DSNews delivers stories, ideas, links, companies, people, events, and videos impacting the mortgage default servicing industry.
Issue link: http://digital.dsnews.com/i/1322815
71 Follow Us At: @DSNewsDaily LEISHA DELGADO Hello Solutions, Founder and CEO, Default Servicing As the Founder and CEO of a woman- and minority-owned small business and a survivor of stage-3 breast cancer, Leisha Delgado understands what it takes to overcome long odds and succeed. "In today's market, it doesn't make financial sense for smaller law firms to employ an experienced, full-time salesperson," Delgado said. "I created Hello Solutions to give those firms a viable option to get more business without having to dedicate senior partners to sales. „ose partners can instead focus on providing the personalized attention their clients have come to expect." During her time in the industry, Delgado has become very familiar with the industry's ongoing volatility. "Regulations and laws seem to change almost daily—at the federal, state, and even local levels. „e firms I work with are all big enough to handle any default servicing needs a client might have, but are small enough to remain nimble and have a senior partner personally involved with the client's business." Delgado believes that the key to helping servicers and investors effectively and efficiently manage their default servicing challenges lies in the partnerships that she helps build between the clients, the attorney firms, and her own organization, as well as the process enhancements and innovations those partnerships often deliver. "Our collective success comes down to meeting the needs of the servicer," Delgado said. "My objective is to make sure everyone's interests are aligned so that we can all continue to move forward together." NUMBER OF YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY: 10 Leisha Delgado Founder and CEO, Default Servicing // Hello Solutions As the Founder and CEO of a woman- and minority-owned small business and a survivor of stage-3 breast cancer, Leisha Delgado understands what it takes to overcome long odds and succeed. "In today's market, it doesn't make financial sense for many law firms to employ an experienced, full-time salesperson," Delgado said. "I created Hello Solutions to give those firms a viable option to get more business without having to dedicate senior partners to sales. ose partners can instead focus on providing the personalized attention their clients have come to expect." During her time in the industry, Delgado has become very familiar with the industry's ongoing volatility. "Regulations and laws seem to change almost daily—at the federal, state, and even local levels. e firms we work with are all big enough to handle any default servicing needs a client might have, but are small enough to remain nimble and have a senior partner personally involved with the client's business." Delgado believes that the key to helping servicers and investors effectively and efficiently manage their default servicing challenges lies in the partnerships that she helps build between the clients, the attorney firms, and her own organization, as well as the process enhancements and innovations those partnerships often deliver. "Our collective success comes down to meeting the needs of the servicer," Delgado said. "My objective is to make sure everyone's interests are aligned so that we can all continue to move forward together." Keri P. Ebeck Partner // Bankruptcy, Bernstein-Burkley, P.C. Keri Ebeck knew in middle school that she wanted to be an attorney. Perhaps it was growing up watching Perry Mason and Law & Order, she says. After being the first in her family to graduate from college, then law school, and then practicing law for 17 years, she sees things a little differently. "Now, I watch those legal shows and realize that legal tv is nothing like the real practice of law." While proud of her many accomplishments, Ebeck says a career highlight occurred when she left her comfort zone and changed firms. "I made that decision to better myself as a person, as a lawyer, and as a leader," she said. "Being a part of a great firm is essential to loving what you do. I consider myself very lucky to have joined Bernstein-Burkley, P.C.; the firm has truly enriched my career and practice." In addition to Ebeck's love of the law, her company's excellent representation of its clients really drives her. As a result of COVID-19, she says, many legal challenges await the mortgage industry in 2021. Surrounded by strong partners and staff, she believes she is in a good position to help clients. "Once the moratoriums are lifted, the volume of default and bankruptcies will drastically increase and the mortgage professionals (being the servicers or their counsels) will need to deal with the volumes, litigation, and the courts. It will certainly be trying times, but I have no doubt that parties have learned greatly from events in 2008 and will persevere." Michelle Garcia Gilbert Managing Partner // Gilbert Garcia Group, P.A./Sapphire Title & Escrow Company Michelle Garcia Gilbert was first drawn to the practice of law in order to help people, and that this remains a strong appeal for her, "especially in our other practice areas of guardianship and probate." She explained, "We handle guardian advocacy cases, which allows developmentally disabled adults to have guardians once they turn 18." Having practiced for 34 years now, she noted that "Female attorneys tend to be in the minority in a room of fellow attorneys," explaining that this can often limit mentorship opportunities for women in the financial services law sector. Gilbert said that she tries to offset the gender imbalance "by not being intimidated and by proactively reaching out to male colleagues for assistance." After more than three decades spent in service of the law, Gilbert said that becoming the owner of her own firm more than a decade ago remains one of her proudest career ac- complishments. Looking to the year ahead, Gilbert noted that the industry will continue to operate in the shadow of COVID-19 and its consequences. "Tech-savvy attorneys—which default attorneys are—can utilize processes and automation not only to handle default legal services but also to manage forbearance alternatives, and asset management services to help lenders and servicers, like another outsource vendor." While this year had presented numerous challenges, Gilbert told DS News that her commitment to proactively improving her firm, including purchasing the building from which they operate in 2015, has proven invaluable. "We have commercial tenants and an additional revenue stream," she said. "[ese efforts] helped the firm to weather the ups and downs of default servicing legal work."