Welcome to the Illinois Real Estate Lawyers Association.
The Illinois Real Estate Lawyers Association is comprised of
experienced attorneys dedicated to assisting individuals and
businesses in connection with real estate transactions of all
types.
Next Meeting
IRELA's next meeting will be on Wednesday, September
11, 2013.
Watch This Space for more
information.
Time: 8:00-9:30
A.M.
Place: Belvedere Events
and Banquets, 1170 W. Devon Avenue, Elk Grove Village, IL
60007
Attendance is Free for IRELA Member Attorneys in good
standing.
(One hour of MCLE Credit provided.)
The Speaker at IRELA's most recent meeting on June 12,
2013, was Cook County Recorder Karen A. Yarbrough, who spoke
on:
"A New Recorder; A New Fight Against Fraud"
Speaker: Karen A.
Yarbrough
Karen Yarbrough spoke at the June 12, 2013 meeting
regarding the goals of her office in terms of streamlining and
improving the process of recording documents and instruments, her
vision for the Recorder's Office going forward, as well as
legislative iniatives designed to combat fraud. Of particular
interest was the discussion regarding House Bill 2832
which creates a Fraud Referral and Review process for documents
appearing to fall within one of 19 suspicious categories.
Above, IRELA President Ralph J, Schumann presents her with a
Certificate of Appreciation.
Time: 8:00-9:30
A.M.
Place: Belvedere Events
and Banquets, 1170 W. Devon Avenue, Elk Grove Village, IL
60007
Attendance is Free for IRELA Member Attorneys in good
standing.
(One hour of MCLE Credit provided.)
Latest News
Illinois Supreme Court amends rules allowing limited scope
representation
In a move expected to lower attorney fee costs for clients of
limited means, Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas
L. Kilbride announced Friday that the Illinois Supreme
Court has approved a proposal designed to lessen the legal costs in
civil cases for clients of limited means.
The proposal deals with a concept known as "limited scope
representation" which more than 20 other states also permit.
Limited scope representation allows attorneys to provide paid legal
services on a portion of a client's legal matter, rather than
seeing it through from beginning to end. By providing services,
specifically limited by agreement between the lawyer and the
client, total legal fees should be more affordable for the
client.
ISBA President John E. Thies thanked Justice
Kilbride and other members of the the Court for the amendments, and
noted the Court was greatly aided by many individuals and groups
that helped in the process. "I especially want to recognize the
Lawyers Trust Fund, and the members of the Joint ISBA/CBA/IJA task
force, including my co-chairs, Diane Klotnia of
the Chicago Bar Association and Judge Ronald
Spears of the Illinois Judges Association," he said.
Thies also thanked former ISBA president and IRELA
founder and Chair, John O'Brien, who appointed the
joint task force.
For more information, click on:
ISBA Bar News Update on Rules Amendments Rgarding
Limited Scope Representation
U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew announced recently that
Treasury is extending the Making Home Affordable 
Program for another two years. The new expiration
date is now set for December 31, 2015. The program offers help to
homeowners through solutions including the Home Affordable
Modification Program (HAMP), Home
Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA), and the Second Lien Modification
Program. As of March, an estimated 1.1 million struggling
homeowners have received a permanent modification through HAMP. The move aligns with the Federal Housing
Finance Agency's (FHFA) extension for the Home Affordable Refinance
Program (HARP), which was first announced
April 11th.
Implementation of the Appraisal Management Company
Registration Act.
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional
Regulation
Newly enacted Section 1452 of Title 68 of the Illinois
Administrative Code, promulgated by the Department of Financial and
Professional Regulation (the "Department") (effective March 4,
2013), is directed towards appraisal services and specifies rules
implementing provisions of the Appraisal Management Company
Registration Act, 225 ILCS 459. 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1452. These rules
are comprised of definitions, application requirements, and
registration, renewal, and reinstatement procedures.
Fraudulent real estate transactions -- Recent Legislative
Proposal.
House Bill 2832 (Lang, D-Chicago) allows a recorder of
deeds in a county with population of more than three million to
establish and use a "Fraud Referral and Review Process" for deeds
and instruments that the recorder reasonably believes are
fraudulent, unlawfully altered, or intended to unlawfully cloud or
transfer the title of any real property.
NOTE: IRELA remains very concerned about
the underlying issues that gave rise to this proposed legislation,
and looks forward to working with the Cook County Recorder's Office
and the legislature to improve the implementation of measures
established by the bill.
IRELA position statement regarding HUD's Buyer Select
Program.
To download and review a letter from IRELA President Ralph J.
Schumann to three major title insurance companies expressing
concerns about unauthorized practice of law aspects of HUD's Buyer
Select program as implemented in Illinois since March 1st, click
on:
IRELA contributes $2,500 to Lawyers Feeding
Illinois.
Pictured below are IRELA President Ralph
Schumann and ATG Vice President and Special Counsel to the CEO
John O'Brien (who is also the Founder of
IRELA). Ralph Schumann recently presented a check for IRELA's
$2,500 contribution to the Lawyers Feeding Illinois program.
For more information, call (847) 593-5750 or (847) 273-8700.
Upcoming Events
Watch this space for more information.
Learn more »
IRELA continues to co-sponsor CLE programs with IICLE,
ISBA, ATG, and other title insurance companies and
organizations. Check back for more details on upcoming
events.
Announcements
IRELA President Ralph Schumann was interviewed
recently for a story that aired on National Public Radio's
on Property Flipping: "Flipping Houses in
a Post-Bubble World".
Schumann was quoted in an accompanying article, which can be
accessed here as a PDF document: "Flipping Houses in a Post-Bubble World."
IRELA President Ralph Schumann recently participated in the
recording of a television program for ISBA's "Illinois Law" series
on Landlord-Tenant issues. Pictured above (L to R) are
former IRELA Board Member Samuel Levine, Joel Chupack (incoming
Chair of the ISBA Real Estate Law Section Council), Ralph Schumann,
and program moderator Marty Dolan.
IRELA President Ralph Schumann attended a recent CBA Award
Luncheon at the Standard Club in Chicago. Pictured with him
above (left to right) are Bill Anaya,
Partner, Arnstein & Lehr LLP, Shay Jacobson, LifeCare
Innovations, Joel Daly, attorney and former ABC WLS-TV News Anchor,
Martha Kern, LifeCare Innovations, and Mike Rooney, Executive
Director, IICLE. Congratulations to Mike Rooney on his new
position!
Regular IRELA meetings take place at 8:00 a.m. monthly on the
second Wednesday at Belvedere Events and
Banquets facility in Elk Grove Village, IL (847.534.0600) or at
other announced locations.