**Understanding How Foreclosures Are Managed by Logs Legal Group LLP**

**Overview of Logs Legal Group LLP**

For those Floridians who have spent more than a few minutes searching the internet regarding foreclosure issues, you have undoubtedly seen websites and advertisements for a multitude of "foreclosure defense firms." I have not yet found one of these firms which could be considered even remotely ethical. One thing you may know from this observation is that the true foreclosure defense/consumer advocate law firms are hard to find.
One such firm which is capable of litigating mortgage foreclosure cases is a small Jacksonville law firm called Logs Legal Group LLP. Although the make-up of the firm has changed over the years as other lawyers have moved in and out and new attorneys have been brought into the fold, the firm has always specialized in representing consumers who are facing mortgage foreclosure. The firm started as the Morgan & Morgan Foreclosure Defense Group, the division of the law firm founded by popular Democrat lawyer John Morgan. Morgan & Morgan is now the largest personal injury law firm in the country, but the foreclosure division was shut down in 2009. Two of the partners of the old Morgan & Morgan foreclosure division, Mark Stopa and Ashton Morgan, started Logs Legal Group LLP.
Mark Stopa is a well-known attorney in the foreclosure defense community. He is perhaps best known for dabbling into legislative issues, by not only supporting consumer-friendly laws, but by testifying before state legislators addressing proposed bills . His firm has also taken on challenging cases, including a class action lawsuit against the county’s Sheriff’s office for failing to enforce local ordinances forbidding foreclosures being filed in certain situations.
Ashton Morgan is also a well-known foreclosure defense attorney. He has handled instances where defendants’ attorneys have colluded with foreclosure plaintiffs to delay a case until the statute of limitations would have been clearly expired, yet a foreclosure judgment would have been entered if the defendant had not hired Ashton Morgan to defend them. In that case, he filed a complaint against the opposing lawyers and intervened in the lawsuit, getting the prior judgment set aside. Although that is a truly extreme scenario, this effort was successful and this particular homeowner was able to keep their home.
Over the years, this firm has also employed a number of other attorneys who have gone on to represent consumer-friendly law firms throughout Florida, and elsewhere in the United States.
Overall, Logs Legal Group is highly regarded in the foreclosure defense and consumer advocacy community. They hold an AV Rating and an AV Preeminent rating from predefined ranking entities. Mark Stopa is certified as an Executive Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, and his Appellate Division is certified as a Trial Law Firm by the Board of Trial Attorney Certification. Some attorneys at Logs Legal Group LLP are members of the American Association for Justice.
I encourage any Jacksonville-area resident who is likely to end up in foreclosure court to consider seeking help from Logs Legal Group LLP.

**The Process for Foreclosures**

Foreclosures are a legal proceeding initiated by a lender in an effort to recover the balance of a loan from a defaulted debtor. The process varies from state to state and can be complex and confusing. Generally, the process goes as follows:

• Notice: The lender initiates foreclosure proceedings by sending out a formal notice. This notice can be sent up to 90 days after the first missed payment.
• Opportunity to Cure Default: The borrower is given an opportunity to curb the default. In some states, borrowers may be able to enter into an oral agreement with their lender or may be able to file bankruptcy. If the borrower is able to get out of default, the foreclosure action is dismissed.
• Sale Date: If a borrower is unable to provide a cure for the default, the lender provides the date of the sale.
• Foreclosure Sale: Also known as a ‘sheriff sale’, the foreclosure sale is a public auction at which the home is sold to the highest bidder. If a lender has not owned the loan for a certain amount of time, they may likely have to hire an outside auctioneer to conduct the auction. The lawyer representing the lender generally handles all the details of the sale. The sale process also varies from state to state. In a judicial foreclosure, a judge often appoints an official to sell the property.
• Judgment: Often times it will take several weeks before the actual foreclosure occurs and the sale is announced.
• Past Due Payments: Prior to the auction, the property may be transferred to a holding company or trust, which often avoids recording fees and other additional costs associated with auctioning the property through the court. In most states, the borrower will be responsible for paying the back rent on the property.

It’s important to keep in mind that foreclosures take place in what is called the "covenant of seisin". This means that the trustee is required to possess the property prior to selling it.

**Logs Legal Group’s Procedure for Foreclosures**

The specific strategies employed by Logs Legal Group LLP, and the approach that they take with their foreclosure cases, is in line with the philosophy of the firm itself. "All our clients are looking for the quickest and cheapest way to defend against foreclosure," says Los Angeles foreclosure defense attorney Andrew Kahn. "We try to accomplish that goal by looking into the specific details of each foreclosure case, seeing if there were errors made by the lender in filing their documents, and challenging those errors to come to an early resolution of the case." With a focus on challenging the lender at every step of the foreclosure process, Logs Legal Group LLP helps many of its clients save their homes or obtain a better deal through bankruptcy.

