Real Estate Manager

MELISSA-ROSE A. STAFFORD

nd

****R S.W. ** Street, (rear) Miami, FL 33129 786-***-**** *******@******.****.***

Admitted jurisdictions: Florida Bar, U.S. Tax Court, U.S. District Court, U.S. Bankruptcy Court

Education

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF LAW, Graduate Program in Taxation, Continued Education Only, April 2011

LOYOLA UNIVERSITY NEW ORLEANS

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS, Master of Business Administration, May 2010

COLLEGE OF LAW, Juris Doctor, with Certificate in International Law, May 2010

Awards: Law Excellence Award Highest Grade Received in Taxation of the Family, Law Excellence Award

Highest Grade Received in Federal Tax Procedure, SBA Student Service Award

Activities: Tax Law Society - Founder/President, Real Estate Law Society - President, Volunteer Income Tax

WEST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE

Associate of Arts, Spanish, December 2006

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL PLANNING AND RESEARCH, Master of Arts Urban Planning, June 1999

UNDERGRADUATE, Bachelor of Arts Afro-American Studies emphasis Sociology, June 1997

Professional Experience

LEGAL SERVICES OF GREATER MIAMI, INC., April 2012 – March 2014

Position Contract Attorney – Housing and Consumer Unit

• Conducted weekly investigative intake interviews and made decision whether or not to represent; 25-40 monthly.

• Advised homeowners, tenants and consumers, in controversy with lenders, condominium/homeowner

associations, tax authorities, and other creditors as to settlement remedies and legal defenses to litigation.

• Provided analysis for clients as to their eligibility for loan modifications (including HAMP, FHA, Fannie Mae,

Freddie Mac), HEC Mortgages, viability of bankruptcy, TILA remedies and Florida Hardest Hit Programs.

• Prepared: drafting pleadings, discovery requests, memoranda, QWR, and client letters.

• Legal research projects related to client defenses to litigation; evaluate findings and develop strategies and

arguments in preparation for presentation of cases.

• Made court appearances.

• Negotiated settlements including successful restoration of property title, refund of third party purchaser costs

and foreclosure avoidance.

• Provided clients with advice as to consumer debts related to used car purchases, student loans, wage theft,

landlord tenant contracts, garnishment and other collections

Position Harry and Irving Cypen Fellow - Low Income Taxpayer Clinic

• Conducted investigative interviews to determine compliance with tax regulations and possible settlement options

for clients in controversy with the IRS.

• Reviewed client tax returns, financial documents and other documents related to tax claims to determine client

compliance with tax law

• As part of case management provided clients with case updates and explained the IRS settlement options

• Researched various areas of law relating to unique questions presented by client tax cases.

• Gathered data and generated reports in Legalserver for use in periodic LITC grant reports.

• Facilitated educational workshops and participated in service outreach.

BURKETT PROPERTIES, INC., October 2012- October 2013

Position Special Projects, Office of President

• Legal research including but limited to: eminent domain, taxation, worker’s compensation, landlord-tenant issues

Stafford - Résumé, Page 2

Reviewed, analyzed, drafted legal instruments supporting commercial real estate transactions.

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Liaise between partners, vendors and employees.

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Resolution of general office and property management problems

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Projects involving: business organization, compliance, claims, operations, investment, and limiting liability.

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Drafted business organization documents and amendments

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Amended form leases, management agreements, and rental contracts.

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Accounting including providing reconciliations of monthly expenditures and maintenance reports pursuant to

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contacts for purchase and sale of property

Prepared federal tax, compliance and disclosure documents: Forms 1099, 1096, SS-4, 7004 and 5500.

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Annual Secretary of State registrations for over 30 businesses entities in 6 states.

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Reviewed and advised president as to Like-in-kind Exchange Agreements, contracts and insurance plans.

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VMR PRODUCTS, LLC, March 2012–September 2012

Position Contractor, Projects for Accounting Department and Logistics and Compliance Department

• Conducted an internal customs audit of company imports with the Vice President of Logistics and Outside

Counsel, which included:

o Correlating all company purchasing data, receiving data, payments and import data and documentation

o Reviewing financial records of the company since its inception and including cross-comparing data sources

to reconstruct actual records.

o Establishing a comprehensive import database in Excel including revised tariff classifications, customs

valuation, and calculated duty payments.

• Analyzed inventory, sales, and purchases and provided rollback report to Controller for use in an audit.

SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA LEGAL SERVICES (SLLS), September 2008–April 2010

Position Tax Law Clerk - Low Income Taxpayer Clinic

• Conducted investigative interviews to determine client compliance with tax regulations and settlement options.

• Prepared and reviewed tax returns to bring clients into compliance with obligation to file tax returns.

• Researched: law, private and public records and taxation related to cases

• Prepared payment summaries in Excel used to offset the tax liability of clients seeking settlements with the IRS.

• Drafted settlement documents, tax court pleadings, inter-office memorandums, letters to clients

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (LAUSD), Office of Board Trustee, District 7 - Mike Lansing

Position Facilities Director/Senior Policy Adviser, December 2001–June 2006

• Oversaw new school construction and renovation of existing facilities projects in 2nd largest school district in US

• Analyzed: education legislation; LAUSD operating procedures; LAUSD budget; construction and repair project

budgets; the effectiveness of personnel and programs; and constituent issues in order to make recommendations.

• Cultivated relationships with private and governmental agencies regarding joint ventures in over 50 schools

• Public relations liaise for commercial and residential relocation program in 150 school communities.

Computer Software and Operating Systems

LegalServer, Case Management Yardi Point2Property Manager ROZ, Hotel Reservation System

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Google Apps productivity Suite Tax Prep.: TaxWise by CCH, MS Office and Adobe Acrobat

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Intuit, HR Block, Liberty Tax

Best Case

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International

Curacao, Dutch New Antilles: European Union Law and International Law, 2010

San Juan, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico: Comparative Legal Study, 2009

Cuernavaca, Morelos, Estados Unidos Mexicanos: Comparative Legal Study & Language Immersion, 2008

Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Comparative Legal Study & International Arbitration, 2008

Seoul Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea: Professional Delegate, 2006

Guadalajara, Jalisco, Estados Unidos Mexicanos: Language Immersion, 2006

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