by Structured Settlement Watchdog
An affinity partner for a trial lawyer association generally means three things (1) the "affinity partner" has made a big donation (2) the vendor will have access to the membership (and ultimately the clients of the membership) for the purpose of selling its services. The name of the vendor appearing on the website as an affinity partner (3) there is an implication to the membership (and ultimately its injury victim clientele) that the affinity partner's business practices have been vetted and are satisfactory to the association.
In the past I have called out Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys (MATA) in relation to the business practice of an affinity partner. Today, Structured Settlements 4Real turns its attention to the recent addition of Peachtree Settlement Funding to the list of "affinity partners"
At a time when the public has been bombarded by factoring company ads which serve to confuse the consumers that are served by the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys (MATA) and the judiciary, MATA has chosen to partner up with a firm that is not even the most competitive out there in this category.
Structured Settlements 4Real has obtained the front page from an absolute assignment document that was delivered to someone recently in a matter involving Peachtree Settlement Funding. PLEASE READ THE CIRCLED TEXT. ONCE YOU'RE DONE, READ IT AGAIN!
Download peachtree_absolute_assignment_1st_page_2007.pdf
What an utter embarrassment for the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys (MATA)! If you are a member of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys (MATA) you should be outraged.
What credibility do you have as long as 24.39% is "the standard", after your implied vetting of this affinity partner? Peachtree angles for business by asking "Why wait for your money to "trickle" in month to month?" Say you recommended a structure to your clients, and they read this a year or two after it was set up? It's your clients who are potentially the subject of this "predation" and MATA is "connecting the dots"!
Attorneys in Massachusetts and elsewhere need to be aware of the exposure that they may have to their clients for simply referring a company based on implied due diligence of the trial lawyer association of which they are a member. Check with your legal malpractice carrier… are you covered for this type of referral?
Further related reading
- What is Your Effective Discount Rate?*****
- Recent Peachtree Bud, This Bud's Not For You
- Hamlet and Eggs For Peachtree Settlement Funding
- Good News Comes From Badlands As Dandy Randy Spits Out Peach Pit
- The "Dizzy" Circular Logic of Peachtree Settlement Funding
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