NAME: Michelle Mierzwa
TITLE:
Corporate Counsel
COMPANY:
Cal-Western Reconveyance Corporation
INCUMBENT:
No
UTA MEMBER SINCE:
2009
MEMBERSHIP CATEGORY:
Regular
UTA COMMITTEES SERVED or POSITIONS HELD, or
UTA VOLUNTEER
:
I have been on the Legislative Committee of the UTA for 2010 and 2011, working substantively with our members, lobbyists and legislators to improve Alaska HB108, Washington SB1362, Nevada AB284/273, and California SB4, in addition to monitoring and analyzing various other Bills in the ten states of AZ, AK, CA, HI, ID, NV, OR, TX, UT, and WA.

I attended 2011 UTA Lobby Day to educate our Senators and Assemblymembers on our industry's views of various pending Bills.  I was a speaker at the San Diego UTA Legislative Update Dinner in June 2011, providing updates on Nevada, Hawaii and Washington legislation. I also participated as a speaker on the Trends in Litigation Panel at the 2010 UTA Conference.  Finally, at the 2011 UTA Conference, I am scheduled to speak on two panels: Trends in Litigation and Legislative Update: CA & NV.

BIOGRAPHY:
Michelle currently serves on the Legislation Committees for the CMBA and UTA and has been actively involved in the tracking, analysis and amendment of proposed legislation affecting the default services industry in the ten states in which Cal-Western operates (AZ, AK, CA, HI, ID, NV, OR, TX, UT, WA). In 2010, Michelle was awarded the Suzanne Kelly New Member of the Year and she participated on the Trends in Litigation Panel at the 2010 Annual Conference.

In 2009, Michelle Mierzwa was hired to create the Legal Department for Cal-Western Reconveyance Corporation, a Prommis Solutions company. As one of the largest non-judicial foreclosure trustees in the Western United States, Cal-Western provides foreclosure and related services in Arizona, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington. Recently, the default servicing and foreclosure industry has experienced its highest level of scrutiny. As a result, Mierzwa has been responsible for not only the company's compliance with substantially enhanced state and federal laws, but the management and resolution of hundreds of lawsuits. As Corporate Counsel, Mierzwa also communicates and collaborates with operations and legal departments of clients, including most of the largest mortgage lenders, servicers and investors in the nation.

In 2010, Mierzwa was appointed to the Legislation Committees of the California Mortgage Bankers Association and the United Trustees Association. In this capacity, Mierzwa monitored, proposed and analyzed new legislation affecting the industry, meeting and negotiating with state and federal legislators to amend or defeat many bills. Mierzwa participated on speaking panels for national default industry conferences, including the American Legal and Financial Network Foreclosure Mediation Panel, the Mortgage Bankers Association Servicing Conference Default Super Session, and the United Trustees Association Annual Conference Trends in Litigation Panel.

In recognition of her efforts, Mierzwa was awarded the 2010 New Member of the Year Award by the United Trustee's Association at its annual convention.

Prior to joining Cal-Western, Mierzwa was a litigation and appellate attorney for ten years at a San Diego firm specializing in the representation of residential finance lenders, servicers, investors and trustees. During this practice, Mierzwa successfully defended a number of appeals, including an Arizona pro hac vice matter, resulting in the reported case of Kelly v. NationsBanc Mortgage Corporation (2001) 199 Ariz. 284.

Although the majority of her work involves matters outside San Diego County, Mierzwa maintains her connection with the local legal community through membership in the Real Property Section of the San Diego County Bar Association. Mierzwa was previously a member of the California Western School of Law Alumni Board of Directors and the Board of Directors for the Lawyers Club of San Diego, also serving as the Golf Tournament Chair for many years. Mierzwa remains an active member of the East County section of Lawyers Club, serving as Treasurer and past President.

Mierzwa was born and raised in San Diego and resides in Mission Hills with her husband and two children.

WHY I WOULD LIKE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS and/or MY VISION FOR UTA: 

As counsel for a multi-state nonjudicial foreclosure trustee, it is imperative that I monitor, analyze and seek to mold the issues that affect our industry, not only for the benefit of Cal-Western, but for all trustees and our lender/servicer clients. Since joining the organization I have advanced a cooperative and collaborative spirit in my dealing with all UTA Members. As a Board Member, I will continue to work with others for the protection and improvement of our industry.