Our Professional Team

Melissa C. Martorella, Esq.

PARTNER

Contact Information

Areas of Practice

Lending Compliance
Foreclosure & Loss Mitigation
Loan Document Preparation

Bar Admissions

California

Education

J.D., University of California, Irvine School of Law
M.A.T., Tufts University
B.A., Boston College

Melissa C. Martorella, Esq.

PARTNER

Melissa Martorella is a Partner and Department Head of Fortra Law’s Banking and Finance practice group. Ms. Martorella manages a large team of attorneys and loan processors in the preparation of loan documents and related transactional documents. Her practice primarily revolves around the representation of nationwide mortgage professionals and providing for their transactional documentation needs. She also provides the compliance advice necessary to navigate mortgage lending transactions in all fifty states. Ms. Martorella also leads the firm’s non-judicial foreclosure practice and advises clients on all default related matters.

Ms. Martorella has been recognized by her peers in the legal community as a Super Lawyers® Rising Star from 2018-2022. Only 2.5% of attorneys receive this distinction.

Distinctions

  • 2022 Southern California Rising Star
  • 2021 Southern California Rising Star
  • 2020 Southern California Rising Star
  • 2019 Southern California Rising Star
  • 2018 Southern California Rising Star

Associations & Memberships

  • American Association of Private Lenders, General Counsel

Melissa C. Martorella, Esq.

PARTNER

Contact Information

Areas of Practice

Lending Compliance
Foreclosure & Loss Mitigation
Loan Document Preparation

Bar Admissions

California

Education

J.D., University of California, Irvine School of Law
M.A.T., Tufts University
B.A., Boston College

Awards

Melissa C. Martorella, Esq.

PARTNER

Melissa Martorella is a Partner and Department Head of Fortra Law’s Banking and Finance practice group. Ms. Martorella manages a large team of attorneys and loan processors in the preparation of loan documents and related transactional documents. Her practice primarily revolves around the representation of nationwide mortgage professionals and providing for their transactional documentation needs. She also provides the compliance advice necessary to navigate mortgage lending transactions in all fifty states. Ms. Martorella also leads the firm’s non-judicial foreclosure practice and advises clients on all default related matters.

Ms. Martorella has been recognized by her peers in the legal community as a Super Lawyers® Rising Star from 2018-2022. Only 2.5% of attorneys receive this distinction.

Distinctions

  • 2022 Southern California Rising Star
  • 2021 Southern California Rising Star
  • 2020 Southern California Rising Star
  • 2019 Southern California Rising Star
  • 2018 Southern California Rising Star

Associations & Memberships

  • American Association of Private Lenders, General Counsel

Authored Articles

Commercial Loan Closing Process: What Lenders Need to Know from Term Sheet to Funding
California Foreclosures: Strategies for Private Lenders (2026 Guide)
Surviving AB 130: Critical Insights for California Lenders
Business Purpose and Consumer Loans Explained
Hard Money Lending Laws: A Quick Guide
5 Must-Have Terms in Your Loan Servicing Agreement
Avoid Closing Delays: Why an Escrow Officer Is Crucial
Loan Document Software or Law Firm? 3 Key Considerations for Lenders
Consumer Laws That Apply to Business Purpose Loans
What Will New York Senate Bill S3177 Mean for Lenders?
Major Changes for Mortgage Licensing Laws in Maryland
AB 2424: What California Lenders Should Know
What is the difference between Table Funding, White Labeling, Wholesale, and Correspondent Lending?
Lending, Brokering, or Servicing Licensing Requirements and their Exceptions
Navigating Complex Usury Laws as a Private Lender
Understanding Prepayment Penalties
California Compliance Toolkits For Private Lenders
Where Are We Headed? Fortra Law Leadership Is Looking Forward to 2024
Corrective Addendum or Modification Agreement? A Matter of Mistake Versus Change
Unavailable Endorsements: State Regulation and Title Company Stubbornness
Crystal Ball Predictions for 2023
2021 Predictions Revisited in Q4 2022
ALTA 2021 vs. ALTA 2006: Important Changes for Lenders
Don’t Get Caught in the GAP
Compliance For Private Lenders

Hosted Webinars

Workouts 101 – Forbearances, Modifications, And Other Loss Mitigation Strategies: What To Do When Your Borrower Can’t Pay
Lending Fundamentals: Essentials for Every Lender
California Non Judicial Foreclosures: Mastering the Changing Landscape
AB 130: A Critical Briefing for California Lenders
Decoding In Re Moon and the SB 1146 Solution
White Labeling, Correspondent Lending, and Table Funding: Understanding The Differences and What Works Best for Your Business
Business Purpose Loans to Individual Borrowers: What Lenders Need to Know
SB1079: Current Status of the Law and Strategies
Multistate Lending: A Strategy Guide to Licensing Compliance and Applications
Options After Default: California Foreclosure, Default Interest, Loss Mitigation, and Recourse
Workouts 101 – Forbearances, Modifications, And Other Loss Mitigation Strategies: What To Do When Your Borrower Can’t Pay
Options After Default: Judicial vs. Non-Judicial Foreclosures in California
Construction Loan Considerations for Private Lenders
Melissa Martorella from Fortra Law Talks Business Purpose Lending 101
California Usury 101: What Interest Rate Can You Charge?
AB 3088 & SB 1079: Fundamentally Modified Foreclosures in CA – What Lenders Need to Know
California Foreclosures 101: Strategies for Defaulted Loans
Forbearance Agreements 101: What To Do When Your Borrower Can't Pay
Managing Loan Defaults during the COVID-19 Crisis
COVID-19 Opportunity: Making Owner Occupied Business Purpose Loans
What Your Attorney Didn't Tell You: Consumer Laws that Apply to Business Purpose Loans
Nationwide Lending and Licensing: What Every Private Lender Needs to Know
Navigating Tenant Issues: Lending to a Borrower with Tenants
Contact Melissa C. Martorella, Esq.
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