In this episode, we sat down with Robert Hanna, co-founder of Augusta Ventures, the largest litigation funder in the UK by case volume. Robert discussed Augusta's recent GBP 250 million fundraise, including how the company plans to invest its capital, how he envisions the global market for litigation funding will evolve post-COVID, and what the large funding round says about the viability of the litigation funding industry.
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In this episode, we spoke with Ben Phi of Australian class action law firm Phi Finney McDonald. Ben recently penned this LinkedIn post which outlines his comments to the Senate Economics Committee on the proposed regulatory changes to the class action landscape in Australia. Ben joined us on the podcast to further explain his position, including his response to the 'rising D&O insurance' and 'social inflation' arguments being made by Big Insurance, and the negative consequences that could emerge if large class actions are over-regulated.
In this episode, we speak to Ben Moss about Orchard Group's foray into litigation funding. We learn what benefits the asset manager model offers in the commercial litigation funding sphere, how Orchard is approaching the market, the types of claims it is looking to fund, and what Ben's predictions are for the industry as the global legal landscape emerges from COVID-induced lockdowns.
In this episode, Elena Rey of Brown Rudnick discusses her effort to introduce model documentation to the litigation funding industry. Elena explains the motivations behind model documentation, what the specific benefits are, how it will impact the industry going forward, and she elaborates on Brown Rudnick's formation of the Litigation Funding Working Group, which brings together litigation funders, insurers, legal experts and others to help formulate model documentation for use in the UK, EU and elsewhere.
On this episode, we speak with Louise Trayhurn, Executive Director of Legis Finance. Louise discusses Legis' bespoke approach to managing client relationships, the various funding and insurance products the company offers, the growing trend of GCs and CFOs extracting more value out of their legal assets, and what trends she predicts for the future of the industry.
On this episode, Grant Farrar of Arran Capital discusses his firm's value proposition as the only litigation funder focused solely on public sector financing. Grant explains why public sector funding merits its own categorization, what the sticking points are in convincing politicians and others of litigation funding's value, and what his expectations are for future growth in this rapidly-evolving space.
Our guest today is Dan Bush, Chief Investment Officer and Director of Innovation at Law Finance Group. Dan discusses Law Finance Group’s latest law firm funding product, AR Now, including why his firm is targeting accounts receivable, what the selection and approval process for lawyers is like, how AR Now can help facilitate alternative fee arrangements, and how the product fits into the company’s suite of offerings.
Our guest today is Cormac Leech, founder of AxiaFunder. AxiaFunder is a UK-based funding platform that provides institutional and high net worth investors the opportunity to invest in commercial litigation claims. Cormac discusses his company's success thus far both in attracting investors and sourcing strong claims, how crowdfunding platforms should be considered in the context of FCA rulings and ALF guidelines, some disclosure concerns for litigation funders, and what AxiaFunder's priorities are going forward.
Our guest today is Rob Cooper, Group Chief Executive Officer at ME Group Holdings. ME Group is a UK-based LegalTech provider of litigation funding, insurance and legal representation for consumers facing complex legal problems. Rob explains his company's proprietary technology, their partnership with Forbes Ventures, and future plans on the horizon.
Our guest today is Erik Bomans, CEO of Deminor Recovery Services. Deminor is an EU and Asia-focused litigation funder. The company has a presence in six countries and has supported claims in 13 jurisdictions, with an 81% positive outcome rate. Erik discusses issues relating to market awareness, regulatory environment and country-to-country differences across Europe with respect...
On this episode, Rebecca Berrebi, Founder and CEO of litigation funding advisory firm Avenue 33, LLC, explains the benefits of an advisory service to funders, lawyers, claimants and investors. She discusses the types of questions advisors get from their clients, what law firms and claimants should look for when partnering with a funder, the evolution of the funding industry over the last five years, and what the future holds for this rapidly-evolving space.
In this episode, Kevin Flood, COO of Segue Cloud Services, returns to the podcast to discuss Segue’s 3.0 upgrade (see the recent press release). Kevin explains how Segue’s cloud-based technology automates workflows and reduces operating costs, the specific enhancements of the 3.0 upgrade, how customer data is protected, and the company accommodates client needs during the lockdown.
In this episode, we spoke with Michael Weisz of YieldStreet. Michael discusses how YieldStreet’s platform operates, allowing accredited investors to participate in alternative asset deals (including litigation finance) typically reserved for institutional players. Michael also explains the advantages of the platform provided to both investors and deal partners, as well as how the funding industry has evolved over the five years since YieldStreet’s inception, and why he believes the litigation funding industry is headed for a $50-$100 billion valuation by 2030.
