Barbara Willen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-willen-0256b637/

Summary:

Barbara is a Certified Paralegal with top industry credentials for a large or mid-sized law firm with a multi-disciplinary practice, real estate development company or in-house corporate law department. Experienced mostly in large commercial real estate transactions; however, I have managed litigation portfolios related to real estate, civil and corporate litigation.

Prepared and reviewed purchase and sale contracts and lease documents for residential and commercial property files from contract in-take, title examination, survey review, preparation of title commitments, title clearance through successful closings and all post-closing activities, including title searches and title policy production.

Performed lease abstracting and due diligence for large property acquisition by new franchisee client; reviewed acquisition contract for the entire portfolio; interfaced with underlying landowners and landlords for the transfer of properties to new franchisee; prepared and managed checklists for contract deadlines and lease terms and conditions to correlate with term of franchise agreement for each location

Review title documents and commitments; review ALTA surveys and provide legal support for general counsel and associate real estate attorney in corporate law department for acquisition of property for construction of Bridgestone retail tire centers as part of national development plan for Bridgestone/Firestone; draft estoppel letters and property documents, including Declarations, easements and closing documents; prepare title objection letters, title and survey analysis memoranda for Bridgestone corporate and law department review; preparation of closing documents and closing transaction management.

Case management for outside counsel for foreclosures, commercial, construction, real estate and civil litigation, including docketing case deadlines for hearings and submission of pleading responses; interaction with judiciary personnel

Credentials and Education:

Certified Paralegal (CP) f/k/a as Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) through National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc, (NALA); Certified in 1988, renewal period current for 2018-2022; Lifetime Membership valid through Retirement

Notary Public, State of Florida; renewed through December 19, 2025.

Graduate of University of Florida, Gainesville, FL: Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education for Language Arts (English, Speech & Journalism)

Computer skills:

Microsoft Word, Microsoft Office, Web Elite Timekeeping, DTE Axiom Timekeeping, Resware, NetDocs, WorldDocs, ProDocs, Outlook Express, Excel, DoubleTime and ATIDS.

Professional Experience:

May 2017 – May 2022

Noble Properties, Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Commercial Real Estate Paralegal/Leasing Paralegal

Responsibilities:

Paralegal responsibility and support to In-House General Counsel for preparing leases, lease extensions and amendments for shopping center tenants.

Support to Property Management, Accounting and Acquisitions and Divestiture Department for purchases and sales of national single tenant parcels and shopping centers.

Analysis of leases for resolution of property management issues for entrepreneurial owner of nationally located properties, mostly shopping centers; refinancing, purchase and sale transactional matters, including survey reviews, tenant estoppels, SNDAs and title clearance matters for due diligence.

April 2015 - August 2015

Gator Investments, North Miami Beach, FL

Commercial Real Estate Paralegal

Responsibilities:

Paralegal support for lease drafting and property management issues for in-house general counsel for entrepreneurial owner of 1,500 nationally located properties, mostly shopping centers; refinancing, purchase and sale transactional matters, including survey reviews, tenant estoppels, SNDAs and title due diligence.

June 2013 - February 2015

Broad & Cassel, Boca Raton, FL

Commercial Real Estate Paralegal

Responsibilities:

Management and processing of approximately 80-file portfolio for commercial real estate closings from contract signing to closing statements and disbursements, plus post-closing title policy production for large national development client.

Perform title clearance for buyer and sellers to facilitate quicker closings, examination of title documents; preparation of title objection letters and drafting of all closing documents, including commercial closing statements. Reported to three (3) partners and two (2) associates.

February 2012 - June 2013

North American National Title Solutions, LLC, Lennar Corporation subsidiary in Doral, FL

Commercial Paralegal

Responsibilities:

Full-time position performing title search/examination and title coordination activities for a joint venture capital company client buying assignments of mortgages of distressed nationwide commercial properties in diverse bulk portfolios from national commercial lenders with goal of making mortgages viable or going forward into foreclosure if analysis rendered property not financially stable.

August 2011 - January 2012

White & Case, LLP, Miami, FL

Commercial Real Estate Paralegal

Responsibilities:

Long- term temporary position for multiple partners and associates’ support for commercial real estate development, purchase, sale and work-out transactions while regular paralegal on extended medical leave. Also responsible for portfolio management for partners buying personal investment and residential properties.

Performed lease abstracting and due diligence for large property acquisition by new franchisee client; reviewed acquisition contract for the entire portfolio; interfaced with underlying landowners and landlords for the transfer of properties to new franchisee; prepared and managed checklists for contract deadlines and lease terms and conditions to correlate with term of franchise agreement for each location.

April 2011 - July 2011

Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, LLP, Aventura, FL

Commercial Real Estate Paralegal

Responsibilities:

Long- term temporary position for multiple partner support for commercial real estate development, shopping center acquisitions, sale and financial work-out transactions while regular paralegal on family leave.

