Are you ready for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month?

Get important info about Legal education cybersecurity awareness, Chuck Kovaleski, Real Estate Paralegal Training, Title Now and more!

Dear Members,

This will be my one and only blog installment for September, so it is a little longer than normal. Much of my focus right now is on the elections and getting the Remote Online Notarization bill through the 2019 legislature. I am also working on the team engaged in finalizing strategic priorities for 2019 (and beyond). This is an interesting process and involves some great discussions about what Members want and need.

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and The Fund’s Legal Education Department is doing its part to raise awareness by airing three live webinars focused on cyber security and related concerns. On Oct. 9, The Fund will present Stopping Cyber Fraud, an exploration of fraudulent social engineering schemes and strategies to deter them. Then, on Oct. 23, RynohLive, a leader in escrow account management and transaction monitoring services, will address technological solutions to cyber threats in Escrow and Cyber Security: Protecting You and Your Clients. Finally, on Oct. 30, an insurance specialist will present What Every Real Estate Attorney Needs to Know About Cyber Risk Insurance. Visit thefund.com/education where you can register for all these webinars.

Chuck Kovaleski update. I have some great news. Chuck Kovaleski has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Old Republic International, the parent company of Old Republic National Title Insurance Company. Many, many of you know Chuck - he was President of The Fund from 1985 through 2009. He has stayed involved in The Fund from the beginning of our partnership with Old Republic and we could not have a better representative of our industry and our company on the ORI Board. Congratulations and thanks to Chuck! 

Paralegal Program Update. We have some news to report about the Real Estate Paralegal Certification Program offered through Seminole State College. The first group started classes in August and the response has been phenomenal. In fact, there has been so much interest Seminole State is offering the opportunity for new students to begin the program in January 2019. So, if you have been thinking about attending, or know someone who is, registration begins on October 25. For more information about the program click here. Also, if you or someone in your office is currently enrolled, we want to know what you think. Please send me your feedback (good or not so good)!

Title Now Podcast. I am re-energized to create some good content for our podcast, Title Now! The newest episode focuses on our Commercial Services Department. Upcoming episodes will include a conversation about how you can improve relationships with your local real estate association and then, OF COURSE, an update on eClosings. If you have not yet subscribed, all you have to do is go to where you get your other Podcasts, search for Title Now and click on "subscribe." How can you resist????

Last thing is ALTA related. ALTA is collecting information from the field to prepare a report for CFPB focused on TRID. The theme is "TRID - a 5 year look back."  So……. send me your thoughts about what you think we should still continue to push CFPB to change. For example, should we continue to push for a change in the way title insurance is disclosed or have we all adapted to this and we need to move on? It is my opinion that we should still push to change it so that title agents are disclosing the premiums consistent with the contract and state law. Just because we have figured out how to make the CD work doesn't mean that consumers are also clear on what it all means! So, send me your suggestions and I will pass them along.

Have a good week and let me know how we can help you. 

Melissa Jay Murphy
Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer,
General Counsel and Secretary

09/28/2018 08:00 AM