Stay on top of the impactful deals and transactions that are shaping the litigation finance industry.

It’s predicted that several sizable UK law firms will find themselves in the hands of private equity investors in 2022. These investors will likely focus on large firms that are utilizing damages-based agreements (DBAs).

We already know that litigation funding is growing by leaps and bounds. This industry is a little over a decade old, and by 2019, had become a global industry worth nearly $40 billion. As the reach of funding grows, more businesses are learning the ways in which legal funding can monetize existing litigation assets while sharing risk.

Legal funder GLS Capital has announced plans to finance a licensing and enforcement campaign for patents owned by Asustek Computer Inc. The patents are related to cellular networks—specifically 3G, 4G, and 5G tech.

The transportation sector is notoriously litigious, complex, and vital to the global marketplace. The complexities of contracts, regulation, and the constant evolution of the industry can result in expensive disputes carrying high levels of risk. What’s more—these disputes are likely to be cross-border.

This year’s LF Dealmakers Forum was a hybrid conference, combining in-person guests and speakers along with virtual ones. It was a balancing act between providing a normal and engaging experience, presenting high-quality content, and keeping pandemic safety rules firmly in mind.

India-based tech-focused startup LegalPay announced that the company has closed an interim finance transaction with Yashomati Hospitals Private Ltd—currently insolvent.

Global, sector-focused law firm HFW has partnered with Litigation Capital Management Limited (LCM) to secure the first funding for a domestic arbitration in Singapore, which is now permissible following changes in Singaporean regulations.

Nivalion, Europe´s leading provider of legal finance solutions, announced today that it will acquire the portfolio and know-how of Carpentum Capital Ltd., a Swiss company that has been at the forefront of the development of litigation funding in Latin America, with lawyers on the ground in Argentina, Brazil and Chile.

Miami company MSP Recovery, along with its new partner—Lionheart Acquisition Corp II—announced a deal with Virage Capital Management for a 50% share of all future awards against property and casualty insurers.  

Even among other large-scale infrastructure projects around the world, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is impressive. Its plan is to expand and fortify the Silk Road in an international effort that involves stakeholders from around the globe. In any venture of this size, legal disputes cannot be avoided.

Day one of the two-day 2021 LF Dealmakers conference has officially concluded. The day included a keynote address from Judge Shira A. Scheindlin, six panel discussions, and a host of networking opportunities.

GetSwift Technologies Limited (NEO:GSW) (“GetSwift” or the “Company”), a leading provider of last mile SaaS logistics technology, today as a result of market regulatory requirements announced that has disclosed details of its previously announced Heads of Agreement (HOA) for a settlement with law firm Phi Finney McDonald and Therium Capital Management (Australia) Pty Ltd. and Mr. Raffaele Webb (the “Applicant“) in connection with the class action proceedings before the Federal Court of Australia (the “Court“).

Two of the most prominent art lawyers are departing their New York law firm to open a boutique firm. The founders of the new firm, Larry Kaye and Howard Spiegler, announced their intent to focus solely on matters involving art law. Those involved have called the split “friendly,” and say it’s largely about Kaye Spiegler embracing higher levels of risk.

Kerberos Capital Management announced today the introduction of a groundbreaking new direct lending product to law firms with a margin ratchet linked to ESG targets – the first debt product of its kind in Litigation Finance markets. The program is intended both to recognize and reward firms that have already established a commitment to advancing ESG factors in their work, and to incentivize qualifying firms to continue those efforts into the future.

In the early days of litigation funding, legal firms and funders were separate entities. As the industry has grown more widely accepted, an increasing number of law firms are teaming up with funders to offer clients an array of new services. Now some are questioning whether this is really a positive development.

Pretium Partners LLC is an investment management firm specializing in corporate, residential, and structured credit. It has recently announced the formation of a new investment group focusing on third-party funding.

Gately, the first law firm to list publicly in the UK, recently announced a GBP 20 million litigation funding arm. Expected to begin in early 2022, the funding arm will specialize in claims related to insolvency, investor and shareholder disputes, fraud, and asset protection and recovery.

Pretium, a specialized investment management firm with more than $26 billion in assets, today announced that it has established a legal opportunities investment team. Pretium’s legal opportunities team will work with corporations and law firms to identify and invest in legal and commercial opportunities where its team has deep knowledge and experience and that offer attractive return potential for investors.  Areas of investment will include high value complex disputes between businesses, arbitrations, antitrust, patent and intellectual property, bankruptcy, distressed debt and insolvency and monetization of judgments and awards.  Pretium will not be investing in consumer litigation finance.

London-based law firm Mishcon de Reya has announced the launch of MDR Solutions, a new litigation funding venture. The finance arm was established with support from Harbour Litigation Funding, which has promised $200 million to the fund.

An investor group led by asset recovery funder Drumcliffe LLC has purchased 1,138,245 shares in Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. (NASDAQ:OMEX) (“Odyssey”), from Epsilon Acquisitions LLC in a private transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Per Australian law, Omni Bridgeway has registered with ASIC as a litigation funding scheme. This statement has been distributed to all applicable parties with an interest in the appeals in Halifax Investment Services Pty Ltd v Loo, and Halifax New Zealand limited v Loo, for Category 1 Investors.

According to research from Westfleet Advisors, at least 95% of cases pitched to third-party funders are rejected. Litigation funding is increasing in popularity and new entrants are always entering the space. But that hardly means securing getting a funding agreement is a sure thing.

One group of Binance traders has asserted that they lost $20 million in cryptocurrency trades earlier this year. Bitcoin prices dropped by as much as 30% last May—following the announcement of a Chinese crackdown on cryptocurrency.

As lawyers, courts, and plaintiffs develop an appreciation for Litigation Finance, competition becomes increasingly robust. Demand for funding is up, as are the number of new funders throwing their hats into the ring. There’s a wide array of funding entities now, and they vary in terms of preferred case size, minimum and maximum deployments, jurisdiction, commercial or industry specialties, and more.