To settle litigation challenging his status as a candidate for re-election, he agreed to withdraw from the ballot in last month's village election.

But that cannot be said definitively, because accounting firms generally try to settle litigation quietly.

The loss of clients decreased its ability to settle civil litigation.

First Investors settled litigation stemming from its aggressive sales of two junk bond funds in the 1980's.

The payment was made under an agreement announced last month that settled all disputes and litigation between the two companies, Ashland said.

The credit was specifically designed to offset the $368 billion the industry agreed to pay to settle anti-tobacco litigation in 40 states earlier this year.

He also reduced case backlogs by having senior lawyers serve as mediators in an effort to settle litigation out of court.

Liggett has previously sought to settle litigation against it.

Since 2007, the Purdue companies have paid over $650 million in settling litigation or facing criminal fines.

It's the first time a tobacco company has ever settled litigation and agreed to pay any money.