Real Estate Law Series, Affiliated Business Arrangements

Barbara P. Burke

Barbara Burke has a bachelor's degree in psychology and music from Vanderbilt University, Master's and Doctorate degrees in Communications from Florida State University, and a law degree from Florida State University. Deciding that was enough school, she ventured out into the real world, beginning with private practice in Naples, Florida, representing condominium associations, and ending up in Orlando in the title insurance business.

Barbara spent six years in the claims department for Ticor and Chicago Title Insurance Companies, and five years underwriting and managing their Florida commercial closing department, specializing in multi-state transactions. In her position as General Counsel for Southern Title Companies, she was responsible for providing legal advice for over one hundred employees on a wide variety of issues, including contracts, leases, acquisitions, escrow procedures, unlicensed practice of law, and employment law.

Barbara Burke with friend during 2003 Rotary International Convention in Austrailia.

During that time, she became a primary resource in Florida for affiliated business arrangements, creating Affiliated Business Consultants, LLC, and authoring the premier "how-to" manual for affiliated businesses in Florida: The ABCs of Affiliated Business Arrangements.

No longer practicing law, Barbara provides personalized training to new title insurance personnel and gives seminars to real estate, legal, mortgage, and title groups. She is currently writing several Real Estate Law Series books which contain practical information about a wide range of real estate law topics, and issues The Real Estate Law Series Report, an e-newsletter for the real estate industries in Florida.

Barbara is an Adjunct Professor in Paralegal Studies at Valencia Community College, and is a member of the Florida Bar's Ethics Committee after spending six years on the Bar's Unlicensed Practice of Law Committee. In her spare time she volunteers for the Rotary Club of College Park, Florida, the Girl Scouts of Citrus Council, and the Adult Literacy League.

Ms. Burke may be reached at: bburke@realestatelawseries.com.