PANDIFFERENT, the Padgett Web Summit, was recognized today as part of the 2021 Apex Communications Awards. PANDIFFERENT won an Award of Excellence for COVID-19 Media in the Education & Training Category. The Apex Awards is an annual competition held by Communications Concepts, which has been conducting the Awards for 33 years. 

PANDIFFERENT, launched in October 2020, is an online education event for clients and employees of Padgett Law Group (PLG). The format, unique to virtual summits in the industry, includes ten pre-recorded sessions featuring a mix of PLG leaders, clients, and industry guests, followed by a closing super session with select panelists from the day’s recordings rejoining for a live closing. Over 500 mortgage servicing professionals registered for and participated in PANDIFFERENT 2020. Topics covered major foreclosure, bankruptcy, and litigation trends and other topics important to PLG, including diversity, inclusion, and equity. Leaders from across the industry joined various panels, including senior executives from U.S. Bank, Community Loan Servicing, a360inc, Five Star Global, American Legal & Financial Network, and more.  

“2020 required us to do everything differently and that included reimagining how we trained our staff clients, which traditionally was onsite and in small groups. The PANDIFFERENT concept allowed us to reach a much larger audience, cover more timely topics, and deliver an innovative product to PLG clients that no other firm in our industry can offer,” said Chief Development Officer Robyn Padgett.  

PANDIFFERENT: The Padgett Web Summit returns October 1, 2021 and registration opens Thursday, July 15 at PadgettLawGroup.com. Registration is complimentary for employees of lenders, mortgage servicers, credit unions, banks, hedge funds, investors, other financial institutions, government agencies, and local, state, and federal housing authorities. All others may request an invitation by contacting [email protected]. ​

[October 7, 2020 | Dallas, TX] Today Padgett Law Group (PLG) announced the promotion of Kris Zilberstein, Esq. to the role of Supervising Attorney of Bankruptcy Operations. Previously, Kris served the firm as a Senior Bankruptcy Attorney. She joined PLG in 2020 and has practiced in the creditors rights' space since 2009. 
 
In her new role, Kris leads PLG's docket related matters (“DRM”) in bankruptcy, also known as the practice's national unit, which include PLG’s National Attorney Network, Special Projects, and business purpose loans. In addition, Kris continues her California & Chapter 11 practice.

"Kris proved to be an immediate asset to PLG with her many years of focused, specialized bankruptcy experience from Chapter 11 work to complex litigation and managing multi-jurisdictional work. As our national practice continues to grow, Kris was clearly the right fit to help the firm manage that growing piece of our business," said Managing Attorney of Bankruptcy Keena Newmark, Esq. ​

"I am thrilled to step into this new role with PLG. My diverse experience in all facets of bankruptcy has prepared me for a national operational and legal oversight role. I am excited to start this next chapter of my career with PLG," said Kris. 
 
Kris is based out of the firm's Dallas, TX office. Kris is license in Texas, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, and Washington. She can be reached at [email protected]. ​

[ OCTOBER 6, 2020 | ATLANTA, GA ] Padgett Law Group (PLG), is pleased to announce that Managing Attorney of Foreclosure, Marissa Yaker, Esq., has been recognized by Five Star Global as the 2020 Rising Business Leader award recipient as part of the annual Women in Housing Awards. 

Yaker was featured last month in the September issue of The M Report along with all 25 other finalists. Other award categories include the Cultural Leader Award, Community Leadership Award, Diversity & Inclusion, and the Laurie A. Maggiano Legacy Award. With open nominations, each category is narrowed to just five finalists each year in a peer review conducted by Five Star Global’s editorial group and then a final winner is revealed for each category. 

Yaker said, "This award is an affirmation that our industry recognizes, encourages, and supports women who have a drive, passion, and desire to question and improve this industry. We each have a voice, but collectively our voice is louder and stronger. I feel grateful to work in an industry that supports one another and helps strengthen professionals such as myself." Her full feature can be read online at TheMReport.com. ​

The firm was previously recognized in the same category when Keena Newmark, Esq., the firm’s Managing Attorney of Bankruptcy was a top-five finalist, making the 2020 nomination the firm’s second consecutive year in the awards’ top five nominees. In 2019, Newmark was the only non-servicing professional recognized in the category. The same year, The M Report recognized PLG as a Top 25 Place to Work in the default services industry.

Yaker joined PLG in 2017 and has practiced in the residential mortgage default space since 2013. She is licensed to practice in the state Florida. In her role as Managing Attorney of Foreclosure, Yaker oversees foreclosure processing and operations across seven physical locations within the firm’s footprint which includes Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, and Ohio.

Today, Marissa M. Yaker, Esq., an attorney with Padgett Law Group's Florida practice, was appointed to a three-year term on the Florida Bar’s Grievance Committee (Committee "C") of the  Fifteenth Judicial Circuit. Her appointment will begin on January 1, 2019 and concludes on December 31, 2021. 

In Florida, Grievance committees are made up of volunteer members, at least one-third of whom are not lawyers. Each of Florida’s 20 judicial circuits has at least one such committee. The grievance committee reviews complaints with much the same purpose as a grand jury. That is, the committee decides, after a case is submitted to them by bar counsel, whether there is probable cause to believe a lawyer violated the professional conduct rules imposed by the Supreme Court of Florida and whether discipline against the lawyer appears to be warranted.

"I am thrilled to be appointed to the committee. I am always eager to share my time and insight and I'm looking forward to working with this diverse group of attorneys and other committee members as we work together to ensure that our professional conduct rules are upheld," said Yaker. 

Marissa's practice is primarily focused on creditors rights' and foreclosure. She is licensed in the state of Florida and is based out of the firm's Ft. Lauderdale, FL office. She can be reached here. 

Effective immediately, PLG's Texas operations and the firm's bankruptcy operations will be led by Keena Newmark, Esq., who has joined the firm as Managing Attorney of Bankruptcy Operations. The new Dallas office is also home to additional attorney hires Julian Cotton, Esq. and Mary Vitarkas, Esq. Over the coming weeks, additional Texas staff hires will be announced. Also effective immediately is the promotion of Evan S. Singer, Esq. to Managing Attorney of Default Services, a newly created firm-wide role. Evan remains based out of the firm’s Atlanta, GA office and will work closely with Keena across the firm's practices, operations, client relations, and business development efforts. ​