LexShares Raises $100 Million Litigation Finance Fund

By John Freund |

 LexShares, a tech-enabled leader in litigation finance, today announced the oversubscribed closing of LexShares Marketplace Fund II (LMFII), a $100 million fund dedicated to investments in commercial legal claims. LexShares’ deployment of the fund will be overseen by new chief executive officer, Cayse Llorens, who joined the firm’s senior leadership team in 2021.

Investment in the fund was led by Titan Advisors, a $4.5 billion alternative investments firm, with additional participation from several institutional investors and select family offices.

“We are excited about our participation in LexShares Marketplace Fund II and our relationship with LexShares,” said Rob Wilson, Titan Advisors’ Director of Insurance Dedicated Funds. “We feel LexShares’ increasing prominence in an industry with multi-decade growth potential supports the objectives we share with our investors. We believe in LexShares’ mission to use technology to source high-quality investment opportunities and, more broadly, to use capital to empower litigants with valid claims to fully access the promise of the civil justice system.”

The successful closing of LMFII follows another major milestone for the litigation funder. In 2021, LexShares received a majority investment from Brockhurst Capital Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm focused on specialty finance. As part of the investment, Brockhurst’s founding partner, Mr. Llorens, was named LexShares’ CEO. An accomplished technology entrepreneur and investor, Mr. Llorens will guide the firm’s strategic direction while spearheading LexShares’ deployment of LMFII.

Before founding Brockhurst, Mr. Llorens was a venture capital investor at Invest Detroit Ventures, OCA Ventures, and Hyde Park Venture Partners. Previously, he led software engineering teams through the $240 million IPO of R1 RCM, the $1.8 billion acquisition of Coyote Logistics by UPS, and the $400 million acquisition of BSwift by Aetna. Mr. Llorens graduated summa cum laude in computer engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and earned his MBA with honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Mr. Llorens joins the LexShares management team and board of directors alongside the firm’s co-founders, president Jay Greenberg and chief investment officer Max Volsky.

“Over the past eight years, LexShares has become one of the most active litigation funders in the market, using technology-driven insights to help our team source more than 140 investments,” said Mr. Llorens. “From the start, LexShares has sought to facilitate greater participation in the legal system while expanding access to a growing asset class. Backed by this fresh capital, we will continue to explore new applications of technology where it meets the law, strengthening LexShares’ position as a leader in the middle market of commercial litigation finance.” 

About LexShares

LexShares is a leading technology platform for litigation finance, with an innovative approach to originating and financing high-value commercial legal claims. LexShares funds litigation-related matters, primarily originated by its proprietary Diamond Mine software, through both its online marketplace and dedicated litigation finance funds. Founded in 2014, the company is privately owned with principal offices in Boston and New York. For more information, visit

lexshares.com.

About LexShares Marketplace Fund II

LexShares Marketplace Fund II (LMFII) is the company’s second discretionary fund dedicated to providing access to a portfolio of litigation-related assets. LMFII has retained Seward & Kissel LLP as its legal counsel, BDO USA, LLP for tax and auditing services, and SS&C Technologies Inc. as its fund administrator.

This release may contain “forward looking statements” which are not guaranteed. Investment opportunities posted on LexShares are offered by WealthForge Securities, LLC, a registered broker-dealer and member FINRA / SIPC. LexShares and WealthForge are separate entities. Investment opportunities offered by LexShares are “private placements” of securities that are not publicly traded, are not able to be voluntarily redeemed or sold, and are intended for investors who do not need a liquid investment. Investments in legal claims are speculative, carry a high degree of risk and may result in loss of entire investment.

Announcements

View All

Lex Ferenda Litigation Funding LLC Announces Promotion; New Appointment

By Harry Moran |

Lex Ferenda Litigation Funding LLC "LF2" is pleased to announce the following promotion and appointment: Andrew Kelley is now LF2's Deputy Chief Investment Officer; Andrew Bourhill joins LF2 as Associate Director, Investments. Kelley previously served as Managing Director, Underwriting and Risk. Bourhill, who was an intern at the company while completing his MBA at Columbia Business School, graduated this month and now joins on a full-time basis.

"LF2 has been working on its first investment fund, committing it to litigation assets around the US. It has always been our plan to increase our commitments to Andrew and Andrew, and we are pleased that the business is in a place that we are able to do that," said Chris Baildon, LF2's Chief Operating Officer.

PROMOTION

Kelley, who now serves as the Company's Deputy Chief Investment Officer, is a key part of the management team and works carefully with the co-founders and advisory board to understand risk and manage investments.

"I am excited to expand my role at LF2 and look forward to continuing to help our clients and their counsel successfully navigate the dispute resolution process without having to worry about how to pay for their representation," said Kelley. "As a former outside counsel and in-house lawyer, I understand the complex business and legal dynamics of successfully funding, prosecuting, and resolving disputes."

