Rock and roll historians have long debated the "hidden meaning" behind the Beatles song Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds. With Forgie* in the Diamond Ball at Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys (MATA) each year one wonders if its members have examined all its facets. I think not.
The following mass mailing letter was recently sent to members of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Lawyers (MATA), by Jennifer Comer the Executive Director of MATA, to encourage their use of Forge Consulting, their "strategic partner in settlement planning and structured settlements" with emphasis on their "most valuable financial relationship".
Download MATALETTERANDFORGE3-26-07.pdf
We are aware that leading plaintiff lawyers in Massachusetts do not exclusively use Forge Consulting, but Forge Consulting is apparently MATA’s exclusive "partner".
Spare us the sales hyperbole about national reputation, "plaintiff’s rights consulting platform", working with integrity and "doing what is right", which would otherwise be acceptable, but for the fact that it is now public knowledge that Forge Consulting falsely advertises that it is the only plaintiff exclusive company in the country. Massachusetts trial lawyers know that the statement ( about being the only one in the country) is not true and those that don’t should. Moreover it is in dispute over whether or not Forge Consulting is actually plaintiff exclusive as it advertises, inasmuch as John T. Bair, the CEO of Forge, cited in the MATA solicitation only 7 months ago signed a declaration, to the United States Department of Justice, under penalty of perjury, that HE provided substantial services to defendants and their counsel in each of the last 3 years. He also signed the same declaration a year earlier. Need any proof? We’ve got a copy of "the smoking gun" on this blog and so does the United States Department of Justice! Other partners in Forge Consulting also signed such declarations, in 2005.
IF MATA considers this "doing what is right" then shame on MATA. The MATA solicitation refers to the ABA model rules of conduct. If you recommend Forge Consulting to your client on the basis that it is "plaintiff exclusive" (and we all know you’ve been solicited in this manner) and THEN your client later discovers that you made this recommendation knowing full well about the Department of Justice declaration made by John T. Bair, NOW think about the impact on you and your firm!
Trial lawyers associations can spare themselves future embarrassment by more carefully vetting their endorsements. Otherwise Martha Reeves and the Vandellas said it best…"Nowhere to Run Nowhere To Hide". Recently Structured Settlements 4Real covered a story about how NATLE is endorsing a factoring company who we revealed was giving away free trips to Hawaii as an inducement.
There are many qualified credible structured settlement and settlement planning experts out there serving attorneys and trial lawyers in Massachusetts and throughout New England who are worthy of your consideration.
* Forge Consulting
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