When a contingency fee case reaches a verdict or settlement,  it’s a big day for a plaintiff attorney. You have worked hard and  shouldered litigation costs — often for years without compensation —  to achieve the best outcome for your client. 
Finally, your  ship comes in. At that point, however, it is officially too late to  think about how to best handle a sudden influx of capital; that is, if  you don’t mind seeing much of it going to the IRS.  But what it taketh  with one hand the government giveth with the other. Uncle Sam has  created a way for you keep more of your hard-won settlement or award,  but there is much to consider and new information to weigh.
In 
this episode I get to speak with a financial management professional who
 specializes in advising trial attorneys how they can take full 
advantage of attorney fee structures. The concept of fee deferral 
arrangements may be familiar to you, but the landscape continues to 
evolve. 
Join us to learn about the latest thinking and new 
options to make the most of your hard-earned fees, whether you need 
funds immediately or wish to maximize their value over time.
My guest is Sam Dolce, an attorney with Milestone,
 a financial firm that optimizes settlement funds for trial attorneys 
and plaintiffs.  Sam consults with legal professionals about about 
Qualified Settlement Funds, fee deferrals, and settlement planning. Sam 
received his B.A. from Macalester College and his J.D. from SUNY Buffalo
 Law School. Thanks to Sam for sharing his insights. 
On a previous episode you can hear Sam’s colleague, Erin Waas, who heads up the Milestone Foundation,
 a non-profit organization that provides low-cost funding to injured 
individuals in need of cash as their personal injury cases wind their 
way through court. 
This podcast is the audio companion to the Journal on Emerging Issues in Litigation. The Journal is a collaborative project between HB Litigation Conferences and the Fastcase legal research family, which includes Full Court Press, Law Street Media, and Docket Alarm. The podcast itself is a joint effort between HB and our friends at Law Street Media. If you have comments or wish to participate in one our projects please drop me a note at Editor@LitigationConferences.com.


