Agenda / Content Covered

1. Advanced Purchase Contract Negotiation: Maximizing Protections and Avoiding Legal Limbo
   9:00 - 10:00, Peter S. Friedman and Leona Mogavero
   1. Restrictive Covenants
   2. Loan Assumption Clauses
   3. Financing Contingencies
   4. Repair Requirements
   5. Condition of Title
   6. Contract Deadlines
   7. Inspection Contingencies
   8. Environmental Issues
   9. Walking Away From the Deal: When is it the Best Option?
2. Navigating Title Insurance Policy and Endorsement Issues
   10:15 - 11:15, Neil M. Hilkert
   1. Exception Issues: How to Analyze, Investigate and Resolve
   2. Legal Description Problems: Do They Close?
   3. Environmental Matters: What is Actually Covered?
   4. Title Insurance and Prior Foreclosures
   5. Lack of Probate and How to Deal With it
   6. Waterfront Property Title Issues
   7. Subsequent Events That Void Coverage: Engaging in Proactive Preparation
3. Keeping Up With TRID Issues: Ensuring They Don't Hinder Real Estate Transactions
   11:15 - 12:15, Neil M Hilkert
4. Problems at Closing: Moving Past Difficulties and Sidestepping Malpractice Claims
   1:15 - 2:15, Neil A. Stein
   1. Closing Instruction Issues, Including Changes
   2. Fund Disbursement Issues
   3. Closing Document Clerical Errors With Lasting Consequence
   4. Fee Calculation Mistakes
   5. Hazard Insurance, Homeowner's Insurance etc.: Potential Issues
   6. Loan Payoffs - Equity Line of Credit Issues and More
   7. Handling Special Grantor and Grantee Closing Situations
      1. Powers of Attorney
      2. Trustees
      3. Personal Representatives
      4. LLCs and Corporations
5. Zoning, Subdivisions and Easements: Resolving Issues That Affect Transactions
   2:15 - 3:15, James S. Ettelson
   1. Intended Property Uses: Proving They Don't Conflict With Zoning Laws
   2. Non-Conforming Use Permit, Conditional Use Permit or Variance: When and How to Obtain
   3. Easement, Encroachments and Surveys: Spotting the Obvious and Not-so-Obvious
   4. Landlocked Properties: Getting Clients the Access They Need
   5. Overcoming Subdivision Issues: Planned Communities, Condos, Multi-Family Dwellings and More
6. Ethical Considerations
   3:30 - 4:30, Harper J. Dimmerman
   1. Attorney's Fees
   2. Conflicts of Interest
   3. Disclosure of Defects

HARPER J. DIMMERMAN, Attorney at Law, is a solo practitioner who concentrates on Philadelphia litigation and real estate matters. He is also an adjunct professor at Temple University’s Fox School of Business (undergraduate), a contributor to The Legal Intelligencer and a published novelist.

JAMES S. ETTELSON is senior counsel with the law firm of Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld LLC, where he practices in the areas of real estate, land use and zoning, and commercial financing. Mr. Ettelson has represented a number of major commercial and residential developers, and has been involved in a diverse range of real estate litigation. He is a frequent lecturer on topics related to zoning and land use law, real estate transactions, and condominium/planned community law; and is an adjunct professor at St. Joseph's University. Mr. Ettelson is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania; and before the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit; and the U.S. Supreme Court. He earned his B.S. degree from Pennsylvania State University and his J.D. degree from Temple University. Mr. Ettelson is a member of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and American bar associations. He has also served more than four years as a member of his township's planning commission, and was elected to three full terms as a Lower Merion Township commissioner and subsequently served as board president.

