Forge Purchases The Settlement Services Group

Attorney Matthew Garretson has announced the sale of his structured settlement agency, The Settlement Services Group, (“TSSG”) to Forge Consulting (“Forge”) a leading plaintiff-exclusive, national settlement consulting company. Garretson said the timing was right for him to focus exclusively on the core lien/claims administrative services of the Garretson Firm Resolution Group Inc. (“GFRG”). Several former TSSG employees will join Forge including former Director of TSSG, Steve Komrska, and attorney Peter Wayne, as legal counsel.

In a related announcement, Forge named Patrick Hindert (Managing Director) and Timothy Morbach (Director of Sales) as TSSG's new executive directors. Hindert will continue to serve as Managing Director of S2KM Limited. Morbach previously worked as Vice President-Investments at UBS Financial Services Inc.

In exclusive interviews with S2KM, Garretson, Forge Principal Charles Schell and Morbach summarized the TSSG sale and re-organization:

Garretson: "TSSG and Forge now have one of the most innovative and comprehensive lineups of financial services available in the personal injury field for both single event and mass tort settlements. The sale of TSSG to Forge, however, will have no impact on the Garretson Firm and its services. The Garretson Firm will continue to serve its clients with superior lien resolution, claims administration, bankruptcy and probate coordination, settlement allocations, Medicare Set-Aside analysis, and Qualified Settlement Fund services".

Schell: “TSSG and Forge have a longstanding cooperative relationship on numerous single event and mass tort cases. Both companies share a common goal of serving the settlement community as well as mutual respect as two of the country's leading settlement planning firms.

"With leadership from Pat Hindert and Tim Morbach, TSSG will operate autonomously as an independent firm with a claimant/plaintiff centric message. TSSG will provide all stakeholders access to “the power of structure” unencumbered by historic structured settlement business practices.

"TSSG will facilitate comprehensive solutions featuring structured settlements and incorporating other government benefits. TSSG will improve structured settlement performance and enhance the role of structured settlements within the larger settlement services industry Matt Garretson and Forge have helped to define. TSSG will improve and grow the structured settlement market with this broader independent message."

Morbach: “Pat Hindert and I are excited for the opportunity to work together at TSSG. Our Mission is to develop the leading structured settlement business model based upon Matt Garretson's structured settlement legacy and complementary with Forge's plaintiff-centric commitment. TSSG's business model will meet standards in the wider financial services industry where product providers and their agents must 'know their customer' and meet "best interest" tests.

"Pat and I view structured settlements as a core settlement service product. From an investment and financial planning perspective, structured settlement annuities represent a strategic asset class within the settlement services and special needs markets. We see many opportunities to improve and grow structured settlements."

TSSG will be based in Cincinnati, Ohio with initial offices in Cincinnati and Northville, MI. For further inquiries, please contact TSSG Managing Director, Patrick Hindert, at (513) 899-2100 or [email protected].