Before his death on March 1, 2017, Mr. Adleson was a real estate attorney since 1976 and was a licensed California real estate broker. He was the senior shareholder in the law firm of Adleson, Hess & Kelly, a P.C. He graduated with a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from University of Santa Clara School of Law, 1976. Mr. Adleson was, and the firm is, rated “AV® Preeminent™” (the highest rating available for both legal ability and ethics) by Martindale-Hubbell, Inc., the oldest and most respected attorney information publication in the country. He was listed in Northern California “Super Lawyer®” magazine in the area of real estate, a designation conferred upon him by San Francisco magazine and by nomination of his peers.

Mr. Adleson was corporate counsel for both the California Mortgage Association (“CMA”) and for the United Trustee’s Association (“UTA”; a multi-state association for the default services industry). Mr. Adleson was a past President and Legislative Chairman for UTA’s predecessor, the California Trustees Association (“CTA”) and was formerly a director of UTA. Mr. Adleson represented numerous lenders, trustees, purchasers, sellers, title companies and others in trials, arbitrations, DRE licensee administrative hearings, appeals, amicus curiae briefs, class actions, unfair business practices actions and in many other areas involving real estate, lending and foreclosure. Mr. Adleson was a past instructor of real estate and foreclosure classes at De Anza Community College and San Jose State University and taught numerous DRE and CLE approved continuing education classes throughout the world. He also presented legal update programs for CMA, UTA, the National Business Institute, and bar associations and was a speaker for CMBA, REOMAC, as well as for numerous other groups. Mr. Adleson was a former attorney for the California Court of Appeal and presented testimony before the judiciary committees of both the California Assembly and California Senate, in addition to drafting proposed legislation that ultimately become law in California. He was frequently called upon to testify as an expert witness throughout California.