Melanie has over 15 years of experience in the mortgage lending industry. She provides strategic legal advice to mortgage technology providers, mortgage originators, mortgage brokers, and others in the mortgage industry, arming them with the legal parameters necessary to successfully deliver their products and services and/or providing legal advice with respect to their operational matters and goals. Her mission with every client regardless of the project or legal issue(s) is “to assist in achieving the client’s business objectives through practical, legal advice and risk mitigation strategies.”
Having served as in-house counsel, including as chief legal officer, to one of the nation’s premier document preparation and automated compliance companies in the mortgage industry, Melanie’s experience not only includes delivering general counsel services, but spans Federal and state regulatory compliance matters, including TILA, RESPA, FCRA, and ECOA; mortgage document and auditing compliance; data security and privacy; the ESIGN Act and UETA with respect to eServices; contracts drafting and negotiation; facilitating the resolution of HR-related issues; counseling on marketing matters; and successfully negotiating, resolving and settling disputes with the goal of averting litigation.
Representative Matters
• Conducted survey of Federal and state disclosures and other documents legally required during loan origination process for various loan types (e.g., conventional, FHA)
• Reviewed warehouse lending agreements
• Researched and advised on unauthorized practice of law issues
• Conducted state surveys on various regulatory compliance topics, including tax default state notification and Spanish language requirements
• Researched and advised client on Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and other investor-specific requirements with respect to mortgage origination
• Drafted and negotiated software end-user license agreements and Software-as-a-Service agreements, reseller arrangements, integration agreements, partnership agreements and confidentiality agreements for client's products and services and vendor services
• Prepared employment and independent contractor agreements
• Advised client on legal and compliance issues related to company’s eServices, including its eSign and eVault products
• Collaborated with software developers and other technology teams to implement significant Federal and state disclosures
Experience
• Private practice providing regulatory compliance services on state-specific mortgage and consumer lending laws and regulations as well as general counsel services to various lenders and mortgage technology providers
• DocMagic, Inc., Chief Legal Officer
• DocMagic, Inc., Assistant General Counsel
