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Log In / Register | Mar 15, 2010

NEFA Appoints New Officers

Mr. Blue MauMau's picture

New Executive Director and President Are Known to the Community

Editor's note: A hearty congratulations to Mr. Jim Coen and Steve Dubin, friends and columnists of Blue MauMau on their new responsibilities.

NORWELL, Mass. (Blue MauMau) - The New England Franchise Association (NEFA) announced on Monday that Mr. Steve Dubin has been elected President. Mr. Dubin sent out a memo on Monday to NEFA members informing them of organizational changes, including the appointment of long-time Board Member, Mr. Jim Coen, as Executive Director.

"Jim will provide administrative functions and run the day to day activities for NEFA allowing the Board to focus on meeting planning and organization." "During this upcoming term, the Board and the Executive Director will further review and refine management of the organization and institute appropriate changes that will allow NEFA to flourish in a very positive way."

Suzanne Cummings has been elected clerk. Other board members are Andrew Palmer, Barbara Arena, Julian Angelone and Nancy Connelly.

Mr. Dubin is also president of PR Works, a public relations and advertising firm with strong ties to the franchise community. PR Works recently has stepped in to lead Blue MauMau, Inc. in its public relations efforts.

NEFA, a non-profit organization, was founded over 15 years ago to bring together franchisors, franchisees and vendors. In regards to that mission, Mr. Dubin states, "We will continue our focus on providing attendees with quality meetings that spotlight, in a continually changing world, best practices for franchising in New England."

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MA Attorney Continues Case Against Andrew Palmer and others by Guest

From the news: 

Bankruptcy Court Approves Settlement Between Attorney General’s Office and Ten Mortgage Lenders and Servicers Involved in Foreclosure Rescue Transactions

The Attorney General’s case will continue in Suffolk Superior Court against Sohmer, as well as Andrew Palmer, the closing attorney who conducted the transactions; Shaun Ellis, an attorney who referred distressed homeowners to Sohmer in exchange for a fee; and Carteret Mortgage, a mortgage broker who arranged financing for many of the deals.

According to the complaint, Sohmer preyed on homeowners facing foreclosure by promising them they could avoid foreclosure with refinancing through Timeless Funding. Instead, Sohmer allegedly deceived the homeowners into conveying their property to himself or to his wife. The complaint alleges that Sohmer concealed his fraud by deceiving the homeowners into signing documents purporting to allow them to stay in their homes by making monthly payments to Sohmer. . . 

Stop Crying Victim by Guest

I think it is time you stop crying victim. You were fully aware of what you signed. Your house was about to be foreclosed on. The only mistake Palmer and Sohmer made was helping desperate people. It is time to move on and get yourself a job!

Good luck!

in reply to stop crying victim by Guest

you are a self righteous and ignorant jerk. NO! The only mistake that Palmer and Sohmer made was NOT helping desperate people... it was in falsifying HUD documents, leading them to beleive that Cataret Mortgage Brokers as well as a nonexistent Timeless Funding Broker, were refinancing their homes...while not only lying to the homeowners, but intentionally falsifying the loan work Sohmer presented to the banks while Palmer saw over the banks end of the transactions, hiding the criminal transactions, and helping themselves to the cream off the top, being the equity in these homeowners home. No one was aware of the crime they were committing against them. MY house was not about to be foreclosed on at all, and the other invisible Atttorney responsible in part for this crime was Shaun Ellis, who was paid to represent the folks he sold out to Sohmer, while allegedly overseeing these refis with the other attorneys. I hope all of you pompous asses rot in hell.

Response from Palmer? by Ray Borradale

Given his association with people of good reputation would it be too much to ask for Mr Palmer to respond.

The Board of Bar Overseers voted to accept the stipulation and to recommend to the Court that the respondent be suspended for a term of twenty-one months. On June 29, 2009, the Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk County so ordered.

Does this mean he received a 21 month suspension for his part in turning homeowners into renters?

Perhaps there is good reason Mr Palmer does not respond?