On this episode, we sat down with Michael Kelley, partner at Parker Poe, a regional law firm representing many of the Southeast's largest companies and local governments. As a former GC himself, Michael discusses litigation funding from an in-house perspective. Why might GCs be reluctant to adopt funding, and are those tendencies changing post-Covid? Plus, what can funders do to differentiate themselves as they approach the GC market?
In this episode, we spoke with Christopher DeLise, Founder & CEO of Delta Capital Partners. Delta was founded in 2011, and Chris explains both his company and the industry have evolved over that time. He also goes into detail about 'the Delta difference,' and highlights some unique product launches that are expected to rollout soon.
Our guests today are Paul Cody and Todd Kushman from law firm funder Counsel Financial. Paul and Todd discuss what sets Counsel Financial's business model apart from that of traditional funders, how they partner with funders in various capacities, the types of financial products the company offers, and how both their company and the industry at large has evolved in the 20 years since Counsel Financial was first founded.
In this episode, we speak with Dave Kerstein, Chief Risk Officer of Validity Finance, and Will Marra, Portfolio Counsel at Validity. Dave and Will discuss the Working Group on Litigation Funding's response to the controversial NYC Bar opinion, which found that third party funding violates the prohibition on fee sharing. They also discuss the role of litigation funding in today's stressful economic times, and how the COVID-19 crisis is likely to impact the funding industry.
In this episode, we sit down with Justin Kuczmarski of NAV Valuation and Advisory. Justin discusses the value-add that an independent auditor and valuation expert provides, why litigation funders shouldn’t necessarily rely on the plaintiff firm’s valuation, and what quantitative and qualitative metrics he uses when determining a claim’s valuation.
In this episode, we sit down with Nick Pontt, the newest addition to UK-based consumer and commercial funder, Affiniti Finance. Nick discusses the ins and outs of Affiniti's unique business model, the types of claims the funder looks to finance, what separates Affiniti from the competition, and what the future holds for the company and broader litigation funding industry.
In this week's episode, we sat down with Charles Agee of Westfleet Advisors. Westfleet just released their inaugural Litigation Finance Buyer's Guide, the most comprehensive study of the U.S. commercial litigation finance industry. Charles discusses the study's methodology, the controversial findings that there is deployment pressure on funders and that only 30% of funder commitments are allocated to the AmLaw 200, and what the benefits are of a study such as this one for the industry as a whole.
On this episode, we speak with Laina Miller Hammond of Validity Finance. Laina recently conducted research into the gender pay gap that exists for lawyers. She discusses its root causes, how female lawyers can maneuver within the current system to achieve greater pay equity, and how litigation finance can be leveraged to achieve that very goal.
In this episode, we speak with litigation finance investor Ed Truant, and Westfleet Advisors managing partner Charles Agee about their call for the commercial litigation finance industry to associate. We discuss the benefits of an association, how they plan to deal with issues like mandatory disclosure and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and how similar associations in the UK, Australia, and on the consumer side in the U.S. can serve as examples of how to proceed.
In this episode, we sat down with Kevin Flood - Chief Operating Officer of Segue Cloud Services. Segue is a customized software built on the Salesforce platform, designed to automate the business processes of pre-settlement funding companies. For more information on Segue, you can visit them at their website: https://seguecloudservices.com
In this episode we speak with Paul Haskel of RK&O. Paul discusses establishing a litigation funding practice at his firm, how his background in distressed and high-yield debt investments overlaps with the funding sector, how he structures funding agreements for both claimants and law firms, and what the impact of Burford v. Muddy Waters is likely to be on the industry going forward.
In this episode, we sit down with Linda Fitz-Alan of the Abu Dabi Global Market Courts. Linda discusses the recent Litigation Funding Rules which the court has adopted, how the ADGM went about developing the rules, and how their implementation is expected to impact the broader funding climate in the region.
In this episode, we sat down with Peter Petyt of UK-based litigation funding brokerage and advisory service 4 Rivers. Peter explains his role in originating deals and managing relationships between funders, law firms and claimants. He also outlines his company’s partnership with data analytics firm Premonition, as well as his thoughts on the impact of
In this episode, we speak with Yoav Navon of Woodford’s brand new Israeli office. Woodsford is the first global funder to open an office in Israel, and Yoav tells us about the market for litigation funding there, what types of cases Woodsford is investing in, and how the broader legal and economic environment looks in
On this episode of The Litigation Finance Podcast, we sat down with Yasmin Mohammad to discuss international arbitration, specifically the role that arbitral institutions are playing as relates to litigation funding. We also discussed the rise of litigation funding in the Middle East, and why jurisdictions like the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are now...
