Litigation

Tulsa based "tough issues tackler" and  "corrupt lawyer, but classy 'cause he copped a plea" admirer, Robert Risk says the participation of several members of the Society of Settlement Planners at the Academy of Special Need Planners (ASNP) "illustrates how needs based settlement planners continue to separate themselves from product based structured settlement intermediaries. He goes on to day that "while structured settlements remain the foundation for the SSP, "the group" also strives to maintain a strong knowledge base of issues that often converge with structured settlements, such as SSI, Medicaid, and Special Needs Trusts".

Comments

1. Risk refers to Patrick Hindert's "complete summary of the meeting" yet fails to mention that Hindert states that members of NSSTA and even NASP participated at ASNP IN ADDITION to the SSP members.
2. The statement that "the group also strives to maintain a strong knowledge base of issues that often converge with structured settlements, such as SSI, Medicaid, and Special Needs Trusts" applies to most settlement professionals these days. That is the current reality, which begs the question why why more of "the group's" members, including Risk, aren't enrolled in the Registered Settlement Planner (RSP) designation program?
3. Ironically Risk characterizes "need based" planners as a plus while "needs based" negotiation is frequently dismissed by the settlement planner's clients in the hopes of maximizing recovery.
4. Risk fails to observe the recent social phenemomenon of settlement professionals "rutting like stags" over special needs attorneys on the theory that they are the toll keepers to the streets of gold.
5. Risk fails to mention the controversial sponsoring of the ASNP conference by JG Wentworth.