relate to various legal issues
§ Maintain high quality standards while exceeding deadlines
§ Utilize state-of-the-art software to review documents as part of the discovery process
§ Create privilege logs to keep track of all documents removed for later use during the discovery process
Legal Services of Southern Piedmont January 2007 – September 2007 LEGAL INTERN / CLIENT ADVOCATE Charlotte, North Carolina
§ Help ensure that low-income individuals have access to health care and public services
§ Draft motions and briefs involving the elderly, children, disabled persons, and low- income persons
§ Frame and analyze legal issues
§ Develop and implement research strategies
§ Prepare summaries of assigned cases
§ Discuss and defend analysis of assigned cases
§ Evaluate prospective cases and present findings to senior and associate attorneys
§ Interview clients to determine legal issues regarding family law, Social Security, disability, public benefits and child advocacy
§ Collect and organize medical records and financial information
§ Represent clients from initial client meeting through final hearing
§ Effectively maximize resolution and minimizing loss References Upon Request
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