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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I have not encountered this exact situation, but it is becoming more and more common for lenders and other financial institutions to request/require the borrower’s attorney
to express a formal opinion on topics such as this. They want to shift the risk of the transaction to their customer’s attorney. I suggest you resist this request. Perhaps your client should look into other lenders.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Phil Jones<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Portland<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Philip N. Jones<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Duffy Kekel LLP<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">900 S.W. Fifth Ave. Suite 2500<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Portland, OR 97204<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="mailto:pjones@duffykekel.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">pjones@duffykekel.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">(503) 226-1371 – office<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">(503) 853-1482 – cell<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">(503) 226-3574 - fax<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Candace Wilkerson<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, July 1, 2021 7:53 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Lender requesting letter from Plaintiff's attorney<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hi all,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I represent a plaintiff in a civil case (breach of contract). It’s early in the case, and we only just served the defendants. My client wants to take out a loan on his real property, and has asked me to write a letter to the lender per
the lender’s request:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“a letter of explanation explaining that the suit will not cause [the plaintiff] to pay damages and will not jeopardize the collateral that underpins the potential loan.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is no way that I could write such a letter. Although there probably will be no statutory basis for attorney fees in the case, and attorney fees were not mentioned in the contract, we don’t even know if either of the defendants will
file a counterclaim. Even though the real property isn’t the subject of the complaint, any judgment obtained by the defendants, no matter how remote, could be recorded on the plaintiff’s property.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I understand why this is being requested, but find it hard to believe that any attorney would agree to write such a letter. Has anyone been faced with such a request?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Candace Wilkerson<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>*Candace is available to respond to emails and phone calls between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. If you have an urgent matter outside that time period, please call our office at the number below.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><img border="0" width="206" height="61" style="width:2.1458in;height:.6354in" id="Picture_x0020_7" src="cid:image001.png@01D76F36.F1B46ED0"></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Top Ranked Law Firm for 2015 by Fortune Magazine and American Lawyer Media</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Candace Wilkerson<b> |</b> Senior Associate</span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:red"> </span></b><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#484848">|
</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Wong Fleming </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">10675 Willows Road NE, Suite 250
<b>| </b> Redmond, WA 98052</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#484848"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Phone: 425.869.4040 </span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#484848">|</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#484848">
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Fax: 425.869.4050 <br>
</span><a href="mailto:cwilkerson@wongfleming.com"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:blue">cwilkerson@wongfleming.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;color:black">Before proceeding, please note: If you are not a current client of Wong Fleming, please do not include any information in this e-mail that you or someone else considers
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