John Bair holds over twenty years of diverse experience in the settlement planning industry, and the civil justice community at large. He is the Founder and CEO of Seventh Amendment Holdings, a company that provides comprehensive, plaintiff-focused settlement planning and management through its subsidiary companies, specifically Milestone Consulting and Monolith Advisors. He is the Co-Founder and President of the Bairs Foundation, a first of its kind 501C3 public charity providing emergency capital to litigants. Most recently, John has co-founded CrowFly, an online exchange that connects buyers and sellers of annuities.

A graduate of West Point, John served in the U.S. Cavalry for seven years as a Captain and Aviation Officer. He founded and was CEO of Forge Consulting, a national plaintiff structure firm, from 2003-2012. With Milestone, John has advocated for bills designed to protect consumers and enable pro bono settlement consulting, provided services on over 10 major multi-district litigations, and worked on landmark cases such as the BP/Deepwater Horizon settlement, the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, the 1983 Beirut Marine Barracks Bombing, the U.S. embassy bombing in Tanzania, and notable national aviation disasters. He serves on the board of the Casey Feldman Foundation and the End Distracted Driving Campaign, as well as the Association for Justice’s “Trial Lawyers Care” task force.

In his spare time, John’s an avid soccer, basketball, and hockey Dad. He loves traveling the world with his wife, Amy, and enjoys healthy competition in bocce, billiards, and cornhole.

As the Director of Settlement Planning, Leslie George actively works with trial lawyers and their clients to help them move through the financial transition after what’s likely a life-changing experience. She approaches each case carefully, knowing that settlement planning typically requires attention and appreciation about each client’s financial background, needs, and goals.

Having studied both business and religion at Niagara University, Leslie’s ability to get to know clients on a personal level and her eagerness to problem solve helped escalate her from case analyst and case manager to her current leadership role.

In her free time, Leslie likes enjoying a meal at a new restaurant with friends and family, seeing different parts of the country, staying active, and spoiling her French bulldogs.

Having over 20 years in the legal industry, Kristen Whalen brings a wealth of knowledge to the settlement planning world. As Director of Operations at Milestone, Kristen is responsible for the day-to-day running of the business. She manages processes, efficiencies, quality control, and policies in order to facilitate accelerating development and long-term success. She enjoys interacting with employees on all different levels of the company and constantly learning new things.

Prior to Milestone, Kristen received a B.S. in Legal Studies from Bay Path University in Massachusetts, and has served in roles such as Senior Case Manager for a national settlement planning firm, Paralegal in boutique law firms, and Operations Manager of a law office. Outside of work, Kristen enjoys making memories with her family, and she hopes to own a vacation home in the near future.

With more than a decade of experience in behavioral science, teaching, research, clinical psychology, and data analysis, Nita Bhatia‘s training has positioned her to really understand human behavior, communication, body language, and emotions. This ability to effectively communicate and build and establish rapport and trust with individuals and executives in an authentic manner is key to her professional success.

As Chief Operations Officer for CrowFly, Nita manages relationships with vendors and stakeholders, implements communications and marketing initiatives, leads strategic and business development, oversees product design and development, and manages all operations and growth. She thrives under chaos and pressure and loves the diverse responsibilities of this role. In her free time, Nita loves to travel – having been to 42 states and five continents – read at coffee shops, hike, and test out local smooth bourbon cocktails.

Rachel Mathews serves as the Chief Marketing Officer for Milestone and all of the entities under Seventh Amendment Holdings. After receiving a B.A. in Political Science and a B.A. in Peace and Justice Studies from Fordham University, Rachel has gone on to hold a variety of professional roles, all underlined by improving justice and the lives of others. She went from a paralegal in Manhattan to working in operations and client management in fast-paced startups in San Francisco, before moving back to Buffalo and joining the team at Milestone.

Outside of the office, Rachel enjoys traveling and exploring, being active, and being in the sun as much as possible. She also has a passion for public service and is involved in numerous organizations in her community, including Make a Wish WNY, Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, the WNY Women’s Foundation, and our very own Bairs Foundation.

As an Associate, Sam Dolce primarily establishes and helps oversee Milestone’s qualified settlement funds. Sam also provides in-depth comprehensive settlement consultations for attorneys and clients alike. By blending the skills of an attorney and a planner, he is able to ensure the best possible results for everyone who walks through his door. Sam is passionate about social justice, and firmly believes his mission is to keep the most money in the pockets of hard-working clients and their deserving families. 

