Michael;
Your example is kind of convoluted, but I will try to work with it- I would be hard pressed to continue working with a "dead beat" title company, and probably would not be the examiner for the second company in your example- just because the likely hood of doing work for two companies and having them be the ones that this client decided to go with- (has never occurred so far).
I know the potential work will remain available- but it will probably never return to my doorstep if this client moves on to another title/settlement company.
My actions with UST/USTS was an economic decision only- they owed me(as well as others) money- the then management had drained all of their liquid assets, one way or another,( we read about this all the time) and the left over personal decided to make another go of it- but the only way was to try to work out some compromise with the existing work force, in order to retain them- thus the 2 yr payback agreement along with some incentive that future work would be forthcoming to those that accepted the agreement. I decided that it was something I could work with and went with it. So far it has worked out for the best. I don't regret it at all, rather am happy it has continued the way it has, except for some minor slow down.
Steve Meinecke