Lecturer Bios
Jason Gafner, Esq.
Jason Ganfer co-chairs the Title Litigation Practice and is Counsel in the Real Estate Transactions and Cooperatives and Condominiums Practices.
A Reliable Ally in Both Deals and Disputes.
Mr. Ganfer has extensive experience with title insurance coverage disputes and claims resolution. Prior to joining the firm, he was counsel at a national title insurance company handling major claims seeking indemnification for potential losses totaling more than $100,000,000. These matters involve everything from recording issues and boundary disputes to foreign transactions and complex fraudulent schemes. Applying his first-hand industry knowledge, Mr. Ganfer offers clients insightful counsel and unique approaches.
In his transactional work, Mr. Ganfer represents individuals and companies in buying, selling, and leasing residential and commercial property. He prepares offering plans for cooperatives and condominiums and facilitates the sale of groups of units or unsold shares. On behalf of developers, Mr. Ganfer facilitates the acquisition and financing of blocks of cooperative and condominium units.
Margaret T. Ling, Esq.
Margaret T. Ling has been a real estate attorney since 1986. Her real estate experience commenced with a private real estate practice for almost a decade. Prior to practicing as a real estate attorney, Ms. Ling was a Law Clerk for Chief Judge Constance Baker Motley of the United States District Court –Southern District of New York. Following her clerkship, she focused on the area of immigration law before transitioning into real estate law.
Currently, Ms. Ling is the Senior Underwriting Counsel at MacGregor Abstract with offices in Long Island. For the past twenty years, she has been in-house counsel in the title insurance industry working in First Nationwide Title Insurance Company, Skyline TRG Title Agency, Summit Associates LLC, Liberty Title Agency LLC, Couch Braunsdorf Insurance Group, Landstar Title Agency Inc., Intracoastal Abstract Co. Inc., and Titleserv Inc. At these firms, she was responsible for all legal title underwriting, reading, clearing and processing of all title files for closing. She coordinated all title underwriting requirements with the Agent’s respective Title Underwriters and also addressed all post-closing escrow and policy matters. Ms. Ling also held positions at major New York title underwriters including Stewart Title Insurance Company and Ticor Title Insurance Company- The Fidelity Title Group. She provided underwriting and legal support for over 300 New York State Title Agents and Direct Operations.
She is active in many associations including serving as Co-Chairperson of both the Real Estate and Asia Practice Committees of the Asian American Bar Association of New York. She is also a member of the National Asian Pacific Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the Queens Asian Bar Association, the Korean Lawyers Association of Greater New York and the Asian Pacific American Lawyer’s Association of New Jersey. She is a member of the Board of Directors for Asian Real Estate Professional Association, Asian Columbia Alumni Association, and New York Law School Alumnae Association. She was awarded the “Most Valuable Player Award” in 2013 for outstanding dedication and service to AABANY and the New York Law School Award in 2010 for Distinguished Service in Diversity and Progress.
Ms. Ling is also a member of the United States Golf Association and the New Jersey PGA Golf Foundation. Since 2012, she has been on the Pro Am Team for the LPGA Shoprite Acer Classic.
Ms. Ling received her Bachelor of Arts degree in History, Cum Laude and Dean’s List from Barnard College – Columbia University and her Juris Doctor degree from New York Law School. She is admitted to practice law in the State of New York, Appellate Division, and Second Department.
Jason C. Bergman
Jason C. Bergman has nearly two decades of experience in the real estate/title insurance industry.
Prior to joining Benchmark, Jason was a Vice President and Underwriting Counsel for one of the nation’s largest title agencies. Before that, he was title insurance underwriting counsel for First American Title Insurance Company in New York, and previously served as claims counsel for First American Title Insurance Company and Fidelity National Title Group.
He is a Board Member of the Rutgers Center for Innovation Education and the Professional Science Master’s Degree, Customer Experience Certificate Program. Jason was a three-term Chair of the New York State Land Title Association’s Law Committee, is Vice-Chair of the American Bar Association Real Estate, Condemnation, and Trust Litigation Committee’s Title Insurance subcommittee, and Co-Chair of its Mortgage and Foreclosure subcommittee.
Jason was awarded the CRE® credential by the Counselors of Real Estate, an international organization of high profile property professionals. Individuals awarded the CRE® credential have attained the highest levels of expertise and achievement in their real estate specialty, particularly in the provision of sophisticated advice and high-level problem solving.
He writes regularly on compelling real estate law and practice subjects for various publications, including the New York Law Journal. Jason received a B.A. from Muhlenberg College, a J.D. from New York Law School, and is pursuing his M.A. in Real Estate Finance & Development from New York University.
