Overview:
Purchasing a home is one of the most stressful, infrequent, and confusing financial transactions your clients will ever face. Yet in the midst of divorce, relocation, a death in the family, or financial restructuring, many consumers approach the mortgage process with a dangerous assumption: “The experts will take care of it.” Unfortunately, this mindset often leaves borrowers vulnerable in an industry where the loan officer’s incentives are not always aligned with the client’s best interests.
This CLE is designed for lawyers whose clients are navigating real estate or mortgage issues in the middle of life’s most challenging moments. Whether you practice in real estate, bankruptcy, family law, wills and trusts, guardianship, employment, or related fields, you will leave with clear, client-ready tools to help consumers protect themselves.
Drawing on more than a decade of first-hand experience in mortgage compliance-training loan officers, conducting investigations, and drafting policies-I will provide a rare “behind the scenes” perspective on how lenders operate. You will see the red flags I’ve observed in practice, the leverage points lenders care about most, and the concrete steps clients can take to level the playing field.
The course will focus on three key consumer protections every client should understand:
UDAAP (Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Acts or Practices) – How to spot and respond when loan officers or lenders cross the line.
Data Security - Why personal and financial information is at risk during the mortgage process and how clients can safeguard it.
Mortgage Fraud - How to protect clients not just from bad actors, but from themselves-since loan files are reviewed multiple times in the secondary market, even innocent mistakes can have lasting consequences.
In addition, we will walk through how clients can evaluate their loan officer (NMLS records, licensing checks, online reviews, and warning signs) and how to communicate effectively and escalate complaints when problems arise. From contacting a company’s compliance department to filing with the CFPB, state regulators, Attorneys General, or the BBB, clients will learn they have meaningful options for raising concerns and pushing for fair treatment.
The goal is not to turn your clients into mortgage experts-it’s to equip them with a straightforward, protective framework they can actually use in practice. With this knowledge, you can help clients avoid preventable mistakes, strengthen their bargaining position, and gain confidence in what is often the most consequential financial decision of their lives.
By the end of the program, you will have practical examples, resources, and strategies you can immediately integrate into your own practice-giving your clients both peace of mind and real-world protection in the mortgage process.
Course Objective:
By the end of this 60-minute CLE, you will be able to:
Target Audience:
Lawyers who work with clients in and around real estate and mortgages. This includes family law, bankruptcy, wills and trusts, consumer protections, employment (relocations), and of course real estate and in-house mortgage professionals.
Basic Knowledge:
No previous knowledge of the mortgage or real estate industry required.