In this week’s episode, we sit down with Scott Mozarsky of Vannin Capital to discuss the Legal Tech industry. What are the advancements being made as pertains to Legal Services? How are litigation funders leveraging the industry’s innovation? How are they picking winners and losers? And what will the future of the Legal Services industry...
In this episode, we sit down with David Kerstein of Validity Finance to discuss his transition from industry stalwart IMF Bentham to relative upstart Validity. We also discussed the role of Chief Risk Officer, the use of AI and Big Data to mitigate risk, and whether the issue of mandatory disclosure poses a risk to
In this episode, we speak with Michael German of Vannin Capital about the issue of disclosure. With the recent GOP Senators’ push to re-introduce legislation that would mandate disclosure of all third party-funded agreements in class action cases and MDLs, disclosure is on the forefront of all industry participants’ minds. Michael recently penned an article...
In our first episode of 2019, we speak with Nick Rowles-Davies about his transition to the now publicly-traded LCM, what the global expansion plans are, why it’s so difficult for funders to break into corporate portfolio financing, and what he foresees over the next five years for this ever-evolving industry. ...
On this week’s podcast, we spoke with Tets Ishikawa of Acasta Europe and Sparkle Capital. Tets described helping to found the small-to-midsize claim funding market in the UK, how the relationship between Acasta and Sparkle was born, Sparkle’s role on Debenham Ottaway’s new funding panel, and whether the funding and insurance industries will merge long-term....
In this week’s episode, we spoke with Elizabeth and Elisa, co-founders of Florida-based Consumer Legal Funder, Momentum Funding. The duo shared their thoughts on the industry’s evolution over the past decade, how the influx of investor capital will impact future growth, why regulation is actually a good thing, and how a chance encounter at a...
In this week’s episode, we spoke with Debenhams Ottaway solicitor Luke Harrison. Luke recently established a panel of litigation funders – including Therium Capital Management, Sparkle Capital, and Ferguson Litigation Funding – whose aim is to assist Debenhams Ottaway in its innovative efforts to bring small-value claims in the UK. ...
On this week’s podcast, Marius Nasta of UK-based Redress Solutions discusses how the winds of fate brought him into the world of litigation finance, how the industry has evolved over the last decade, what sets Redress apart from the competition, and what specific changes we should – and should not – expect in the UK...
On this week’s episode, we sat down with Tim Mayer of London-based Therium. Tim discussed the variety of portfolio financing instruments Therium offers, his role on the ICCA Queen Mary Task Force, why the presence of funding should not inform a security for costs order, and how he sees things shaping up post-Brexit. Happy listening–...
In this episode, we sat down with Ross Wallin, Co-Founder of NY-based Curiam Capital, which just opened its doors this past February. Ross spoke about why he made the transition from litigator to litigation funder, how Curiam differentiates itself from the competition, how law firms can utilize litigation finance to increase their rack rate realization,
In this episode, we spoke with Dilip Massand of Dubai-based SAS about litigation finance in the Middle East, the benefits of being an asset recovery firm with a litigation funding business line, how sovereign wealth funds and family offices approach litigation finance differently, and what gives him hope for the future of the industry. Happy...
On this week’s episode, we sat down with Ed Truant, Managing Director of Balmoral Wood, a Canadian Fund of Funds (FoF) for the Litigation Finance space. Ed discussed how the FoF idea first started, what he looks for when assessing fund managers, why diversification is so crucial when investing in Litigation Finance, and what keeps...
In this week’s episode, we discuss issues surrounding Privilege in the context of Third Party Litigation Funding. How does the privilege situation differ across jurisdictions? What do the Chevron and Acceleration Bay cases teach us about how privilege gets waived? How can funders allay client concerns? And what are the legislative trends and forecasts? It...
In this episode, Tom Glasgow of IMF Bentham discusses Third Party Litigation Funding in East Asia. What types of cases are being looked at, and what can we expect down the road? How do Hong Kong and Singapore compare and contrast in their approaches to TPLF? And what does the future of TPLF look like...
