Guest Speakers and Record Attendance Make the 4th Annual NASP Conference the Best Yet

The National Association of Settlement Purchasers (“NASP”) held its 2008 annual conference in late October in Las Vegas. By most estimates this was the best conference yet, and certainly the best attended with around 110 attorneys and business professionals at the 2 day conference.

Interesting speakers from outside the structured settlement factoring industry highlighted this year’s superlative program. Included were Arizona State Representative Sam Crump, who spoke on effective government relations strategies for businesses; state judge Chris Oldner (Texas) and former state judge Russ Roden (also from Texas) offered us the “view from the bench” relative to structured settlement transfers; and tax attorney Rob Wood who spoke on significant tax issues relative to structured settlements.

While these presentations were all interesting and quite well done, by far the most provocative item on the agenda was a panel discussion with “primary market” structured settlement brokers (that is, people who set up structured settlements). Jack Meligan (Settlement Professionals, Inc.) and Michael Upchurch (Delta Settlements), both of whom are very well respected structured settlement brokers, provided candid criticisms of the structured settlement factoring industry from their points of view. The panel was ably moderated with excellent questions by notable blogger and “father” of the structured settlement business, Patrick Hindert. During the hour long presentation Messrs. Meligan and Upchurch pulled no punches and the resulting discussion involving many members of the audience was lively. The brokers identified advertising and marketing practices of factoring companies as the main source of tension and ill-will between the primary and secondary market.

Communication between the interrelated businesses of structured settlements and settlement purchasing (factoring) is key to overcoming misconceptions and paving the way for better relationships, leading to better products and services for tort victims.  I applaud Mr. Meligan and Mr. Upchurch for their willingness to meet with us and help to break down barriers between the two sides of the structured settlement coin.    

I thank Messrs. Meligan and Upchurch, and all the speakers at the NASP Conference, for their comments and participation. As always, NASP executive direction and general counsel Earl Nesbitt and his assistant, Leslie Wren, worked tirelessly to bring the conference together and make it shine, and did an outstanding job.

For another perspective on the conference, I recommend Patrick Hindert’s blog article.

By Matt Bracy.  As always I welcome your comments, either publicly here on the blog or privately.  You can reach me at mbracy@setcap.com.