For trial attorneys, securing a verdict often marks the beginning of a new administrative battle. Navigating settlement distribution complexities—including Medicaid clawbacks, lien resolution, and tax liability—has become a significant source of legal malpractice exposure. Michele Fuller, the attorney who served as Special Assistant to the Attorney General designing the settlement process for the historic $600 million Flint Water Crisis, has launched a new standalone firm, The Architected Settlement Law Group (ASLG), to address this critical need.
Distinct from Fuller's existing practice at Michigan Law Center, which focuses on Special Needs Trusts for families, The Architected Settlement Law Group operates as a dedicated business-to-business partner for trial lawyers nationwide. The firm serves as a "Settlement Architect," designing comprehensive legal blueprints required to safely close complex injury, mass tort, and class action files. "Trial lawyers are warriors who fight for the 'W,' but the administrative complexity of the 'finish line' can threaten their firm's legacy and their client's future," said Michele Fuller, Founder of The Architected Settlement Law Group and Fellow of the Academy of Court-Appointed Neutrals.
The firm's "Master Blueprint" process offers several key services designed to insulate plaintiff firms from liability while protecting claimants. These include establishing Qualified Settlement Funds (QSFs) to give attorneys and claimants time to plan without immediate tax consequences, creating Plaintiff Recovery Trusts (PRTs) to help mitigate taxable recoveries such as interest and punitive damages, and designing various specialized trusts including special needs trusts, domestic asset protection trusts, and settlement preservation trusts. The firm leverages Fuller's national expertise and her advisory board role with the Academy of Special Needs Planners to handle cases across jurisdictions.
Fuller's methodology is battle-tested in high-pressure environments. Beyond her leadership in the Flint Water case, she served as co-counsel for minor patient claimants in the $13 million Hawthorn class action matter. She is a renowned author and speaker, contributing to Trial Magazine and co-hosting national symposiums on special needs planning. The launch of ASLG represents a formalization of this specialized expertise into a firm dedicated exclusively to helping trial attorneys navigate what Fuller calls the "danger zone" of settlement distribution. Trial attorneys can learn more about the firm's services by visiting https://architectedsettlement.com.
The emergence of The Architected Settlement Law Group highlights a growing recognition within the legal industry that a courtroom victory is only part of the justice equation. Ensuring that settlement funds are properly structured and distributed is equally crucial for protecting vulnerable claimants from losing essential government benefits or facing unexpected tax burdens, while simultaneously shielding the law firms that represented them from post-litigation liability. This specialized practice area addresses a critical gap in the litigation lifecycle, transforming complex administrative hurdles into structured, secure outcomes for all parties involved.