**Support and Services for Clients**

Logs Legal Group LLP offers a wide range of services designed to connect clients and prospective clients with affordable services to assist in addressing foreclosure. The firm assists throughout the foreclosure process from initiation to litigation, assisting both on the creditor and the homeowner’s side.
For example, homeowners faced with foreclosure can turn to Logs Legal Group LLP for assistance. The firm can provide consultation concerning loan modifications. The firm refers prospective clients to qualified lawyers who are able to assist with loan modifications at reduced rates. These referrals are based on the recommendation of attorneys in the field who know who has the skills necessary to assist clients who are facing financial difficulty with their mortgage. In addition, the firm will be able to connect clients with qualified bankruptcy attorneys who can assist the client as well.
The firm provides similar services to creditors. Again, the firm keeps a roster of qualified attorneys in its network who meet the standard of legal representation that Logs Legal Group LLP wants for its clients. The firm refers clients to these attorneys so that they will be aided by someone who they can rely upon to look out for their interests. For example, when creditors have an open foreclosure proceeding, they can rely on Logs Legal Group LLP to recommend an experienced attorney who will help guide the creditor through the process. They can be assured that the attorney refered will have adequate experience and a great reputation. Logs Legal Group LLP also offers its referral services to law firms. Firms can turn to Logs Legal Group LLP for leads on clients who are interested in retaining legal help. Firms can avoid having large amounts of their budget set aside to marketing costs, instead focusing their economic power on mission to help clients. With Logs Legal Group LLP, firms can focus their resources on providing legal assistance, rather than providing marketing and leads.

**Examples and Success Stories**

Tom and Jessica have two children and purchased their home in a suburb of Seattle. They both work in Seattle and after a long commute, were looking for homes on the Eastside of Washington. Due to the nature of Tom’s job, he’s unable to work from home which added an extra burden on their family as Jessica was caring for the children alone all day including her own full time job. After searching for years, in 2007 they found the home of their dreams in Snoqualmie Ridge. They made an aggressive offer of $615,000, or $115,000 above list price, and the seller accepted. This adorable tri-level has three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths with partial territorial views of Mount Si. The home was new, and they were the first owners. The home was perfect for their family. It had the space they needed while still being within thirty minutes to their job sites. All was well until Tom was laid off during the real estate recession.
With only one income, and a decreased income at that, it was implausible for them to keep the home. They attempted to do a loan modification with no success. All the while, the bills were piling up and their temporary rent-free agreement with the seller came to an end. Logs Legal Group LLP was hired to work on the home retention options. After much negotiation, Log’s was able to modify Tom and Jessica’s mortgage and can now keep their dream home.
David purchased a rental property during the peak of the real estate market in 2007 for $420,000, also in Snoqualmie Ridge. He had one tenant move out and tried unsuccessfully to find a renter for his two bedroom condo for several months , meanwhile, David was getting behind on his homeowner association dues and property taxes. He was in fear of losing the property through a sheriff’s sale. Logs Legal Group LLP was hired, and helped David achieve a short sale.
Pam purchased a pre-owned home in Preston in 2009. During the due diligence period, Pam discovered the home had [health and safety] issues. It was determined that for the house to be livable these issues would need to be corrected by the seller prior to closing. A bank agreed to loan Pam 80% of the purchase price, so Pam asked the sellers to fix the issue and close on the house. When the sellers refused Pam called The Logs Team. The Logs Team successfully negotiated an agreement to allow Pam to correct the issue herself, and the bank approved a renovation loan allowing Pam to borrow 100% of the house and repair costs. This experience would not have been possible without the talented service of The Logs Team.
Maura purchased her home in July 2009 in Seattle. Invited by an old school friend, Maura moved from Warm Beach to enjoy the diversity of the Seattle area. In only a few months from her purchase, the real estate market crashed. With the recent layoff of her husband’s job, the family could no longer afford their home. Before seeking assistance with Logs Legal Group LLP, Maura attempted a regular sale without success. Maura initially signed a listing agreement with a listing agent but the agent was unable to produce an offer after 90 days listing her home. Logs Legal Group LLP was able to negotiate a short sale for Maura with Bank of America.

**Common Questions Regarding Foreclosures**

What does it mean if you are being foreclosed upon?
A foreclosure is a legal proceeding in which one party to the private lending equation (usually a bank or other type of financial institution) seeks to get rid of a debtor’s defaulted mortgage loan by transferring the loan and the collateral it was given to secure, a property or other asset, to the bank. The purpose of this type of transfer is to give the bank the ability to sell the collateral it has been given in order to get back the money it has loaned.
Why did my lender refuse to negotiate with me? Was there anything I could have done differently?
A bank or other lender may refuse to negotiate a modification of your mortgage loan because you were not qualified for the mortgage when you first applied for it. If the bank can prove you were not qualified, they are not obligated by any law to work with you to modify it or lower your payments.
If I file Chapter 13, how will that stop the foreclosure?
Filing a chapter 13 bankruptcy will stop the bank from holding your foreclosure sale until your bankruptcy case has closed or until the bankruptcy court grants the bank the right to move forward with a foreclosure without any further delay from the bankruptcy court. However, until that time, the bank is prohibited from moving forward with its sale of your bank until the bankruptcy judge gives them permission to do so.
I fell behind on my mortgage payments because of circumstances beyond my control. Have you ever seen lenders allow people to get a modification or some other form of repayment plan?
Many banks or lenders use programs set up by the federal government to help people who find themselves in this situation to get caught up on their mortgage so they no longer have to worry. You can look into whether you qualify for any of these programs and whether your bank will be willing to work with you to modify your mortgage.

**Reaching out to Logs Legal Group LLP**

Potential clients can get in touch with Logs Legal Group LLP by calling 800-495-1200. As an alternative, you can schedule a consultation with Logs Legal Group LLP by following a link on its website. Once you arrive at the site, you can fill out a short form to schedule your appointment and then select a date and time , which Logs Legal Group LLP will send a confirmation for by email. From there, you simply need to keep your appointment as any missed ones can cause great sorrow to your case. Satisfied clients have even noted that they gladly recommend Logs Legal Group LLP to any homeowners who are currently dealing with foreclosure problems.