CALIFORNIA ESCROW LICENSING AND REGULATORY ATTORNEY.

California DBO is now the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)

The California Escrow Law protects members of the public who entrust their money or other assets to independent escrow agents in California. Escrow agents, joint control agents and Internet escrow agents are subject to the provisions of the Escrow Law.

The DFPI licenses and regulates escrow agents, joint control agents and Internet escrow agents in California.  One of the exemptions from DFPI’s escrow licensing is any real estate broker licensed by the Real Estate Commissioner (DRE) while performing acts in the course of or incidental to a real estate transaction in which the broker is an agent or a party to the transaction and in which the broker is performing an act for which a real estate license is required.

We represent California escrow companies or escrow divisions of DRE licensed companies in transactional and regulatory matters before the DFPI, DRE, and CFPB.

  • Corporation formation
  • Mergers and acquisitions transactions and related regulatory matters concerning  California escrow companies
  • Securities law issues in connection with California escrow companies raising capital from investors.
  • Licensing of DFPI independent escrow companies
  • Licensing of DRE escrow divisions.
  • Change of ownership consent to allow the transfer of stock in a California independent escrow company
  • Defense of California escrow companies in enforcement actions before the DFPI, Office of Administrative Hearings, DRE, and CFPB.
  • Defense of California escrow companies from alleged RESPA or TILA violations.
  • Defense of California escrow companies from alleged violations of CFPB regulations.
  • Advising California escrow companies on California and federal regulatory matters.
  • Drafting of escrow instructions and other documents for California escrow companies in compliance with regulatory requirements.
  • We do not represent consumers of escrow services.  We only represent escrow companies or BRE licensed companies with escrow divisions.