Prior to joining LF2 in early 2023, Kelley was Associate General Counsel and head of commercial litigation at Fortune 500 company, DaVita Inc.. He has also served as General Counsel to a private equity firm headquartered in Colorado and as outside counsel at two different international law firms in Colorado. Kelley received his J.D. from Harvard Law School and his B.A. from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He is actively licensed to practice law in Colorado.

APPOINTMENT

Bourhill joins as Associate Director, Investments, and will be primarily responsible for creating, developing, and maintaining business relationships with law firms and litigants to ensure that LF2's commercial activity continues to expand while its clients receive best-in-class service.

"I am looking forward to joining the LF2 team and applying my unique perspective in a dynamic industry with such high growth potential," said Bourhill. "As a former litigator and finance professional, I'm excited to enhance outcomes for both our clients and investors while being able to promote access to high quality legal representation."

Prior to obtaining his MBA, Bourhill was an associate attorney at a premier defense law firm in Manhattan specializing in commercial litigation. Bourhill received his J.D. from the Cardozo School of Law, and his B.A. from Emory University. He is actively licensed to practice law in New York.

"I am humbled to have Kelley and Bourhill take expanded roles at LF2 and believe that their increased fidelity with our clients and investors will make our business stronger," said Michael German, Chief Investment Officer at LF2. "We are continuing to expand in the litigation finance space and are excited about the future, particularly with Andrew and Andrew playing strategic roles within the business," German said.

ABOUT LEX FERENDA LITIGATION FUNDINGLF2 is a commercial litigation finance company anchored by institutional capital. LF2 is structured with the objective of meeting the highest standards in investment process management, quality control, risk management, and compliance. For further information about LF2, please visit: www.lf-2.com.

Read More

Burford Capital Announces Date for Release of 1Q24 Financial Results and Results Call Registration and Participation Details

By Harry Moran |

Burford Capital Limited ("Burford"), the leading global finance and asset management firm focused on law, today announces that it will release its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2024 ("1Q24") on Monday, May 13, 2024, at 7.00am EDT / 12.00pm BST.

Burford will hold a conference call for investors and analysts at 8.00am EDT / 1.00pm BST on Monday, May 13, 2024. The dial-in numbers for the conference call are +1 646 307-1963 (USA) or +1 800 715-9871 (USA & Canada toll free) / +44 (0)20 3481 4247 (UK) or +44 800 260 6466 (UK toll free) and the access code is 7684047. To minimize the risk of delayed access, participants are urged to dial into the conference call by 7.40am EDT / 12.40pm BST.

A live webcast of the call will also be available at https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/323980508, and pre-registration at that link is encouraged.

An accompanying 1Q24 results presentation for investors and analysts will also be made available on Burford's website prior to the conference call at http://investors.burfordcapital.com.Following the conference call, a replay facility for this event will be accessible through the webcast at https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/323980508.

Read More

Darrow Names Mathew Keshav Lewis As Chief Revenue Officer & US General Manager

By John Freund |

Darrow, the leading AI-powered justice intelligence platform, today announced the appointment of Mathew Keshav Lewis as its first Chief Revenue Officer and US General Manager. Lewis brings over 20 years of experience driving revenue and growth for high-profile legal and technology companies – including SaaS platform Dealpath, alternative investment platform Yieldstreet, and legal services pioneer Axiom Law – and will be responsible for helping Darrow scale as it continues an accelerated growth trajectory. 

"Mathew's arrival at Darrow opens enterprise-level deals to all plaintiff law firms, previously accessible only to a select few,” said Evyatar Ben Artzi, CEO and Co-Founder of Darrow. “His expertise from YieldStreet and Axiom empowers our partners to leverage AI, driving unprecedented growth and innovation.” 

Lewis, who will be based in Darrow’s New York headquarters, joins Darrow after serving as the first Chief Revenue Officer of Dealpath, a real estate deal management platform. He also previously held the role of Chief Revenue Officer and GM, Investments at Yieldstreet, where he drove record revenue and growth for the investment platform. 

“I’m delighted to join a team of tremendously talented individuals at Darrow, who have already disrupted the legal technology space and forged the path ahead,” said Mathew Keshav Lewis, Chief Revenue Officer & US General Manager of Darrow. “I am inspired by Darrow’s progress to date, and I look forward to working alongside Darrow’s growing team to expand the company’s footprint.”

This announcement comes at a period of rapid growth for the company, which completed its $35 million Series B funding round last year. Darrow currently works on active litigation valued over $10 billion across legal domains such as privacy, consumer protection, and antitrust. 

About Darrow: Founded in 2020, Darrow is a LegalTech company on a mission to fuel law firm growth and deliver justice for victims of class and mass action lawsuits. Darrow's AI-powered justice intelligence platform leverages generative AI and world-class legal experts and technologists to uncover egregious violations across legal domains spanning privacy and data breach, consumer protection, securities and financial fraud, environment, and employment. Darrow is based out of New York City and Tel Aviv. For more information, visit: darrow.ai

Read More