WASHINGTON, D.C., April 25, 2012— The economic downturn and the unprecedented changes confronting the real estate industry have created significant new challenges for lawyers practicing real property law and trust and estate law. The American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust & Estate Law 23^rd Annual Spring Symposia will focus on industry trends and expert guidance to help lawyers meet the challenges and opportunities of the new practice environment. The symposia will be held May 3 – 4, at the Grand Hyatt New York.

Program highlights include:

“Investing in the Global Future and Helping Foreign Investors Find Returns in U.S. Real Estate” While the domestic real estate market remains in recovery mode, it presents competitive advantages to foreign investors in price and availability. Panelists will explore various legal issues, including regulatory barriers, multi-property acquisitions, U.S. income, and estate and gift tax law issues.
May 3, 8 – 9:30 a.m.

“Challenges in Home Ownership: Is Owning a Home Still a Viable Investment?” Panelists will discuss whether home ownership should still be considered a viable investment vehicle for Americans in light of the recent financial crisis. Experts will navigate issues including, legal structures of alternative real estate models compared to traditional home ownership, trends in foreclosures and short sales, unexpected tax consequences threatening home owners and IRS liabilities.
May 3, 9:45 – 11:15 a.m.

“Understanding and Negotiating Legal Opinions for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac” Experts in real estate financing will examine the current forms of legal opinions required by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in multi-family mortgage loan transactions, including the types of loan programs for which legal opinions are required; due diligence that should be undertaken before issuing these opinions; and the status of efforts to modify the opinion forms and practice to conform more closely to modern customary opinion practice.
May 3, 3:15 – 4:45 p.m.

“Will It Be There When You Need It? Tips on Life Insurance and Long-Term Care Insurance” Panelists will address the complexities of life insurance and long-term care insurance, and will feature top ten lists of tips for understanding life insurance and long-term care insurance.
May 4, 8 – 9 a.m.

“The New CMBS: Rising from the Ruins or Descending into the Debris” Experts will discuss a current analysis of the future of commercial mortgage backed securities financing as a vehicle for investing in the future. The panel will focus on the treatment and negotiation of substantive provisions; the reaction and impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on the CMBS markets; the latest proposals and standards from the federal agencies; and the insights as to the market’s reaction to government market intervention.
May 4, 10:30 – 11:30 p.m.

“Making the Estate Plan Work Harder in the Face of Constant Change and How to Fix What is Broken” From increasing life expectancies to ever-changing tax laws, it has become a challenge to help clients face new realities in 2012 and beyond. A panel of experts will discuss how to “supercharge” estate planning techniques, maximize the effectiveness of wealth transfer strategies, take advantage of new opportunities arising under the tax laws, plan defensively in the content of divorce and potential creditor exposure, and fix “broken” trusts.
May 4, 1:30 – 2:45 p.m.

“Next Generation Loan Documents” Through lessons learned from the economic downturn, panelists will discuss how institutional real estate lenders are revising commercial real estate loan documentation practices. Non-recourse carve outs, springing guaranties, cash management practices, single purpose entity provisions, reserve agreements and other credit enhancements, will all be featured topics in this program.
May 4, 3 – 4:15 p.m.

Additional information as well as a link to the full agenda can be found online.

For media credentialing, please contact Phil Stamper at phillip.stamper@americanbar.org. There is no charge for media to attend this event.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world.  As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

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