KAREN GOLDSMITH
Riverview
Summary
Accomplished title examiner with over 15 years of experience with the USDOI Bureau of Land Management, ensuring that accurate ownership and evaluation of the status of land are complete and unflawed. Ability to work independently and train others to adjudicate mining claims in compliance with federal regulations and associated laws. Versed in public speaking. Additional 13+ years as a title examiner, including Subdivision Title Officer and Title Plant Manager, versed in commercial, residential, and vacant land.Assigned the most complex and difficult title examinations, serving as an asset to private industry title companies. Ability to comprehend metes and bounds descriptions, as well as the Public Land Survey System.
Overview
48
48
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Land Law Examiner, Division of Mineral Resources
USDOI Bureau of Land Management
Reno
04.2013 - 04.2025
- Compiled supportive evidence from various sources, such as the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), the United States Code (USC), the Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA), the Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA), recorded county records, decrees of distribution, probate records, various secretaries of state, and followed other precedents and policies of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
- Provided expertise in a courteous, clear, and concise manner to landmen, potential and current claimants, and legal counsel to inform them of regulatory requirements relevant to claim location, maintenance, and ownership transfers.
- Compiled governmental Notices of defective mining claim locations and Decisions voiding claims for failure to cure defects or pay required fees, as required by the CFR and USC. Closed mining claims in areas withdrawn from mineral location.
- Adjudicated mining claims based on the examination of the status of the land in which they are located.
- Determined the chain of title and current ownership of mining claims, and composed Notices to the claim owners where there are unrecorded intervening transfers of interest.
- Adjudicated county-recorded quitclaim deeds, which transfer mining claim ownership.
- Processed relinquishments and examined estate distribution where required.
- Adjudicated applications to locate mining claims on private land under the Stock-Raising Homestead Act of December 29, 1916 (as amended), completing all of the administrative requirements, as provided in the CFR pertaining to the same.
- Adjudicated solid-leaseable prospecting permit applications and issued final prospecting permits for potassium, phosphate and sodium, among others.
- Responsible for processing appeals, compiling the administrative record, and submitting the record to the IBLA.
- Processed financial guarantees required for mining and mineral programs under 43 CFR 3809. Adjudicate individual, statewide, and nationwide bonds to accept, deny, increase, decrease, and terminate the liability of surety and personal bonds, riders, and monetary financial guarantees for performance in surface reclamation, and other financial responsibilities. Worked closely with the State of Nevada Department of Minerals, the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection, and BLM mining specialists throughout the state.
- Completed a 120-day detail as the Acting Supervisory Land Law Examiner, overseeing seven mining claim adjudicators, providing support and decisions making decisions on complex issues. This detail included certifying staff work hours in QuickTime, calculating and reporting quarterly statistics to the Financial and Business Management System (FBMS). Completed evaluations and presented the annual Employee Performance Appraisal Plans to all of the mining claim adjudicators.
- Trained newly employed adjudicators and junior adjudicators in land status, full and partial ownership transfers, as well as paper file and electronic maintenance of records pertaining to the same.
- Compiled PowerPoint presentations and taught the public how to use the databases the BLM mining claim adjudicators access, how to perform land status for future mining claim locations, and responded to questions in biennual public workshops.
- Wrote Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), outlining step-by-step instructions for performing specific tasks related to mining claim adjudication processes, thereby ensuring consistency, efficiency, and compliance with BLM standards.
Legal Clerk, Non-renewable Resources
USDOI Bureau of Land Management
Reno
01.2010 - 04.2013
- Established an accurate and complete land status report. Applied knowledge in deciphering and comprehending legal land descriptions, identifying existing rights of way, other realty-related interests and/or uses, and determining mining claim ownership and other documented mining activities that must be considered prior rendering a determination or decision.
- Examined and verified that all mining and mineral-related documentation submitted was in compliance with governmental rules and regulations set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), as they relate to specific aspects of mining law.
- Alerted necessary resource specialists of new projects requiring review, and ensured review was completed in a timely manner.
- Confirmed the accuracy of the information submitted, and the qualifications of the parties involved, with documents received as they relate to exploration, mining operations, and the extraction of mineral materials.
