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draft settlement

Wisconsin Law Firms Settle With The Tobacco Industry

Tobacco companies agreed last Friday to pay $75 million over the next five years to the three private law firms that represented Wisconsin in the state's lawsuit against cigarette manufacturers.

The law firms were seeking $175 million over the next 30-40 years.

Under the terms of the multi-state settlement, the tobacco companies agree to pay the state's attorneys' fees out of a separate fund. "This agreement will have no effect on how much money the state will receive.

None of this money will come from the taxpayers," said Wisconsin Attorney General James Doyle.

Source:
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, (6/22/99) "Attorneys settle on tobacco pay," Richard P. Jones, [Full Text here]