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IN THE NEWS:

ATG's Ninth Annual Harold I. Levine Institute Beyond Expectations
November 7, 2013, UBS Tower in Chicago

Our premier Legal Education event of the year, the Ninth Annual Harold I. Levine Real Estate Institute, was a big success! We had a full room — 170 people — and a very engaged crowd.

We featured heavy-hitting speakers and topics so fresh they're still evolving: Welcome to the New World: ALTA Best Practices and CFPB. Although the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ruling was not available in time for the program, speakers had plenty of material to cover and audience members had numerous questions about the changes coming to your real estate and title practice.

ATG is proud to bring its member agents high-quality programming on important industry topics. We are grateful for your support, and very appreciative of our fine speaker panel. As always, ATG agents can take comfort in the fact that ATG is ahead of the curve in learning and implementing American Land Title Association (ALTA) Best Practices and the final rule from CFPB, but it is essential that you get on board. If you missed the Levine program, be sure to listen to our free OnDemand program: ALTA Best Practices for ATG Agents. Like the Levine program, the OnDemand session covers the basics on how to incorporate Best Practices and the new closing disclosure rules of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau into your practice. We expect the final rule from the CFPB to be available on or around November 20, 2013. Watch your email and www.atgf.com for updates. Questions? Contact us.

After their sessions, ALTA Best Practices – New Standard for the Title Industry, and The CFPB Final Rule – Helping or Hurting the Closing Process, the morning speakers engaged in a panel discussion.. At left is Jerry Gorman, President of ATG Legal Education. Jerry is the organizer of all programming for ATG's legal education arm, and a member of the ALTA Forms Committee. He has spoken on ALTA Best Practice numerous times throughout 2013. With him is ATG President Peter Birnbaum, also a frequent Best Practices speaker, who serves on the ALTA Board of Governors. Peter is the sole representative of the bar-related segment of the title industry and brings unique insight to the settlement services industry climate. Next is Frank Pellegrini, outgoing President of ALTA and President of Prairie Title Services (ATG member agent, Oak Park). At far right is John O'Brien, ATG Vice President, who discussed new forms and procedures under the presumed CFPB rule.

Our speakers from the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois answer members' questions after the program: At the podium is Scott Renfroe, Chief of Supreme Court Practice, and to his right is Gina Abbatemarco, Senior Counsel for the Administrator. Their topic was Ethical Issues for Lawyer Title Agents: Escrow Account Rules and Enforcement, Loan Modification Abuses, and More.

ATG President Peter Birnbaum introduced Ward McDonald, ATG's President during the early 1970s and 80s. Ward has since served on our Board of Directors and will be ATG's Chairman during 2014, our 50th anniversary year.

Leanne Klein and other member attorneys during the Case Law and Legislative Update Session led by Samuel Levine, Partner, Litigation and Construction Practice Groups, Arnstein & Lehr, the son of the program's namesake, and Tania Stori, ATG Senior Managing Attorney – Underwriting.

ATG Board members David Dunn (Bloomington, Ill.), David Andrews (Plymouth, Wis.), Jay Huetsch (Waterloo, Ill.) and ATG Member Bill Anaya (Chicago, Ill.).

[Last update: 11-14-13]

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