This Season of Giving, Help Families Keep Their Homes for the Holidays

As we make plans to travel or welcome guests this holiday season, it’s difficult to imagine that many plaintiffs and their families are facing the threat of homelessness. Injured and often out of work, they have been tapping into their savings to keep the lights on, put food on the table, and stay in

Fair Pre-Settlement Funding – An Oxymoron or a Viable Alternative?

By Erin Waas, Executive Director of The Milestone Foundation  “I have a good client who needs pre-settlement funding, which I almost always advise against. But she is desperate, and this case will settle soon. Do you think you can help?” As the executive director of The Milestone Foundation – the only nonprofit providing

The Significance of Having Trauma-informed Staff

By Julia DiCristofaro Even with the fiercest legal team behind them, a plaintiff can be overwhelmed by litigation. Talking about their traumatic incident forces them to relieve painful memories. And, as the legal battle continues for months or years, the plaintiff could face a dwindling bank account. Then, if needed be, reaching out

Lending a Hand to Our Western New York Neighbors

The Milestone Foundation offers low-interest funding to plaintiffs across the country, but what makes us extra proud is the work we’ve done to support families here in our own backyard. Over the past five years, The Milestone Foundation has provided over $300,000 to Western New York residents to help them make ends meet while

Co-Founder John Bair Featured in Buffalo Business First

We're excited to share that our co-founder, John Bair, was featured in Buffalo Business First! The article discusses John's motivation behind founding our nonprofit and why he is driven to strengthen civil justice. "Bair and his wife, Amy, created the Milestone Foundation in 2016, a nonprofit charitable foundation that offers lower-interest loans to

Erin Waas on Emerging Litigation Podcast

Our executive director, Erin Waas, sat down with Tom Hagy on the Emerging Litigation podcast. Erin described the Foundation's unique approach to plaintiff pre-settlement funding, one Tom calls "infinitely more understandable and affordable for claimants." Listen below! The Emerging Litigation podcast is a joint effort between HB Litigation Conferences and Law

The Milestone Foundation on Lawful Good Podcast

Lawful Good is a human-interest podcast about people in the legal profession and the trials they face inside and outside the courtroom. Host Luke W. Russell sat down (virtually) with John Bair to discuss his inspiration for founding The Milestone Foundation with his wife, Amy, and how our nonprofit helps plaintiffs in need during

Pandemic Delays Civil Trials, Rendering Plaintiffs Vulnerable to Predatory Lenders

"This client called me yesterday, and he was so depressed," Traub said. "And I told him, I can go get you a loan … but you do understand that basically I'm borrowing from loan sharks." He tells them all the story of one client who took out a $2,000 loan, and wound up owing $58,000. "It

Meet Erin Waas, our new Executive Director!

Please join us in welcoming Erin Waas as our new Executive Director! Erin brings nearly two decades of experience working in the public sector and with nonprofits in fundraising and communications, most recently at the University at Buffalo, where she served as senior advancement writer. Prior to relocating to Buffalo, Erin spent the bulk