PETER S. FRIEDMAN is a founding shareholder of the law firm Friedman Schuman, P.C. Mr. Friedman concentrates his practice on real estate law, and land use and zoning, as well as corporate and business law. In more than 30 years of practice, he has represented a wide variety of clients, including real estate developers, landlords, national retailers, governmental departments and religious institutions in connection with a variety of real estate transactions and commercial development projects. Mr. Friedman also has significant expertise in the area of retail leasing, including the acquisition, sale, and leasing of retail and mixed-use properties. In this arena, he represented landlords in the negotiation of leases and of operation and easement agreements with some of the nation's largest "big box" retailers such as Lowes, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, Sports Authority and Old Navy. Mr. Friedman also is very experienced in handling matters before zoning hearing boards, as well as securing municipal permits and approvals for a wide variety of development projects, including land development and subdivision approvals. In the corporate and business law practice, he counsels individuals and corporations in connection with a wide variety of business contracts. Currently, Mr. Friedman serves as solicitor to the Montgomery Department of Housing and Community Development and the Montgomery County Development Corporation. He has previously lectured for National Business Institute and has co-chaired a CLE course conducted by the Montgomery County Bar Association titled "Retail Leasing - From Mom and Pop to Big Box." He also has chaired breakfast roundtable discussions at several ICSC Law Conferences.

NEIL M. HILKERT is of counsel to Reidenbach & Associates, LLC, where his practice focuses primarily on real estate and general business related transactions and litigation. Much of his real estate practice deals with the general operation of homeowner and condominium associations. Mr. Hilkert's practice includes developer and contractor litigation, property and casualty insurance requirements, enforcement of rules and controls, and drafting and amending documents and transition from declarant. He has more than 25 years of professional experience in law, business operations, management consulting and education. Mr. Hilkert is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the state of New Jersey, and is a licensed real estate agent in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He has been a real estate investor; has taught continuing education real estate courses; has served on boards of homeowners associations; and has represented individual homeowners, builders, realtors, and municipalities as part of his practice. Mr. Hilkert was an associate professor at Delaware Valley College, where he taught in both the business administration and criminal justice departments. He is a member of the Community Associations Institute's Pennsylvania and Delaware Valley chapters, the Delaware County Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors, and the National Association of Realtors. Mr. Hilkert earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Bloomsburg University, and his J.D. degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

LEONA MOGAVERO is a principal at Friedman Schuman, P.C., where she concentrates her practice in the area of creditors' rights and bankruptcy. Ms. Mogavero has experience representing financial institutions and other lenders in negotiation and documentation of commercial loan workouts and restructures. She also has experience in real estate transactional matters. Ms. Mogavero has supervised and instructed associate attorneys and paralegal assistants in the handling of commercial and residential mortgage foreclosures, and is a frequent speaker at seminars for financial professionals and attorneys regarding loan workouts, collections, and bankruptcy. She is admitted to practice in the state of Pennsylvania, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Ms. Mogavero is a member of the Pennsylvania and Philadelphia bar associations. She earned her B.A. degree, maxima cum laude, from LaSalle College and her J.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

NEIL A. STEIN is an attorney and principal at Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein PC, located in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. He has represented landowners, developers, institutions and non-profit groups for over 30 years in each and every phase of real estate law, including complex transactions, entity structuring, financing, land use approvals, land use litigation, eminent domain and real estate tax appeals. Mr. Stein is currently an adjunct professor of real estate law at the Temple University Beasley School of Law and lectures frequently to professional organizations. He also serves on the Legal Action Committee of the National Association of Home Builders and is the chair of the Political Action Committee and a director of the Homebuilders Association of Bucks/Montgomery counties. In 2015, Mr. Stein was inducted into the HBA “Hall of Fame." He has also served as a director and member of the Judiciary Committee of the Montgomery Bar Association. Mr. Stein has been designated as a Super Lawyer by Philadelphia Magazine in multiple years, as well as being recognized as among the Best Lawyers in America. He graduated, magna cum laude, from Temple University with a bachelor's of business degree in accounting and economics and is a cum laude graduate of the Temple University Beasley School of Law and holds a Masters of Law (LLM) in taxation. Mr. Stein also served as research editor of the Temple Environmental Law Journal.