August 2009 - January 2011

Yoss LLP (f/k/a Adorno & Yass, LLP) Coral Gables, FL

Real Estate Paralegal

Responsibilities:

Title Policy, Post-Closing and Real Estate Paralegal in the Real Estate Department working with Managing Real Estate Partner to prepare owner and loan title policies for title policy backlog from over 500 REO closings for Fannie Mae and other national foreclosure companies and banks; recordation of real estate documents and other post-closing duties; contract review and document preparation, including closing statements for residential and commercial real estate transactions

January 2009 – May 22, 2009

Centres, Inc., Miami, FL

Commercial Real Estate Paralegal (In-house Legal Department disbanded by company owner)

Responsibilities:

Review title documents and commitments; review ALTA surveys and provide legal support for general counsel and associate real estate attorney in corporate law department for acquisition of property for construction of Bridgestone retail tire centers as part of national development plan for Bridgestone/Firestone; draft estoppel letters and property documents, including Declarations, easements and closing documents; prepare title objection letters, title and survey analysis memoranda for Bridgestone corporate and law department review; preparation of closing documents and closing transaction management.

March 2002 – January 2009

Ritter, Zaretsky & Lieber, LLP, and RTE Title Company, Miami, FL

Real Estate, Litigation and Corporate Paralegal

Responsibilities:

Provide preliminary legal review for attorney to advise client on all aspects of real estate matters, from file intake through post-closing activities; draft formation documents for corporations and single purpose entities; participate in conference calls, contract negotiations, and client meetings for large commercial real estate transactions, including lease and franchise document review for approval of new franchisee to the Best Western hotel franchise system to correlate with downtown Miami hotel acquisition; financing, refinancing and workouts, condominium conversion developments, new condominium construction, hotel acquisitions, and divestitures for clients

Prepare Critical Dates Timelines for transactional contracts, review and analysis of ALTA surveys, Phase I inspection reports, title documents, open permits and building code violations during due diligence contract periods; prepare title commitments; track deadlines within real estate contracts; clear title objections for commercial transactions; coordinate and conduct closings; supervise recordation of documents and track return from Clerk’s offices; prepare closing binders and all title policies, ensuring that policies are paid and properly logged with multiple title underwriting companies

Case management for outside counsel for foreclosures, commercial, construction, real estate and civil litigation, including docketing case deadlines for hearings and submission of pleading responses; interaction with judiciary personnel; performing preliminary legal review of due diligence documents, discovery and interrogatory responses, and drafting complaints and motions, including those for protective orders and pleadings related to foreclosures, commercial, construction and civil litigation.

Drafting conveyance, acquisition, mortgage and lease documents for clients in commercial transactions and occasional high-end residential transactions; preparing settlement statements on Double Time; providing preliminary legal review of loan documents for attorney’s comments to lender for change/deletion of onerous language

May 2001 – March 2002

Fieldstone, Lester, Shear & Denberg, Coral Gables, FL

Real Estate Paralegal

Responsibilities:

Participated in contract negotiation and contract administration from execution to closing for large commercial real estate transactions, particularly for out-of-state and Florida marina acquisitions and long-term leases, including preparation of formation documents for corporations and single purpose entities in multiple states for all partners in boutique real estate firm

Drafted buyer/seller/developer documents; scheduled closings and coordinated deadlines and contractual closing dates with lender institutions

October 2000 – May 2001

Bridgestone Legal Services; Stone Legal Resources; McCoy Elite Personnel, Miami, FL

Freelance Legal Assistant/Legal Secretary

Responsibilities:

Worked primarily for real estate partner at Hughes, Hubbard & Reed, LLP for paralegal out on family leave

July 1984 – October 2000

Burger King Corporation (BKC), Miami, FL:

Franchising, Real Estate and Corporate Legal Assistant

Responsibilities:

Supervised as sole legal assistant in charge of updating and filing exemption notices, amendments and renewals of the Uniform Franchise Offering Circular (UFOC) in 15 registration states with franchise relationship and disclosure laws; implemented, with supervision by the Assistant General Counsel of Franchising, required changes to the UFOC for BKC compliance with new franchising laws for mandated “plain-English” UFOC; prepared forms for and coordinated collection of written corporate data, franchising, trademarks, marketing and financial information from corporate officers, Board of Directors and corporate departments to produce the UFOC in-house with minimal use of outside counsel, resulting in a direct savings to BKC of approximately $100,000 for the first “plain-English” requirement year and $50,000 per year thereafter, rather than using outside counsel

Participated as senior legal assistant in domestic regional franchise matters, real estate acquisitions, divestitures, and commercial litigation; assigned as paralegal under supervision of multiple senior attorneys advising asset and development managers for the divestiture and acquisition of hundreds of millions of dollars in business assets and real estate

Reviewed leases and purchase agreements for resolution of contract negotiations and disputes; examined surveys; cleared title and interfaced with landowners and landlords for acquisition of real estate for construction and development of over 200 properties as franchise and company restaurants; drafted leases and reviewed terms for SNDAs; drafted lease amendments and monitored lease and rent renewal terms and extensions

Resolved property management issues post-restaurant opening; prepared documents for the BKC Franchise Administration Department for the Early Successor Incentive Program, involving more than 1800 franchisees who opted for early renewal of Franchise Agreements and remodeling to incorporate the new restaurant image, earning BKC income of $54 million in early successor fees for fiscal year 2000.

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