Lecturer Bios
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.
Steven Presley, Esq.,
Steven Presley, Esq., serves as Florida State Counsel for AmTrust Title Insurance Company, a subsidiary of AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. With over a decade of experience in title and real estate law, Steven brings a strong background in underwriting, risk assessment, and title insurance education to his role.
Before joining AmTrust Title, Steven was Florida Underwriting Counsel at Doma Title Insurance Inc., where he authored educational resources, resolved complex title issues, and contributed to prominent industry publications. A respected thought leader, Steven has published numerous articles on title insurance and real estate law and is a frequent presenter at industry seminars and continuing education events.
In his current role, Steven oversees underwriting initiatives across Florida, supports agents in navigating intricate title matters, and plays a leading role in developing innovative training and education programs to strengthen agent success.
His deep knowledge of Florida real estate law and commitment to agent education reflect AmTrust Title’s ongoing investment in the region’s growth and professional development.
James W. Tarlton, Esq.
Jim is a veteran attorney who has a rich career both as a law firm partner and the founder and principal of his own law firms practicing residential and commercial real estate law," said Jason Gordon, President of AmTrust Title. "His decades of experience in title closings as both a title agent and lawyer with admission to three state bars. Tarlton was most recently the owner of Main Street Title Group, LLC, Celebration, FL, where he oversaw operations, including underwriting files, and handled title examination and title curative for national real estate clients focusing on multistate closings. As part of his practice, he formed his own title closing company Insight Title & Escrow LLC to act as both settlement agent and title agent.
Before forming his own firm, Tarlton was a successful real estate attorney practicing for the last 25 years with London & Thurber, LLC and, and other law firms in the Southeast market, including leadership roles focused on real estate transactional and estate planning law practice that represented builders, lenders and mortgage brokers in residential and commercial closings, as well as provided estate planning and probate services.
Tarlton holds an AB from Duke University, a JD from the University of Alabama School of Law, and an LLM degree in taxation from the New York University School of Law. He is admitted to the bar in Alabama, Florida and Georgia