- Assisted with and/or completed routine mining-related correspondence and requests for information.
- Routinely obtained specific information and master title plat maps to fulfill requests made by management, the public, and other governmental agencies. This included day-to-day contact with the public to fulfill requests relating to mining and mineral claim rules and regulations, as well as providing forms to existing and potential mining claimants.
- Served as an interdisciplinary team member to review documents as they relate to the use of mineral materials.
- With assistance, I composed Categorical Exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for Plans of Operation submitted to the BLM within the Tonopah Field Office jurisdiction.
- As the Primary Records Manager, I was responsible for the maintenance of all mineral, geothermal, and administrative accountability files.
- Ancillary duties included providing backup capabilities for the Administrative Support Assistant (vacant one year) and the Contact Representative (vacant 10 months) while positions were being filled.
- Voluntarily representative committee member for the Tonopah Field Office with the Human Resources Development Committee in the Battle Mountain District of Nevada.
- Completed a thirty-day detail as the Administrative Support Assistant.
- Core Team Member for the Collections and Billing System (CBS), for the Tonopah Field Office. Also acted as a Collection and Accountability Officer. Detail duties included depositing all monies receipted, paying bills, creating new transactions, generating money transfers, refund generation, oversight and follow-up on all unpaid bills, including rangeland management and realty, which interface with CBS.
- Completed CBS monthly reports on unpaid bills and moneys being held by the BLM for specific purposes, and timely submitted the quarterly Certification Memorandum to the Nevada State Office for review.
- Accepted and processed checks and credit card payments submitted in person, by mail, and over the telephone.
- Reconciliation of all monies received daily.
- Cashier, accepting and processing all over-the-counter cash transactions, and accountable for office cash funds maintained for change-making purposes.
- Made daily deposits via OTC to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
- Maintained governmental property records, issuing documentation in conjunction with the distribution and collection of all government property to and from office employees.
- Supplied new employees with the necessary forms and employment paperwork, and submitted the same to the appropriate BLM personnel for processing. Assisted with office orientation as needed.
- Fulfill management requests for information, and complete assigned tasks in a timely manner.
- QuickTime timekeeper for all employees stationed at the Tonopah Field Office. Validate bi-weekly timecards, and submit all employee statements for each pay period to the Battle Mountain District Office for budget purposes.
- Ancillary duties include ensuring that the responsibilities of the vacant front desk Contact Representative were completed which consisted, among other things, of: Daily opening and closing procedures, maintaining front desk coverage, greeting and assisting the public with map sales, mining claim and other information, operating a multi-line phone system, and assisting or directing callers to appropriate staff, issuing vegetative material permits using the Timber Sales Information System, and completing Public Room duties. Mail preparation and distribution, as well as the distribution, collection, and tracking of employee MasterCard statements on a monthly basis.s.
- Trained newly employed workers as Contact Representative and Administrative Support Assistant.
Home Care End-Stage Services; Estate Distribution
Mr. Howard Davis
Riverside
07.2006 - 12.2007
- Provided a wide range of personal, bedside, and household services.
- Initiate intervention with Hospice, local nursing care and ambulatory services, when needed.
- Acted as Conservator through a Durable Power of Attorney.
- Made final arrangements, liquidated personal property, and closed the estate through the distribution and payment of final obligations.
Residential Apartment Manager
Mr. Simon Chill
Riverside
07.2003 - 06.2007
- Acted as agent for principal (Landlord) in tenant selection, negotiations, entering into leases, and agreements relating to rental and monies.
- Enforced terms of contracts.
- Initiated court proceedings and finalize eviction of tenant (unlawful detainer).
- Collected security deposit and monthly rent monies.
- Maintained accounting records.
- Maintained an orderly premises and yard.
- Complete minor repairs, and, when needed,arrange for services for repairs.
- Acted as a liaison between landlord and tenants for health, safety, welfare, and liability purposes.
