Omni Bridgeway’s Giacomo Serra Zanetti Discusses Italian Expansion

Despite the looming spectre of potential regulation affecting the litigation funding industry in Europe, it seems that third-party funding is continuing to grow in activity across a wide variety of European jurisdictions. One country that has experienced a surge in new activity is Italy, with domestic startup funders emerging to take advantage of local opportunities, and international established firms, such as Omni Bridgeway, looking to expand their operations into the country.

An article by Legalcommunity.it explores the entry of Omni Bridgeway to the Italian market, providing insight into the company’s strategy through an interview with Giacomo Serra Zanetti, who will be leading the funder’s operations in Italy. Serra Zanetti shared that he will be responsible for sourcing investment opportunities in Italy, with Omni Bridgeway looking to explore both domestic disputes and international arbitration cases involving Italian parties or recoveries within the country.

Discussing Omni Bridgeway’s targets for clients, Serra Zanetti explained that the funder will primarily focus on establishing relationships with law firms in Italy, but will also look at direct engagements with companies involved in litigation, especially in the bankruptcy and insolvency arena. Emphasising the nuances of the Italian market, Serra Zanetti points out that Italian law firms often have to take a creative approach to align with the financial interests or constraints of their clients. This creates opportunities for a funder like Omni Bridgeway to take that burden off of the law firm and allow it to focus on the litigation itself.