Company: Adleson, Hess & Kelly
Incumbent: No
UTA Member Since: I’ve been a regular member since 1983
UTA Committees Served or Positions Held, or UTA Volunteer: Two term President; Director; Legislative Committee since 1983 severing a number of times as the Legislative Committee Chair; and member of the Legal Resources Committee since its formation. See below for more.
Biography: I have been a California attorney since 1976. My practice emphasizes lending, foreclosure, mortgage lending, and real estate transactions. Adleson, Hess and Kelly P.C. has represented trustees, lenders, mortgage brokers and investors for 40 years. I have served as an expert witness and consultant in foreclosures, mortgage broker, loan servicing and lending cases in courts throughout the United States. I have served as UTA’s Corporate Counsel for approximately 24 years.
As President of CTA (UTA’s predecessor), I pushed to hire a legislative advocate (lobbyist) and to establish the “CTA PAC” (UTA’s California Political Action Committee). I have participated in almost many of the events impacting the default services industry since 1983. If you have attended my legal updates program or Cal. certifications classes; you know how the efforts of UTA (and its legislative advocates -- Cal-Advocates) has led to many legislative changes beneficial to the industry and how, in tough times, these efforts help minimize the impact of legislation that is harmful to the industry. My goal has always been to have an economical and relatively fast nonjudicial foreclosure system that is fair to the borrower, lender, and trustee.
The following are a representative sampling of seminars and programs I have authored/coauthored,* presented or taught: Authored and taught Cal. Certification Courses (I and 2); coauthored Foreclosure 101; Speaker at annual conferences on legal updates, legislative updates and various other subjects since 1983; Authored articles for the UTA Quarterly; for the California Mortgage Association’s (CMA) Points of Interest; in CLTA’s newsletter, and for Servicing Management and for numerous other industry publications.
* Some materials mentioned may have been coauthored by others or updated after I drafted the original versions.
Since 1983, I have participated in one way or another in almost every California Bill and in a number of bills in other states involving nonjudicial foreclosures or related issues. My firm has been specially retained by UTA (and other trade associations) to represent it in many amicus curiae briefs, starting with the 1985 landmark Supreme Court case of I.E. Associates v. Safeco through Banc of America Leasing v. 3 Arch Trustee Services, Inc. I represented UTA in suing the City of Richmond, causing the City to repeal its ordinance requiring that additional notices of default be served on all residential tenants.
My firm and I are frequent financial contributors to UTA, to CTA PAC, to amicus briefs and to special legal projects.
Why I would like to be a member of the Board of Directors and/or my vision for UTA: As many of you know, I have been very involved with the UTA since its inception and with the prior association, CTA, since its inception. I am very involved with the legislative committee, the amicus committee, the writing and the giving of numerous types of seminars and the legal representation of UTA. Our industry has been through the good times and has survived the tough times. I have a great deal of experience and knowledge to contribute to UTA. UTA has never needed strong, experienced leadership more than it does today. I would appreciate your support, confidence and vote so I can continue to serve UTA