Australian Franchise Opportunities, a common sense approach to franchising
Andrew P. Palmer's Law License Suspended by Guest

If those people are just crying victim, how do you explain the following?

http://www.mass.gov/obcbbo/bd09-051.htm

IN RE: ANDREW P. PALMER

S.J.C. Order of Term Suspension entered by Justice Gants on June 29, 2009, with an effective date of July 28, 2009.(1)

SUMMARY(2) The respondent was admitted to practice on December 18, 1985. He last engaged in the practice of law in or about March 16, 2009, when he went on retirement status.

The respondent acted as settlement agent for twenty-five residential real estate closing transactions and represented the lender. The respondent prepared a HUD-1 settlement statement for each closing and caused it to be signed by each seller and each buyer. After each closing, the respondent forwarded the executed statement to his lender client. The respondent prepared the statement for each transaction knowing that each statement did not accurately describe the true financial aspects of the transaction, the amounts paid by each buyer and to each seller at the closing, and the allocation of various costs between buyer and seller.

The respondent never affirmatively disclosed to any lender client the existence of the actual financial terms between buyer and seller, and he never ascertained whether any of his lender clients was aware of the true nature of any of the transactions.

The respondent further knew that contemporaneously with or shortly after each closing the buyer would transfer title to the property to a nominee trust and knew that, under the terms of the mortgage, lender approval was required for such a transfer. The respondent did not disclose to any lender client that such a transfer would be or was made and did not forward to any lender a copy of the deed into the trust.

The respondent’s conduct in knowingly preparing and causing the execution of false and misleading HUD-1 settlement statements was in violation of Mass. R. Prof. C. 4.1(a), 4.1(b), 8.4(c) and (h).

The respondent’s failure to diligently represent his lender clients, his failure to make full disclosure of the details of the true nature of the transactions to his lender clients, and his providing his clients with false and misleading HUD-1 settlement statements were in violation of Mass. R. Prof. C. 1.2(a), 1.2(d), 1.3, 1.4, 8.4(c) and 8.4(h).

On February 2, 2009, bar counsel filed a petition for discipline against the respondent. On May 26, 2009, the respondent filed an amended answer and stipulation of the parties. On June 8, 2009, the Board of Bar Overseers voted to accept the stipulation and to recommend to the Court that the respondent be suspended for a term of twenty-one months. On June 29, 2009, the Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk County so ordered.

FOOTNOTES: 1 The complete Order of the Court is available by contacting the Clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk County. 2 Compiled by the Board of Bar Overseers based on the record filed with the Supreme Judicial Court.

