BOA's Foreclosure Two-Step
Bank of America has twice switched its position on foreclosures. On October 8 BOA announced that it was suspending foreclosures nationwide due to concerns of improper documents and questionable foreclosure practices.
Then, on October 18, after a ten day internal review and confident with its foreclosure procedures, BOA announced that it would resume foreclosures in states that require a court to foreclose a mortgage, including Florida. "The basis for our foreclosure decisions is accurate," Dan Frahm, a Bank of America spokesman, said.
Now on October 25, BOA announced that it has found problems with some of the reviewed foreclosure files. BOA acknowledged some mistakes in foreclosure files as it begins to resubmit documents in 102,000 cases, the Wall Street Journal said.
The bank found errors in 10 to 25 out of the first several hundred foreclosure it examined starting last Monday. The problems included improper paperwork, lack of signatures and missing files, as well as cases in which information about the property and payment history being unmatched.
Consumers, attorneys and government officials have called for lenders to permit government regulators to confirm that the foreclosure procedures and documents relied upon are true and accurate after deposition testimony and accounts of bank representatives blindly signing thousands of documents without verifying them and utilizing law firms and vendors that offered to "re-create lost documents." ___________________________ |
|
Credit Scores & Employment
A recent bill in Congress is directed at limiting the use of credit reports in the hiring process. Almost half of employers say they include consumer credit checks in some of their pre-employment investigations.
A bill in the U.S. House would amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to ban the use of credit checks on prospective and current employees for employment purposes, with some notable exceptions.
The Equal Employment for All Act would prohibit such use of credit information except for jobs that require national security or Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. clearance, for state or local government agencies that require the use of consumer reports, or for supervisory or professional positions at financial institutions.
The Fair Credit act already requires employers to inform applicants if a credit-related issue caused them to be rejected from consideration.
Illinois, Oregon, Hawaii and Washington have passed laws to prevent employers from using credit checks as a filter in hiring decisions.
_______________________________ |
Tech Corner
Kevin Baker, JDL Technology Services, Inc. 
JDL Connects Your IPad & IPhone To Your Firm Network
Accessing your law firm network remotely no longer requires you to use a home computer or portable laptop. Thanks the LogMeIn's new IPad/IPhone App, LogMeIn Ignition�, the power of mobile remote access is now available on your IPad or IPhone or BOTH. The best part about it is that there is no monthly contract or access fee. LogMeIn access to one computer is FREE.
At JDL, we have recently deployed this simple remote access solution to several Tampa area attorneys and the response has been promising. Instant access to your files, trial materials and email are only some of the advantages of LogMeIn Ignition�. As part of the power behind LogMeIn, you now have the flexibility to copy/paste from one desktop to the next and print remotely.
For more information on how JDL can connect you to your office, please contact or email Kevin Baker or Jason Long:
Direct: 727-564-2735
Toll Free: 866-374-5873
___________________________________ |
| G&A Fall Happy Hour
Thanks to all our clients, colleagues and friends of the firm that attended our Fall Happy Hour and Open House on October 20. A great time was had by all and we enjoyed catching up with everyone.
__________________________________
|
|
At the Movies
By: Alison Parker
Welcome Back, Potter! Harry Potter returns to cinemas November 19th. This installment covers the first half of 2007 bestseller, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. The book covers so much ground that the filmmakers elected to divide the book into two movies. The second will come out next July.
You can expect acting heavyweights Jason Isaacs, Alan Rickman, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon and Maggie Smith to return, but this film will also include Rhys Ifans and Bill Nighy. I used to joke that Bill Nighy must feel sad as the only British actor to never have a Harry Potter role, but I see the fine people at Warner Bros. have rectified that problem.
The HP triumvirate is back and better than ever. Having worked on the Hogwarts set for the last decade, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have become bona fide stars. The trio has restored many critical cinema connoisseurs' faith in child actors. Years on the set together has apparently and permanently sealed their bond on and off screen. It's visible even in the film's trailer.
This film will be markedly different from the others in the series as the trifecta spends much of the storyline hunting for Horcruxes while Ginny and Neville constantly thwart evil at Hogwarts. Watching an increasing amount of malevolence seep into the Muggle world will no doubt be a delight.