Legal Assistant, contract case-by case; part time
Herreman Law Firm
Riverside
10.2005 - 04.2006
- Assisted in family law matters by preparing documents relating to dissolution of marriage, paternity, child custody and child-spousal support, including marriage settlement agreements, motions, final judgments and billing, according to state and local procedure and law.
Real Property Title Examiner
Chicago Title Insurance Company
San Luis Obispo
08.1997 - 09.1998
- Researched public records to document an accurate, complete chain of title, and create preliminary title reports.
- Identified fee simple surface ownership and other interest rights specific to legal land descriptions, including mineral reservations, and the priority of all taxes, easements, deeds of trust, judgements, and other liens affecting the subject real property.
- Preliminary title report issuance.
Real Property Title Examiner
Homestead Title
Atascadero
08.1992 - 05.1994
- Researched public records to document an accurate, complete chain of title, and compile preliminary title reports.
- Identified fee simple surface ownership and other interest rights specific to legal land descriptions, including mineral reservations, and the priority of all taxes, rights of way, deeds of trust, judgments, and other liens affecting the subject real property.
- Preliminary title report issuance in a timely manner.
Subdivision Title Officer
Chicago Title Insurance Company
San Luis Obispo
09.1989 - 08.1992
- Initially employed in the capacity of a real property title examiner.
- Assisted in the successful completion of the adjustment of the San Luis Obispo/Santa Barbara County line, extending from Kern County to the east, and to the Pacific Ocean to the west.
- Designated Title Company Point of Contact for all entities, agencies, and individuals either involved in or interested in the adjustment of the San Luis Obispo/Santa Barbara County line for the San Luis Obispo County portion of the project.
- Project tasks included parcel identification, title search and examination, and writing preliminary title reports for each parcel of land within San Luis Obispo County affected by the County line adjustment.
- Reviewed all tentative subdivision maps and parcel maps to confirm accuracy and compliance with the subdivision laws of California. Recorded the final maps at the San Luis Obispo County Recorder's Office.
- Created new legal land descriptions for the transfer of lands in San Luis Obispo County affected by the County line boundary adjustment, in conjunction with those created in Santa Barbara County.
- Newly created legal land descriptions often included the grant and/or reservation of rights of way for specific purposes, and any mineral reservations.
- Document preparation (Grant Deeds).
- Coordinated in person and by telephone with subdividers, engineers, surveyors, and officials from various county governmental agencies to ensure the successful completion of the project.
- Responsible for the recordation of all final subdivision maps and parcel maps filed in San Luis Obispo County, concurrently with those filed in Santa Barbara County.
- Researched, examined, and issued preliminary title reports in conjunction with the anticipated recordation of all subdivision and parcel maps.
- Routinely reviewed all tentative subdivision and parcel maps to ensure compliance and legibility, in preparation for the recordation of final subdivision and parcel maps.
- Responsible for creating new legal descriptions and preparing conveyance documents to be recorded in conjunction with subdivision and parcel maps.
- Recorded final subdivision and parcel maps, together with any conveyances, with the office of the San Luis Obispo County Recorder.
Title Plant Manager
Cuesta Title Guaranty Company
San Luis Obispo
09.1987 - 09.1989
- Received, filed and managed daily incoming public records in our geographic title plant.
- Maintained title plant paper and electronic records.
- Monitored, directed and supervised employees in title search and examinations, customer service, document recordation, and the typing departments.
- Provided oversight of title plant production, customer service, document recordation, and typing department functions.
- Ensured proper use of employee time, company documents, office equipment, and supplies.
- Interviewed and hired new employees in title search and examinations, customer service, document recordation, and typing departments.
- Conducted yearly performance evaluations for title examiners. Provided input regarding evaluations for employees in the customer service, document recordation, and typing departments.
- Performed routine spot-check audits of title research, examinations, and file content.
- Provided training to new and advancing employees, as well as small groups of employees.
- Reviewed, updated, and signed title policies on behalf of title officers.
- Assisted with the overflow of work assigned to title officers. Assisted with any backlog occurring within the title examination department.
- Emphasized and modeled teamwork, and the benefits of a coordinated, joint effort.
- Consultant to employees who were less experienced in real property matters.
