Legal Descriptions: A Primer for Title Professionals 70-minute CE/CLE webinar

About this event

Dealing with legal descriptions when transferring title is one of the most basic aspects of title insurance work, and it presents implications from both underwriting and claims perspectives. Join us for this 70-minute CE/CLE webinar, where Doma Title Insurance, Inc. leaders will discuss legal descriptions from both points of view. 

This training will focus on:

• Defining legal descriptions and their minimum legal standards
• Differences in state laws across the country
• Title insurance policy coverage
• Claims and case law involving common scenarios
• Correcting legal descriptions
• Bankruptcy concerns 
• Best practices and claims prevention tips

CE / CLE*

• This webinar will offer continuing education (CE) and continuing legal education (CLE) credit to Doma agents and approved attorneys for select states. 
• CE credit applications have been submitted to: AL, D.C., DE, FL, ID, IN, LA, MD, MO, MS, NM, NJ, OH, PA, TN, TX, UT, VA, WV. 
• CLE credit applications have been submitted to: AL, CO, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KY, LA, MN, NC, NJ, OH, SC, TN, VA, WA, WV. 
  

*Please note: Receiving CE or CLE for this program is a benefit exclusive to Doma agents and approved attorneys. For more on becoming an agent or approved attorney, email join@doma.com. 

Prior to the webinar, we recommend that you download and review our CE/CLE FAQs for Live Webinars to understand your attendance and participation requirements.

Speakers

Kent Pelt – Vice President, Deputy Chief Underwriting Counsel, Doma Title Insurance, Inc.

Kent Pelt manages underwriting counsel covering the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming. He also serves as reinsurance counsel for Doma Title Insurance, Inc. territory west of the Mississippi River, working on special projects and developing educational resources for the Western region. Prior to joining Doma, Pelt served as managing attorney/of counsel for an Orange County, California real estate law firm. He previously served as vice president, title operations manager and general counsel for a national title insurance company’s Hawaii operations, as well as claims counsel for a variety of companies, including a leading national financial services company and a national title insurer. Pelt earned his Bachelor of Arts in English degree from the University of California, Irvine and Juris Doctor degree from Western State University College of Law. He is a member of the State Bar of California and the Orange County Bar Association, and serves as chair of the California Land Title Association (CLTA) Forms and Practices Committee’s Electronic Recording and Notarization, and Title Documents sections.

Stefanie Kane – Vice President, Regional Underwriting Counsel, NY and PA, Doma Title Insurance, Inc.

As Vice President, Regional Underwriting Counsel for Doma Title Insurance, Inc., Stefanie Kane provides underwriting support to Doma’s independent title agents and settlement attorneys in several Northeastern states. As a seasoned New York title attorney, she will support Doma agents in that state once a certificate of authority is obtained. Much of Stefanie’s career in title insurance has focused on resolving complex real estate title issues, including examination and interpretation of chains of title, legal descriptions and surveys; legal and mortgage document review; and industry best practices. She began her career as underwriting counsel for two New York title agencies. She then served as chief underwriting counsel and operations manager for Mortgage Connect LP, a national title company. Prior to joining Doma’s underwriting team, Stefanie served as lead underwriting counsel for Langdon Title, a national residential and commercial title company based in New York. Stefanie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology and Religious Studies from the University of Miami before earning a Juris Doctorate from Pace University School of Law in White Plains, New York. She went on to earn an LL.M. in Real Estate from Pace University. Stefanie is a member of the New York State Bar Association’s Real Property and Women in the Law sections, and an associate member of the New York State Land Title Association.

Chris McChesney – Senior Vice President, Chief Claims Counsel, Doma Title Insurance, Inc.

As chief claims counsel, Chris McChesney oversees title and escrow claims for Doma Title Insurance, Inc. Chris joined Doma in 2018 as a senior claims counsel and also served as a regional claims manager. Prior to joining the company, Chris was a claims counsel for Stewart Title Guaranty Company from 2010 to 2018. He previously worked for the federal government, including serving as a presidential management fellow for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, where he worked on the conveyance of federal real property for homeless and public health purposes and completed a rotation as a title attorney with the Land Acquisition Section and Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Chris received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida and his J.D. from the American University’s Washington College of Law. He is an active member of the American Land Title Association’s Title Counsel Committee.

David Schreiber – Senior Claims Counsel, Doma Title Insurance, Inc.

As senior claims counsel for Doma Title Insurance, Inc., David Schreiber reviews and investigates title claims, evaluates loss and coordinates litigation strategy. His career in claims spans more than two decades, and he has created more than 40 continuing education presentations for title agents, real estate agents and attorneys on various topics involving title insurance and real property law. Prior to joining NATIC, David was associate general counsel for a large, regional title and escrow company, and senior claims counsel for a top national underwriter. David earned his Juris Doctor from the University of California Hastings College of Law and is a member of the state bar associations for California, Iowa and Nebraska. He is admitted to practice in the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, the federal court for the District of Nebraska, the Southern District of California, the Central District of California, the Eastern District of California and the Northern District of California.

Moderator

Amy Tankersley – Assistant Vice President, Director of Education & Industry Relations, Doma Title Insurance, Inc.

As director of education for Doma Title Insurance, Inc., Amy Tankersley serves as editor of Doma’s publications, including Agent Connection, the Doma Academy Blog and NewsLink, and produces webinars, seminars and other instructional tools for professionals in the title insurance and settlement services marketplace. She also serves as director of industry relations, managing Doma’s AgentMarketplace vendor referral program, trade association membership and media outreach. A former journalist, Amy launched her career as a reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Ohio’s largest newspaper, at the age of 15. After graduating from Cleveland State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication, she served as the editor of several trade publications, including The Legal Description, The Title Report and Drug Discovery News. In 2015, she was named to Cleveland State University’s 50 Most Fascinating Alumni. Prior to joining Doma in 2016, Amy worked as a freelance journalist and multimedia service provider, primarily for the real estate, mortgage, title insurance, settlement services and financial services industries. Much of Amy’s writing has focused on legal, legislative, regulatory and compliance matters at local, state and federal levels. Amy is a member of the American Land Title Association’s Government Affairs and Education committees and several state land title associations.

Additional Information

SEMINAR CONTACT

• Should you have any questions about this webinar, please contact our Education Department at education@doma.com.