Jonathan Selkowitz
Managing Attorney, Foreclosure & Consumer Unit
Portland Office
5 years at Pine Tree
Where did you go to law school?
Temple University
What is your most memorable case, or favorite memory from working at Pine Tree?
I represented a mother of three school-aged kids in a foreclosure suit. She had defaulted on her mortgage loan due to the death of her husband. The plaintiff had misbehaved during the case and also lacked the proof to foreclose. By aggressively litigating the case, we were able to secure a very favorable settlement that included a loan modification with an affordable monthly payment and loan forgiveness of over $300,000. The client's home went from being under water to having substantial equity, which she then tapped into to make essential repairs on the roof. I check in periodically with the client and she and her kids are thriving.
Why did you want to work at Pine Tree? What brought you to Pine Tree and what did you do before?
I always wanted to pursue a career in public interest law. I had developed a particular interest and expertise in consumer finance law through my work as a predatory lending investigator with the U.S. Attorney's office in Philadelphia and as a clerk for a federal district court judge in Philadelphia who had a few very interesting consumer cases. After my clerkship, I cut my teeth for two years defending financial institutions in litigation brought by consumers, and was then able to make the jump to representing consumers after I moved to Maine in 2015. When a foreclosure staff attorney position opened up at Pine Tree in 2016, it was a no-brainer to apply given Pine Tree's leadership in the field and the amazing opportunity to make a career helping low-income consumers.
What is your favorite board game?
Wits and Wagers
Tell us about your pet(s)!
No pets, but I really got into bird watching during the pandemic
Where is your favorite place in Maine?
MDI
What are some hobbies you enjoy outside of work?
Cooking, watching the NBA, skiing, wrastling with my kids
If you could pick one song to play every time you enter a room, what would it be?
"No Escapin' This" - the Beatnuts