USFN Marks Fifteen Years.

Twenty years ago, foreclosure attorneys across the nation were "isolated islands" that had few opportunities to share information, according to one of the founders of a group that represents the industry.

"We were isolated by geography. We were isolated by client. We were isolated by competition," said Robbie Wilson of Wilson & Associates, which operates in Arkansas and Tennessee.

Seeking to bridge this gulf, a handful of attorneys, each lending $500 to provide the initial financing for the group, 15 years ago joined together to create USFN, formerly known as the United States Foreclosure Network. In those days, there were not set fees or official timelines for performing foreclosure-related legal work.

"Nobody shared information. It was all a big secret," Mr. Wilson, the USFN's first president, told MSN recently.

Today the organization has a multimillion-dollar budget and an executive staff at its headquarters in Tustin.

The USFN, which limits its membership to just two firms per state with a few exceptions, is a hybrid organization. It's partly a trade group, partly a referral network, partly a bar organization, and partly an educational institution, Mr. Wilson said. When the organization was started, its founders worried about getting two member firms per state. Today, membership is by invitation only. The group's 100 principal member firms represent about 2,000 attorneys. Over time, the group's mission has expanded, Mr. Wilson said. It has an extensive roster of associate members who represent the mortgage servicing industry. By bringing multiple disciplines into the USFN, its members and their clients can learn about developments in technology and trends ...