Firefly Legal

Being engaged in the industries that support civil process service is important beyond just the obvious reasons of networking and meeting with clients. When process servers participate in industry conferences and sit in on the sessions, there is an abundance of information available about the overall climate of the industry. Last week, Firefly attended two associated with our industry: The Legal League 100 Servicer Summit at the Five Star Institute’s Five Star Conference and the ALA – Chicago Chapter’s Business Partner’s Expo.

The Five Star Conference/LEGAL LEAGUE 100 Servicer Summit

Firefly Legal’s Jennifer Dlugolecki and Stephanie Irvine attended the 10th Annual Five Star Conference and Expo began on Sunday, September 8th, 2013. The Legal League 100 Servicer’s Summit also held sessions on industry topics such as the changes with the CFPB, servicing updates, case studies, and more. The conference was held at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, TX.

The conference kicked off Sunday evening with a welcome reception that took place among the hotel’s three bars: Counter Offer, Gossip Bar, and Media Bar. With a free cocktail in hand, these venues offered an excellent space to network and meet up with clients and friends.

Monday started off Legal League activities with breakfast followed by round table sessions on Case Law and the CFPB. The CFPB session was led by Adam Wilde of Codilis & Associates who started important discussions on hot topics such as the 120 day rule, as well as the 37 day rule, and the unknowns that the ambiguity of recent regulation changes brought forth. Other conversation starts included Caren Castle of  the Castle Law Group, Michelle Gilbert of the Gilbert Garcia Group, Jennifer Monty Rieker of Weltman, Weinberg, and Reis, Co. LPA. This session allowed for servicers to answer tough questions. Servicers present included Freddie Mac, Weinder Brodsky, Kider, PC, JP Morgan Chase, and Green Tree Servicing.

Following the first sessions of round table discussions, a Legal Legaue 100 Member’s Meeting commenced, where board members and chairpersons announced multiple position changes. This opened up a number of vacancies as board members will no longer also hold chair positions; the call for involvement was clear. Additionally, the recent issue with the Colorado Attorney General’s inquest into the billing practices of several law firms was briefly discussed.

The Member’s Meeting was followed by lunch, where keynote speaker David Moskowitz of Wells Fargo discussed industry changes and fielded questions from attendees regarding how to handle the CFPB. He advised that attorneys should be wary of sharing information, discuss what you can and can’t share, and keep the lines of communication open. Responsible business practices will be published by the CFPB this summer. He also advised that any issues should be brought to the CFPB before they find them and bring it to your attention. Be honest, forthright, and transparent. He acknowledged that consumer protection has become paramount for the government. Other topics covered included making disclosures understandable for consumers, the potential for mandatory consumer education, financial literacy, among many others.

ALA Chicago Business Partner Showcase

Firefly Legal exhibited at the ALA Chicago’s Educational Conference and Business Partner Expo on Friday, September 13th at the Fairmont in Chicago. The Business Partner’s Expo allows business partners the opportunity to showcase their services to administrative legal professionals. There were several educational sessions open to ALA members that related to HR, Linked In, business intelligence, and diversity in the workplace. There were over 100 professionals in attendance with a number of exhibitors. Firefly Legal also held a raffle for a $100 AmEx gift card. The winner was Diane M. Brummel, Director of Office Services, at SmithAmundsen.

Check out some of our pictures from the events!

Photos from the Five Star

Photos from the ALA