In this episode, we spoke with Chris Deadman, who broke off from Augusta Ventures to start his own SME-focused commercial litigation funder, Invicta Capital Funding. Chris discussed the SME market in the UK, why he thinks it’s poised to grow faster than the large-claims market, his push into portfolio financing, and how Brexit will affect...
On this episode, we spoke with Michael Weisz, Co-Founder of YieldStreet. YieldStreet is a platform that allows accredited investors the opportunity to invest in alternative assets, such as commercial real estate and Litigation Finance. Michael explained to us why YieldStreet was founded, how the platform works, how they managed to overcome the challenge of educating
This week we speak with Noel Edmonds, a UK broadcasting legend, radio executive, and host of ‘Deal Or No Deal.’ Noel has secured financing from Therium Capital Management for his £60MM claim against Lloyds Bank. Noel shared his thoughts on ‘Lliars Banking Group,’ why he opted for litigation funding, and the reason he founded an internet
In this episode, Zachary Krug shares his global perspective on Litigation Finance by discussing the industry’s emergence in both Latin America and the Middle East. What is the status of Litigation Finance in those emerging markets? How have local practitioners and corporates responded to the practice? And what are the specific challenges facing global funders...
Today marks the 1-year anniversary of Litigation Finance Journal! To celebrate, we brought in LFJ’s Founder and CEO, Jason Redlus. Jason explained why he first started LFJ, how he assesses the Litigation Finance industry from the standpoint of an investor, what funders are doing well (and what they should be doing differently), and what he
On this episode of the LFJ podcast, we spoke with Reid Zeising, Founder and CEO of Atlanta-based Consumer Legal Funder, Cherokee Funding. Reid opened up about Cherokee’s funding process, the significance of ‘rolling contracts,’ why plaintiffs should value time over money, and why he believes the Chamber of Commerce and the Consumer Legal Funding industry...
On this episode, we sat down with Joel Magerman, CEO of investment bank Bryant Park Capital, to discuss the Consumer Legal Funding industry from the debt and equity markets’ perspectives. What do funders need to prepare before approaching debt and equity markets? What’s the #1 reason funders are turned down for investment? What are the...
In this episode, we spoke with Philip Evangelou about the work/life balance differences between litigation funders and litigators, what he looks for when diligencing prospective investments, how Augusta is uniquely structured for growth in both the SME and large-claim markets, and why overall litigation in the UK is likely to surge post-Brexit. Hope you enjoy
In this week’s episode, we speak with Maurice Power about Ferguson Litigation Funding’s roots as an insolvency-based law firm, what the market is like for small to mid-size Commercial & Consumer claims in the UK, how he approaches educating lawyers and trustees about the benefits of litigation finance, and what life will be like after
On this week’s episode, Carolina Ramirez took us through the sourcing and diligence process of UK-based commercial litigation funder, Vannin Capital. She also explained what it’s like to open their New York office, and commented on Vannin’s new CEO appointment, Richard Hextall. And perhaps most interestingly, Carolina described the litigation funding market in Latin America...
In this week’s episode, we sat down with Allison Chock to discuss Bentham’s plans for their freshly-minted $200M fundraising vehicle, the company’s push into bankruptcy investment, its growth within the United States, and the battle against the Chamber of Commerce on the issue of mandatory disclosure. We even learned a few new terms during the podcast,...
On this episode of the Litigation Finance Podcast, we sat down with Roni Elias of TownCenter Partners. Roni discusses what it’s like to run both a Consumer & Commercial Litigation Finance company, why small to mid-size law firms aren’t too fond of Litigation Finance, and why he’s against the Chamber of Commerce’s recent push for...
Longford has already established itself as the most prominent U.S.-based litigation finance firm, which makes this podcast a must-listen! In addition, Bill made a number of surprising and intriguing points, including that mandatory disclosure will be good for funders, and that the #1 challenge facing the industry isn’t educating lawyers or battling regulatory oversight, but rather...
On this week’s episode, our guest is Tania Sulan, CIO of Bentham Canada. Tania spoke candidly about a number of subjects, including the challenges of opening an office in a brand new market, what makes Canada such an attractive investment opportunity, the specific differences between the Canadian and U.S. lit fin markets, and how far
On this episode of the Litigation Finance Podcast, our guest is Eric Schuller. Eric is the Director of Government and Community Affairs at Oasis Financial, an Illinois-based Consumer Legal Funder, and President of ARC – the Alliance for Responsible Consumer Legal Funding. ARC is a trade organization and coalition of Consumer Legal Funders dedicated to