- Reported to the Company Manager, relaying any personnel achievements and concerns.
- I sought the guidance of the Chief Title Officer in title matters that were beyond the scope of my experience.
Long Order/Commercial Title Examiner
Cuesta Title Guaranty Company
San Luis Obispo
04.1977 - 06.1983
- Initially employed as a preliminary title report and police issuance typist for one year.
- As offered to me by management, I was trained in the title plant as a Customer Service Representative, receiving and processing inquiries and requests for information made over the telephone and in person.
- Became versed in the identification of land using assessor’s plat maps, subdivision maps, and parcel maps.
- Learned to identify past and present owners of fee title, and to identify various legal documents and their purposes.
- Promoted to the position of title examiner and ultimately designated the long-order title examiner.
- Assigned all problematic, extensive, commercial and high-liability examinations, which included pending litigation, leasehold estates, quiet title actions, eminent domain proceedings, partitioned lands, foreclosure proceedings, and complex estate-distributed lands.
- Received deeds of trust paid in full and issued reconveyances of same.
- Acted as back-up Title Officer for those on leave, or otherwise out of the office. Duties include coordination with escrow closures, the preparation for recordation of documents related thereto, submission of the same to the recording clerk, and final name run of owners/buyers for newly recorded liens up to the time of recordation of escrow documents.
Education
Paralegal Studies
Riverside Community College
Riverside, CA06-2008
High School Diploma -
San Luis Obispo High School
San Luis Obispo, CA01-1976
Skills
- Title examination and land status assessment
- Financial guarantee processing
- Strong customer service skills
- Legal research
- Regulatory compliance
- Document verification
- Document preparation
- Problem solving
- Effective verbal and written communication
- Analytical and critical thinking
- Multitasking abilities
- Team leadership
- Training and mentoring
- Public presentation
- Mining claim adjudication
- Records management
- Microsoft office
Affiliations
- I work toward heightened spiritual and personal growth on a daily basis.
- I enjoy gardening, drawing, painting,and reading in my spare time.
- I engage in social and personal activities with friends.
- I find exercises like walking and swimming beneficial to my overall wellbeing.
Accomplishments
- I received 3 awards of recognition for Excellence in Teamwork along with the other adjudicators in my branch at the BLM.
- I received a Star Award for my work as the Acting Supervisory Land Law Examiner at the BLM.
- I was recognized Employee if the Month and my bio was published in the local paper while employed at Homestead Title Company.
- I graduated Riverside Community College with Distinction.
- I was awarded Best In Class during 3 semesters of community college.
Certification
Real Property Title Examination Certification (Chicago Title Insurance)
Notary Public (Chicago Title Insurance Company)
LR2000 Case Recordation training (BLM)
NEPA Analysis for Environmental Analysis (BLM)
Administrative and Legal Source Materials (BLM)
Introduction to Mining Law (BLM)
Adjudication Module 1 (BLM)
Adjudication Module 2 (BLM)
Adjudication Module 3 Mining Law (BLM)
Senior Adjudicator Workshop (BLM)
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Land Law Examiner, Division of Mineral Resources
USDOI Bureau of Land Management
04.2013 - 04.2025
Legal Clerk, Non-renewable Resources
USDOI Bureau of Land Management
01.2010 - 04.2013
Home Care End-Stage Services; Estate Distribution
Mr. Howard Davis
07.2006 - 12.2007
Legal Assistant, contract case-by case; part time
Herreman Law Firm
10.2005 - 04.2006
Residential Apartment Manager
Mr. Simon Chill
07.2003 - 06.2007
Real Property Title Examiner
Chicago Title Insurance Company
08.1997 - 09.1998
Real Property Title Examiner
Homestead Title
08.1992 - 05.1994
Subdivision Title Officer
Chicago Title Insurance Company
09.1989 - 08.1992
Title Plant Manager
Cuesta Title Guaranty Company
09.1987 - 09.1989
Long Order/Commercial Title Examiner
Cuesta Title Guaranty Company
04.1977 - 06.1983
Paralegal Studies
Riverside Community College
High School Diploma -
San Luis Obispo High School
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