The Bairs Foundation is delighted to announce that the Foundation for Improvement of Justice has named John Bair among its recipients of the 2019 Paul H. Chapman Award. The foundation is honoring John for his efforts to assist plaintiffs with financial support while they go through litigation, and for his creation of the Bairs Foundation to reform the non-recourse lending industry. Since co-founding the 501(c)(3) nonprofit with his wife Amy, John and his team have helped more than 250 families with more than $1.9 million in funding.
John has 20 years of diverse experience in the civil justice community. A graduate of West Point, John served for seven years as a U.S. Army Captain and Aviator before starting his career in settlement planning and management. He works closely with attorneys and plaintiffs, helping them plan for their financial future after litigation, through his settlement planning firm Milestone Consulting. Throughout his career, John has advocated for bills designed to protect consumers and enable pro bono settlement consulting, provided services on over 10 major multidistrict 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.
In addition to his philanthropic efforts through the Bairs Foundation, John played an integral role in the founding of Trial Lawyers Care, a commission in New York City for 9/11 victims and a task force within the American Association for Justice. He is also an active member of Rotary International and a board member and volunteer speaker with End Distracted Driving (EndDD.org).
The Foundation for Improvement of Justice is a nonprofit institution founded to improve local, state, and federal systems of justice within the U.S. Each year, the Foundation bestows the Paul H. Chapman Award to individuals and organizations nationwide whose innovations have made positive, influential differences in the American criminal and civil justice arenas and serve as models for others.
Congratulations to John and the rest of the 2019 award winners.