« March 07, 2009 | Main | March 11, 2009 »
March 09, 2009
Gen-Y Rerun: WAC? and Charon QC talk frankly in July of 2008.
What? You're kidding. Lawyers are not special? Hear the "pre-Recession" July 8, 2008 Charon QC interview, "Podcast 66: Dan Hull, US Attorney, author of WAC?, on client service and other matters". Their February 13, 2009 follow-up discussion is here.
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)
RESPA: “It’s my closing--and I’ll close how I want to.”
Hopkins v. Horizon Management (U.S. 4th Cir. December 3, 2008). In the five states subsumed by the U.S. Fourth Circuit--Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the Carolinas--a bank can exercise control over the sale of its properties by having the same title company perform all of the bank's real estate closings without violating Section 9 of federal Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, 12 U.S.C. 2608, 2601-2617. A contract for sale that forces a buyer to use a particular title company is enforceable so long as the bank foots the bill for the owner’s title insurance. Although Hopkins is an unpublished opinion, this interpretation of RESPA's Section 9 will likely stick for these five states; it can also be expected to be followed in other states and circuits.
Note: Arlington, Virginia-based Robert E. Bodine recently became of counsel to Hull McGuire.
Posted by at 11:13 PM | Comments (0)
Blog post title of the month--so far.
And legislation of the year--hands down. It's "Drop the Barbie and Step Away" at Scott Greenfield's Simple Justice. It concerns:
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §47-25-1, relating to banning the sale of “Barbie” dolls and other dolls that influence girls to be beautiful.
WAC? has taken a stand against the pain inflicted by Barbie dolls in America, too--especially in several Midwestern towns we frequent, where men and women alike are getting big enough to have their own zip codes. There's no point in rubbing it in.
We suggest "old" Barbie: a lot more PC. And what about an "ample" Barbie? Hey, it could happen.
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 05:40 AM | Comments (1)
Clients and Customers: After they've seen Paris.
In the words of the old song, "How ya' gonna keep 'em down on the farm, after they've see Paree?" How do you satisfy them with Paris--once they've see Paris? How do you satisfy a client with "great", once you've already delivered it?
You must get better to avoid falling behind.
--Harry Beckwith, The Invisible Touch (Warner Books 2000)
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)