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Each week on The Download, Inman’s Christy Murdock takes a deeper look at the top-read stories of the week to give you what you’ll need to meet Monday head-on. This week: As the trade group’s chief legal officer exits, the National Association of Realtors prepares to evaluate its legal exposure and develop a litigation strategy. Is it too little too late?
Over the past year-plus, the only thing you could count on at the National Association of Realtors was change. Scandals, internal strife, and member criticism coming from virtually every corner put the organization, its employees, and its volunteers under the microscope.
Now, one of the most prominent members of the leadership team has left, and the outlook for a successor is murky at best.
NAR Chief Legal Officer Katie Johnson is ‘stepping down’ by Andrea V. Brambila
Just over a year after calls for her resignation came from inside the house, NAR’s Chief Legal Officer and Chief Member Experience Officer, Katie Johnson, resigned, effective Oct. 4.
Johnson departs after nearly two decades; she has headed up the organization’s legal team since 2014.
In the wake of her departure, NAR CEO Nykia Wright announced a pivot in the trade group’s legal strategy:
“The next immediate undertaking for in-house legal and outside counsel is to develop a comprehensive strategy for NAR’s approach to all existing litigation and begin an assessment of any additional risk the association has based on current policies and rules. We are hiring additional outside counsel this week to focus solely on the risk assessment. We also will determine what our internal legal structure should be to prepare NAR for the future.”
READ MORE: NAR vows to assess legal risk of current policies
There’s no doubt things are changing quickly and appear poised to continue changing in the months and years ahead. NAR’s legal woes appear to be ongoing — buyer lawsuits aren’t yet settled, and the DOJ’s industry colonoscopy is just beginning.
Fortunately, as always, we’ve got the best contributors in the business providing you with their insights, strategies and thought leadership to set you up for success. Check out even more on the settlements and suits, and take a cue from Inman experts on staying ahead of the curve both now and in the future.
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Discover five essential strategies to stay ahead as clients and the real estate market evolve. Chris Pollinger shares expert insights on how to adapt and thrive.
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Marketing strategist Molly McKinley shares how brokers, team leaders and agents all over are adapting and adjusting to the post-commission settlement changes.
EXTRA: 2 more brokerages in the $2B club reach settlement
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Compliance expert Summer Goralik tackles why the commission-splitting debate remains unresolved and whether listing agreements should still include buyer agent compensation fields.
EXTRA: Brokerages and non-Realtor MLSs settle antitrust suits for
Christy Murdock is a writer, coach and consultant and the owner of Writing Real Estate. Connect with Writing Real Estate on Instagram and subscribe to the weekly roundup, The Ketchup.
