Settlement Waystation: Defendants’ Use of Qualified Settlement Funds

Defendants want to “pay and go” after the settlement amount is agreed upon, but plaintiffs often have more decisions to make. Settling parties regularly use Qualified Settlement Funds (QSFs) to let defendants make and deduct their payment, obtain a full release, and walk away. Plaintiffs gain time and flexibility to allocate between themselves, consider tax strategies, and resolve lien issues. This presentation will identify when and how to use QSFs for the benefit of plaintiffs, defendants, and lawyers on both sides. And how to make sure defendants actually get those benefits by ensuring regulatory compliance.

Please join our two expert speakers, Jeremy Babener and Rachel McCrocklin. Jeremy chairs the Society of Settlement Planner’s Legal Committee and formerly served as a fellow in the US Treasury’s Office of Tax Policy. Rachel is CTO at Eastern Point Trust Company and has managed QSFs for dozens of lawsuits against name brand companies. Together they will discuss:

• When to use a QSF (15 minutes)
• Defendant benefits and strategies (15 minutes)
• Making the process easy (10 minutes)
• Knowing what to expect (10 minutes)
• Vetting and doing it right (10 minutes)

Who Should Attend: Defense lawyers

Program Level: Overview

Prerequisites: None

Advanced Preparation: None

Faculty:

Jeremy Babener

Founder, Structured Consulting

Special Tax Counsel, Lane Powell

Rachel McCrocklin

Chief Trust Officer, Eastern Point Trust Company