CHICAGO–(CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM)–Hank Shulruff, real estate attorney and senior vice president with Attorneys’
Title Guaranty Fund, Inc. (ATG), the only bar-related title
insurance company based in Illinois, was recently named the recipient of
the Illinois
State Bar Association (ISBA) 2010 Presidential Commendation.
John O’Brien, president of the ISBA, presented Shulruff with the
Presidential Commendation at the ATG Board of Directors dinner in St.
Louis, Mo. on Tuesday evening, June 22.
Nearly two years ago, Shulruff began forging pro-bono partnerships
between ATG and Neighborhood
Housing Services of Chicago (NHS), the City
of Chicago, various bar associations, community foundations and
others. The group’s mission has been to help homeowners at-risk of
foreclosure understand their options, avoid foreclosure, and apply for
loan modifications under the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP).
Event sponsors have co-organized a series of “Fix
Your Mortgage” events in the city of Chicago (two in 2009 and six in
2010), and “Keep
Your Home” foreclosure-prevention events in the Chicago suburbs (one
in 2009 and three in 2010).
At these events, homeowners at-risk of foreclosure apply for loan
modifications with help from volunteer real estate attorneys and
HUD-certified counselors.
Shulruff and ATG also co-sponsored similar events in Peoria, Ill. and in
Madison, Wisc. in 2009.
While presenting Shulruff with the award, O’Brien recalled the words of
Professor John Wigmore, former Dean of Northwestern Law School, who, in
commenting on lawyers’ service to those in need, said that all lawyers
should go forth and do likewise.
“The tireless and meaningful work Hank and the volunteer attorneys under
Hank’s direction have provided through these unique partnerships is a
shining example of how legal professionals can be part of the solution,”
O’Brien stated.
“Presenting Hank with this important acknowledgement of his tireless
efforts to help at-risk homeowners avoid foreclosure was one of my last
acts as president of the ISBA,” concluded O’Brien, who finished his
one-year term on June 25, 2010.
According to O’Brien, since 2008 the number of people who qualify for
civil legal aid (based on income) increased 21 percent. At the same
time, the State of Illinois slashed its budget for funding civil legal
services by 50 percent, down to $1,750,000.
O’Brien stated that Illinois lawyers provided 2.2 million hours of
pro-bono work and donated $14 million in 2009. Their combined
contributions equal nearly a half billion dollars of donated time (based
on an average billing rate of $225 per hour).
“We’re extremely proud of the free legal advice and support Hank and the
hundreds of other volunteer real estate attorneys continue to provide to
at-risk homeowners,” said Peter Birnbaum, president of ATG. “Hank has
helped to mobilize, recruit, train and volunteer hundreds of real estate
attorneys to help at-risk homeowners.”
Three additional Fix Your Mortgage and two additional Keep Your home
events are planned for the remainder of 2010. Co-sponsoring partners for
the Fix Your Mortgage events include Neighborhood
Housing Services of Chicago (NHS) and the City
of Chicago. ATG and NHS are among the primary co-sponsors for the
Keep Your Home suburban events.
The Illinois
Real Estate Lawyers Association (IRELA), South
Suburban Bar Association, and Lake
County Bar Association have also played an integral role in the Keep
Your Home events.
Through ATG’s extensive lawyer network, Shulruff and ATG have recruited
and helped to train more than 500 volunteer attorneys to assist at-risk
homeowners at these events.
Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund, Inc.
Through its nearly 4,000 member attorneys across Illinois, Wisconsin and
Indiana, Attorneys’ Title Guaranty has presided over more than 2.5
million home closings and provided homebuyers with competitively priced
title insurance since 1964. The only bar-related title insurance company
based in Illinois, ATG has built a significant market share by providing
excellent service at competitive prices. It has a financial stability
rating of “A Prime Unsurpassed” from the independent ratings bureau,
Demotech.
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