palmer - sohmer by Guest
what about the elderly victim who's estate was bilked for over $70,000 yes that's right. How do they still have a right to practice??
Hoodwinked - Alledged Victim of Mortgage Fraud re Andrew Palmer by Guest
From http://community.myfoxboston.com/blogs/togatug Hoodwinked; the anatomy of a mortgage fraud It was bad enough that 23 families were hoodwinked by attorney Alec Sohmer, his partner, Andrew Palmer and most brought TO these two by their own bankruptcy attorney, Shaun Ellis. Personal financial fiascos, follwoing 9/11 led most of these good folks to bankruptcy court, where they prayed and fought to hold on to their homes. They were told by the attorney they paid to represent them, there was still hope, there existed a colleague who would be willing to help them in this matter once they filed, another attorney, also a mortgage broker for a mortgage company, Timeless Funding. And so it began. Twenty three famililes were led into the slaughter of the American Dream while Shaun Ellis led them to the wolves, Alec Sohmer executed the deal and Andrew Palmer, Sohmer's partner in Norwell office, was the closing attorney, executing the loans for much higher then the number the victims were ever told, executing the loans with two HUD statements. And as closing attorney it was easy for Palmer to do this without another set of eyes to see his crime. But he could not have succeeeded in this deed without the cooperation of the lenders themselves. The closing funds for the original financial institutions holding the deeds was NOT wire transferred to them, as in most closings, but unknown to the families involved, it was wire transferred to ANDREW PALMER HIMSELF! In the Norwell office. And then HE distributed the checks for payoff amounts, keeping all excess in that office to be divided as he pleased with Alec Sohmer, at the cost of the unknowing homeowners. Now enter the Attorney General's office. Under the umbrella of Tom Reilley the office operated with a strong arm to protect us, investigating the crime, stopping any further foreclosure actions on our homes and exposing Sohmer for what he is...in which incidence he filed bankruptcy against all the homes he stole, throwing us into the abyss of the bankruptcy courts, our lives on hold for the past two years. But during this interim the tone has changed, as did the person at the helm of the attorney genreal's office. Our case had gone on long enough, we needed to settle with the lenders and be on our way and although they were partners in the crime, unknowingly or not, they were certainly liable for the underwriters who did not catch the problem in writing the loans, or most definitely not with Andrew Palmer, who they retained to close the loans. They are responsible for allowing these large wire transfers to go to a private party, closing attorney or not, instead of the payoff going directly to the originating financial institution. They had a role. But under the cloak of Martha Coakley, although she had made a public statement herself, that none of this could have taken place without the willing cooperation of the lenders, the people representing her office now sat on the same side of the table as the lenders themselves, urging the homewoners repeatedly to accept new settlements on loans that were inflated by Sohmer, no longer worth their original value in the current market, and referring to the victms as "renters" and "tenants" , asking us to agree to NOT sue Sohmer's estate, NOT sue the lenders who partook in the theft of the deeds of our homes, sign away rights to money that clearly had been heavily skimmed off the mortgages written up by Palmer and Sohmer. Over and over extensions were filed by the opposing side, month into month into two years time, wearing thin on the homeowners nerves and spirits and families and finances. We had to obtain legal representation to protect our rights. Our properties were no longer worth what they were 2 years ago. So it was ordered in court, by the ruling bankruptcy judge, that upon the suggestion of the lenders, they would have our homes now appraised again in this current market, and take 20% off that for fair market value. Now they have offered a "settlement", if you will. Our houses back at 20% off the current market value BUT we cannot get the money that was skimmed off the top in the original loans with Palmer and Sohmer. They tell us it doesnt exist, that the numbers were over inflated for the sake of a loan approval ratio with the lenders by Sohmer. And yet repeatedly I have asked for proof of these numbers, show me the wire transfer copy of the sum of the loan on my home sent from the current bank to Palmer for payoff. No matter how much I ask, no one complies, they are not ordered to comply. I am to take another lawyer's word for it. You tell me, after all this, how can I? And why should I? And now, the lenders, who were party to the theft of the deeds of our homes, once more, knowingly or not, are being allowed to determine the next few weeks, whetherTHEY will allow US to assume the mortgages at the 20% discounted rate. THEY have the rigtht to determine whether we are eligible or not, to keep our homes. And there are those among us who do not have the finances, and after a two year batle, will lose their homes for sure. And that extra money skimmed off the top of equity, that everyone says oh, no does not truly exist but they never prove the point? Well, we have to sign away any rights to that money...period. We will not receive it. But we have to sign away that right. To the money that does not exist. So you tell me, where is the justice? And if you wonder, why don't these folks just go elsewhere for financing? Please remember that the majority of us came into this mess straight out of bankruptcy. That the victims of 9/11 was more then the honorable deceased in NYC that day. It stretched into the arms of industries that withered and died because of that catastrophe and we are part of that. So with no place else to go for financing, after what has already taken place as a crime against us, we are still on the edge, holding our breath, just wanting to go home again. And that truly is all we all want...to be HOME again. I used to believe in the justice system. I used to believe that there was right and wrong and in court all wrongs would be righted and the just would win. But I don't beleive that way anymore. I know there are a lot of good folks out there who have been, and will be "hoodwinked" and that the wheels of justice will not only NOT turn in their favor, they will run right over them.
No name to this smear by Guest
kiss my ass, coward! GOD BLESS AMERICA ANDREW P. PALMER, ESQUIRE