The franchise is safe with Part I & II director Michael Yates, who also directed the fifth and sixth films. I have no doubt this film will live up to the hype and literally years of heightened expectation. However, I am a little worried, as the late-night shows jokes go, that Britain will experience a second recession now that half its acting force is job hunting.
________________________________ |
|
Breast Cancer 3 Day
You might have noticed a lot of pink around the bay area over the last weekend.
For the fifth consecutive year the Komen for the Cure 3 Day took place in Pinellas County. Over 1800 walkers trekked 60 miles in three days to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research and treatment.
The event was a success and raised over $4,000,000, the majory of which will remain in the Tampa Bay area.
_________________________ |
|
|
|
|
|
The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience. This email is designed for general information only. The information presented at this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
G&A News & Notes
*Charles Gallagher was recently quoted in a story about the foreclosre crisis in the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
*G&A Client Ranae Dugan and Charles Gallagher were featured in a recent story on Bank of Americia's stay of foreclosures on Fox 13.
*Alison Parker was recogonized by Community Law Program for her pro bono legal services to the Tampa Bay Community at the recent Community Law Program Awards Banquet.
*G&A Client Tanya Runfola and Charles Gallagher were featured in a recent story on foreclosure mediation and the stays by many lenders on News Channel 8. News Channel 8
* Charles Gallagher was quoted in a story on the foreclosure stays in St. Petersburg Times. St. Pete Times
*G&A is proud to serve as a sponsor for the City of St. Petersburg's Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Fourm in November in conjunction with the St. Petersburg Bar. Charles Gallagher will also speak on the issue of foreclosures at the forum. Forum Website___________________ |
Aspirin Reduces Colon Cancer
A new study suggests that taking a low dose of aspirin may modestly reduce the risk of developing colon cancer or dying of the disease. Previous studies have found a daily dose of at least 500 milligrams of aspirin could prevent colon cancer, but the adverse effects of such a high dose outweighed the benefits. Now, researchers say a low dose, equivalent to a baby or regular aspirin, also appears to work.
Researchers found those who took a low dose daily for about six years reduced their colon cancer risk by 24 percent and their risk of dying from the disease by 35 percent. Some researchers said the drug would benefit certain people, though no one should start taking aspirin daily without consulting their doctor.
If taken in high doses over a long period, aspirin can irritate the stomach, intestines and bowel, causing lesions and major bleeding.
Scientists think aspirin works by stopping production of a certain enzyme linked to cancers including those of the breast, stomach, esophagus and colon.
Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in developed countries, and there are about 1 million new cases and 600,000 deaths worldwide every year. The average person has about a 5 percent chance of developing the disease in their lifetime.
___________________________ |
|
Election Season
The general election is right around the corner and we want to encourage everyone to get out and vote. G&A supports the following candidates and would urge to consider voting for them.  ___________________  ___________________ ___________________ |
Wells Fargo Foreclosures
After stating that they were confident with their procedures and documents, Wells Fargo has now admitted they made mistakes in the paperwork for thousands of foreclosure cases. They announced plans to refile documents in 55,000 of the cases by mid-November. Wells Fargo described the mistakes as technical and said it has no plans to halt the foreclosure process, though filing new paperwork will cause some delays. "We don't believe that there are instances in which the foreclosures would not have occurred otherwise," said Teri Schrettenbrunner, a Wells Fargo spokeswoman. The documents are being refiled in states where a judge's approval is needed to complete a foreclosure. However, Wells Fargo declined to suspend foreclosures because of flawed paperwork. Depositions of two Wells Fargo employees have called the company's foreclosure practices into question. A Wells employee said in a deposition taken last March that she signed between 300 and 500 foreclosure documents per day. In another deposition taken in May, another Wells employee said he verified only the dates on up to 150 foreclosure documents he signed daily and relied on co-workers to ensure that other information was correct. _____________________ |
 |  |  |
|
G&A Email Directory
Erika Mariz Joseph F. Milligan Jason A. Cox |
|
|
About Our Firm
Gallagher & Associates Law Firm, P.A. is a boutique consumer law firm in offering concierge legal services to individuals, consumers and small businesses where clients have 24/7 access to their attorney.
Our practice areas include foreclosure defense, insurance litigation, real estate litigation and business law and consumer litigation.
|
|