Sam received a B.A. in History from Macalester College, followed by a J.D. from SUNY Buffalo Law School. Sam served as a participant in the New York State Pro Bono Scholar Program and has received multiple acknowledgements and awards for his dedication to pro bono service and social justice, including the Milton Kaplan Law and Social Development Award, and an official acknowledgement from the New York State 4^th Department for his Pro Bono Service.  Outside of the office and school, Sam is slowly transitioning his basketball game from that of a scoring point guard to that of the old guy at the YMCA who sits in the corner and hits threes.

As a Settlement Administrator, Laura Fetto mainly oversees Milestone’s qualified settlement funds, ensuring plaintiffs, as well as the firms and attorneys involved in a case, receive the funds they are owed and in a timely manner. She most enjoys being able to play a part in peoples’ compensation processes and being able to do something that matters and truly helps people.

Laura received a B.S. in Political Science from SUNY Brockport, followed by an M.A. in Political Science at the University at Buffalo before attending law school at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego. Laura is currently completing her LL.M. (Master of Laws) in Financial Compliance and Risk Management at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law online. Outside of the office and school, Laura likes to attend ballet class, run, and cheer for the Buffalo Bills even though they constantly disappoint her.

Dominic Baranyi serves as Controller, overseeing financial reporting, internal controls, and tax compliance for Seventh Amendment Holdings and its subsidiaries.  He also focuses on solving core operational issues that inevitably drive the bottom line, including business process improvements, system implementations, and other productivity hacks.  Before joining the Milestone team, Dominic worked for an industry-disrupting tech unicorn company in Western New York, where he was the first member of an accounting department that quickly scaled to a team of twelve.

Dominic received his M.S. in Accounting from the University at Buffalo and has been a licensed Certified Public Accountant in New York State since 2015.  He is certified as a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, after leading a team that implemented a more efficient and robust monthly closeout procedure.  Outside of the office, Dominic enjoys reading nonfiction, a fresh cup of coffee, traveling, and sports analytics.  Most importantly, he and his better half recently welcomed their first child into the world and are loving their new role as first-time parents.

As an Operations Specialist, Jessica McDowell assists with day-to-day communications and operations and provides various means of support to all entities under Seventh Amendment Holdings. She works closely with the Operations Director to ensure clients’ needs are being met with an exceptional level of attention. Prior to joining Milestone, Jessica facilitated closing transactions in the real estate industry, and her experience has provided her with organizational and communicative skills that have helped her to thrive in the settlement planning industry.

Jessica graduated from Houghton College, where she played on the Houghton Women’s Soccer Team and earned her B.A. in International Development. She has since served with various non-profit organizations both nationally and internationally, and her passion for helping people has been both evident and valuable in her role at Milestone. Outside of the office, Jessica enjoys running, snowboarding, exploring new places, and spending time with friends and family.

Drawing on years of experience developing and executing communications strategies for B2B and B2C companies, Jordyn Burnell approaches the Milestone brands and services through a storytelling lens. She has worked in both agency and in-house capacities, and holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations – with a dual minor in Spanish and theatre – from the State University of New York at Fredonia.

As the Public Relations and Communications Manager, Jordyn supports Milestone’s marketing efforts and oversees all PR and communications work for the firm, including media relations, social media strategy, brand collateral, and client engagement initiatives. In her free time, Jordyn likes to try new restaurants and experiences with her husband, practice yoga, plan her next trip to Disney World, and obsess over her perfect puppy Petunia.

Katie Bridger graduated from St. Bonaventure University, where she studied business, law, and political science.  Though she enjoyed her studies, her greatest take away was the small-town environment, community, and travel abroad experiences she participated in. From traveling to Nassau, Bahamas for service trips to Perugia, Italy with her fellow Bonnies, she was able to immerse herself in a variety of different cultures that influenced her current values and outlook on life. In addition to travel, she participated in local mentorship programs with elementary schools and held an influential student-academic role by serving on the university student government for 3 years.

As a Client Support Specialist for CrowFly, Katie assists and supports clients through the transaction process. Her background and interest in law and working with attorneys, along with her continued community service involvement, has been a key asset and contributor for her success in this role. Outside of work, she loves to read, spend time outdoors, and enjoy the company of friends and family.