Richard Melamed has lived in Houston, Texas all his life, and has practiced real estate and business law there for 30 years. He began his professional career in the 1970’s as a title examiner and associate lawyer with a midsize law firm.

In the 1980’s he became counsel to a major title insurance company, and afterward, he managed a boutique real estate law firm handling real estate and business transactions and litigation in those areas.

In 1997, his law firm merged with a huge law firm, and Rick went out on his own. He opened a title company closing office, and went to work exclusively representing one of his larger mortgage company clients. He has spent the last five years documenting and closing thousands of conventional residential mortgages, hundreds of multimillion-dollar commercial land developments, and numerous unique and interesting business transactions, contracts and enterprises.

In 2002, Rick reopened his practice to new clients, specializing in helping parties to real estate and business transactions. His credentials and honors include:

• A-V rated by Martindale Hubbell (their highest rating for competence and ethics)
• Board Certified in Residential, Commercial, Farm and Ranch Real Estate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (there is no State certification for Business Law)

• Admitted to Practice: U. S. District Court, Southern District of Texas; U. S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U. S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; U. S. Court of Customs and Patent Appeals; U. S. Supreme Court; U. S. Tax Court; all state Courts of Texas.

• Member: American Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; Houston Bar Association; Texas Land Title Association; Texas Association of Business Brokers; State Bar of Texas/Texas Real Estate Commission- Broker Lawyer Committee 1995-2007

• Listed: Who’s Who in American Law 1987-2001, Kensington’s Who’s Who 2002, The Best Lawyers in America 2001-2002, and one of the top Houston Lawyers in Inside Houston Magazine, March 2001 and March 2002, Bar Registry of Pre-eminent Lawyers for 2003.
  

• Education: University of Texas, (B.A., Government/ History, 1975); South Texas College of Law (J.D., 1978).
  

Presentations and Publications:

• State Bar of Texas - Advanced Real Estate Course: Brokerage: Business Brokers vs. Licensed Real Estate Brokers –1994; Sale of Single Family Residence-1996; Practical Approach to AIA Forms-1997; New AIA Forms- 1998, Boot Camp-Practice Skills Course- 2002.

• State Bar of Texas- Advanced Real Estate Drafting Course: Course Director and Moderator- 1995; Drafting Financing Documents to Cover Personal Property in Real Estate Transactions- 1996; Sale of Single Family Residence- 1997; A Practical Approach to Representing Sellers and Buyers in Ordinary Real Estate Transactions-1998; Overview of Real Estate Statutes Not in the Property Code- 1999

• State Bar of Texas- Practice Skills Course- Course Facilitator 1997, 1998; Easements and Boundaries- Agricultural Law Seminar- Lubbock, Texas 1999

• University of Texas- Mortgage Lending Institute: Mechanic's Lien Update, "The Artisan Belabors His Due-1995; Retainage: The 10% Solution- 1996.

• University of Houston CLE- Title Insurance Update- 1995- 1999; Documenting Commercial Loans- 1996-2002.

• St. Mary’s School of Law/Texas Land Title Institute: Leasehold Endorsements- 1995; Common Law Liens- 1996; Title Through Probate-1998; New TREC Contracts- 2001.

• South Texas College of Law/ Advanced Real Estate Course: Dealing With Real Estate Professionals as Plaintiffs, Defendants and Witnesses- 1996; New TREC Contracts- 1997; Course Director- 2000. New TREC Contracts- 2002

• Boards of Realtors: Antitrust Seminar and Training Videotape- Houston Board of Realtors- 1995; Deed Demons/Death and Divorce- San Antonio BOR- 1999; Real Estate Transactions/ Contract to Closing- Houston Association of Realtors- 2000.

• Professional Education Seminars: Texas Boundary Law and Water Rights- 1991-1995; Rights of Adjoining Boundary Owners- 1995-1997; Conveyancing in Texas- 1998.

• Houston Chapter of the Society of CPAs: Basic Legal Considerations in Small Business Acquisitions- 1996-2000.

• International Business Brokers Association/ Texas Association of Business Brokers- Certified Instructor- Law Course 103A- Legal Considerations in Business Transfers.

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Practice History:

1978-1980: Associate- Evans & Birnberg Associate attorney with small business and litigation law firm; received training in contract drafting, negotiations and client representation in general law practice

1980-1983: Counsel- Stewart Title Company In house legal counsel; duties involved troubleshooting with title examiners and closers to resolve problems and insure production levels were maintained

1983-1985: Commercial Closer and Attorney- Commerce Title Company
Responsible for management of staff, marketing, business development, and closing of commercial transactions

1986-1997: Partner- Jacobus & Melamed, P.C. Managing partner of small boutique transactional and litigation law firm; responsible for supervision of 8 attorneys, 10 support staff, day to day administration of running a law business including vendor contracts, facilities management, hiring and firing of personnel; law practice included emphasis on business set-ups and transfers of ongoing businesses.

1998-2001: Richard Melamed, Attorney Real estate and corporate counsel to a $300 million private mortgage and investment firm; represented the Lender in over 80 transactions totaling over $175 million in commercial development loans; documented and coordinated closings of over 1000 conforming and nonconforming residential transactions; owned and operated a small title company.

2002 to Present: I have been in Private Practice specializing in representation of residential and commercial property buyers, sellers and borrowers. Representation of numerous investors, private mortgage lenders and landlords. Representation of parties in real estate litigation. I am a Certified Mediator concentrating on real estate disputes.

REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST