The housing crisis has been very good for Florida's biggest processor of foreclosure lawsuits: Its revenues have skyrocketed to $260 million since the housing bust began.

In recent years, the Law Offices of David J. Stern, a Broward County-based foreclosure law firm, has become the largest filer of foreclosure suits in Florida. It also is the biggest filer in Hillsborough County, according to local court records.

Stern has taken an unusual step by separating his firm's lawyers from its back-office clerks, title insurance workers and other non-legal staff. Stern spun this back-office staff into a publicly traded company called DJSP Enterprises, which must file financial reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

While it's separate from Stern's law practice, Stern is still chairman and chief executive officer of DJSP Enterprises, and Stern's law practice relies on DJSP for everything that doesn't require a lawyer's hand.