The Architected Settlement Law Group (ASLG) has launched as a national business-to-business partner for trial attorneys, founded by 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. The new firm addresses what Fuller calls the "danger zone" of settlement distribution, where issues like Medicaid clawbacks, lien resolution, and tax liability have become primary sources of legal malpractice exposure for plaintiff firms.
Fuller explains that while trial lawyers fight for courtroom victories, the administrative complexity of distributing settlements can threaten both their firm's legacy and their client's future. The Architected Settlement Law Group serves as a "Settlement Architect," designing comprehensive legal blueprints to close complex injury, mass tort, and class action files safely. The firm's "Master Blueprint" process includes 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, and designing various specialized trusts including special needs trusts, domestic asset protection trusts, and settlement preservation trusts.
Distinct from Fuller's existing practice at Michigan Law Center, which focuses on Special Needs Trusts for families, The Architected Settlement Law Group operates exclusively as a B2B service for litigation firms nationwide. The firm offers liability insulation to protect plaintiff firms from failure-to-advise claims regarding government benefits and provides tools to mitigate tax exposure on taxable interest or punitive damages. Trial attorneys can learn more about the firm's services by visiting https://architectedsettlement.com.
Fuller's methodology has been proven in high-pressure environments beyond the Flint Water case, including serving as co-counsel for minor patient claimants in the $13 million Hawthorn class action matter. As a Fellow of the Academy of Court-Appointed Neutrals and advisory board member of the Academy of Special Needs Planners, Fuller brings national expertise to handling cases across jurisdictions. The firm's launch represents a specialized solution to what has become a growing concern in the legal industry—protecting hard-won trial victories from being undermined by post-litigation administrative challenges while ensuring vulnerable claimants receive optimal long-term results from their settlements.
