$60 Million Settlement to Class of AME Church Ministers

A federal court has granted final approval of a $60 million settlement in a case brought on behalf of current and retired ministers of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

The settlement follows years of work aimed at addressing losses tied to the ministers’ retirement savings.

Matt Lee served as co-lead counsel in the case, working alongside other members of Lee Segui–Jeremy Williams, Mark Sigmon, and Katharine Batchelor. Along with co-counsel, the team helped guide the case through a long and complex process that ultimately led to the court’s approval.

Cases like this do not move quickly. They require time, coordination, and patience. Over several years, the focus was on understanding what happened, reviewing large volumes of records, and building a clear picture of how the losses occurred. That work included close collaboration among firms, careful attention to the facts, and steady engagement with the court as the case developed.

The settlement reflects that effort. The class includes thousands of ministers, both active and retired, who rely on their retirement savings for long-term financial stability. The court’s approval confirms that the settlement provides a fair resolution based on the record developed over the course of the litigation.

As co-lead counsel Matt Lee noted, reaching this point was an important step, but not the end of the story. “It’s been a long and difficult effort, and we are not finished,” he said. “This settlement is an important milestone in our work to recover every dollar these pastors lost. The impact will be felt by thousands of current and retired AME ministers.”

From the start, this case was about doing what was right for the people affected. Ministers trusted their retirement funds to be handled responsibly, and when that trust was broken, accountability mattered. The settlement represents progress toward making things right and acknowledging the impact those losses had on real lives.

For the ministers, it’s a step toward restoring retirement savings they depended on. And for those involved in managing those funds, it serves as a reminder that responsibility and care are not optional.