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Commercial Regulatory Issues

Landmark New York Court’s Decision Strengthens the Future of Litigation Funding

September 14, 2023

Landmark New York Court’s Decision Strengthens the Future of Litigation Funding

The following piece was contributed by Guido Demarco, Director and Head of Legal Assets at Stonward. In a groundbreaking legal battle that pitted Petersen Energía SAU and Petersen Energía Inversora SAU[1] (the Petersen Companies) against the Republic of Argentina, the recent decision by the District Court of Southern District of New York has far-reaching implications for the litigation funding industry. This landmark ruling reaffirms the critical role litigation funders play in providing access to justice, particularly in complex cases involving powerful sovereign entities. The Petersen case was a high-stake dispute that arose when Argentina failed to fulfill its obligations under the bylaws of YPF S.A, the national oil company. When Argentina privatized the company during the 90s, the country promised under the bylaws a compensated exit to shareholders – a mandatory tender offer – if Argentina were to reacquire control of the company by any means. In 2012, Argentina expropriated Repsol’s 51% stake in YPF but did not fulfill this promise, eventually plunging the Petersen Companies into insolvency and liquidation. To fight back against this injustice, the resourceful insolvency administrator of the companies, Armando Betancor, devised a liquidation plan in 2015 that included securing litigation funding. Given the immense risks involved, the Petersen Companies had to assign 70% of any recovery obtained in the claims to Burford Capital, the litigation funder. These risks included fighting a fierce sovereign in New York courts, which implied paying high attorney and experts’ fees during a lengthy period, as well as enforcement risks. During the trial, Argentina attempted to diminish the awarded damages by arguing that the litigation funder was the primary beneficiary of the compensation, seeking to shift the focus away from the plaintiffs’ rightful claims. This tactic sought to undermine the legitimacy of the litigation funding arrangement, implying that the claimants should receive reduced damages due to the involvement of a third-party funder. However, the court’s decision firmly rejected this argument, emphasizing that the responsibility for compensation lay with Argentina, regardless of the funding arrangement, ensuring that the claimants were not deprived of the full measure of their entitled damages. In a single paragraph, the Judge unequivocally dismissed Argentina’s attempts to derail the case by injecting the role of Burford Capital into the proceedings. The Judge emphasized that the essence of the case remained between the plaintiffs and the defendant who inequitably refused to comply with its promises: “The Court also rejects the Republic’s effort to inject Burford Capital into these proceedings. This remains a case brought by plaintiffs against a defendant for its wrongful conduct towards them, and the relevant question is what the Republic owes Plaintiffs to compensate them for the loss of the use of their money, not what Plaintiffs have done or will do with what they are owed. The Republic owes no more or less because of Burford Capital’s involvement. Furthermore, the Republic pulled the considerable levers available to it as a sovereign to attempt to take what it should have paid for and has since spared no expense in its defense. If Plaintiffs were required to trade a substantial part of their potential recovery to secure the financing necessary to bring their claims, in Petersen’s case because it was driven to bankruptcy, and litigate their claims to conclusion against a powerful sovereign defendant that has behaved in this manner, this is all the more reason to award Plaintiffs the full measure of their damages.” Ironically, the most powerful impact for the litigation funding industry comes not from a lengthy legal argument, but from a single paragraph tucked away in a footnote of the judgment. Within this inconspicuous footnote, the Judge’s words resonate loudly, reaffirming the fundamental principles underpinning litigation funding. It reminds us that justice is blind to the funding mechanisms employed to level the playing field and that litigants should not be penalized for seeking financial support, particularly when facing formidable sovereign opponents and obstacles. No doubt, this will be a beacon in times in which the industry is under heavy scrutiny, especially in Europe under the so-called Voss Report. The ruling reaffirms the legitimacy and importance of litigation funders in enabling access to justice in complex cases where financial backing is essential to bring claims to fruition. The Court’s decision in the Petersen case is a significant victory not only for the plaintiffs but also for the litigation funding industry. It sets a powerful precedent that reinforces the rights of litigants to secure funding for their cases without sacrificing the full measure of their damages, contributing to a more equitable and accessible legal system. This decision will inspire confidence among potential litigants, funders, and investors alike, encouraging continued growth in the litigation funding industry. We, at Stonward, are proud of having Armando Betancor, the insolvency administrator of the Petersen companies, in our Board of Investment. [1] Petersen Energía SAU and Petersen Energía Inversora SAU v. Republic of Argentina, District Court of Southern District of New York, 15 Civ. 2739 (LAP) – 16 Civ. 8569 (LAP)

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Commercial Deals

SIM IP and Tangibly Partner on Trade Secret Litigation Finance

By John Freund |

A new partnership between SIM IP and Tangibly signals a targeted expansion of litigation finance into the trade secret enforcement space, combining capital with technology designed to assess early stage risk. The collaboration reflects growing interest among funders in data driven approaches to underwriting complex intellectual property claims, particularly those that are traditionally viewed as expensive and uncertain.

A press release reports that the two companies have launched a joint offering aimed at financing trade secret litigation while leveraging Tangibly’s technology platform to help identify, value, and monitor trade secret assets. The partnership is positioned around an AI driven model that evaluates the strength of potential claims earlier in the lifecycle, with the goal of reducing uncertainty for both claimholders and funders before significant legal costs are incurred.

According to the announcement, SIM IP will provide litigation financing for qualifying matters, while Tangibly’s platform will support due diligence by mapping trade secret assets, tracking misappropriation risks, and generating data that can inform enforcement strategies. Trade secret claims often present unique challenges compared to patents, including evidentiary complexity and difficulties around valuation. By combining funding with structured analytics, the partners argue that more meritorious claims can move forward that might otherwise stall due to cost or risk concerns.

The launch also comes against a backdrop of heightened scrutiny of litigation funding disclosures in the United States, particularly in intellectual property disputes. While the partnership announcement does not focus on regulatory issues, it highlights how funders are refining their models to emphasize selectivity, transparency, and risk management rather than broad based capital deployment.

For the legal funding industry, the collaboration underscores a broader trend toward specialization and technology integration. As competition among funders increases, partnerships that blend capital with proprietary tools may become more common, especially in niche areas like trade secrets where early insight can materially affect case outcomes and investment performance.

Case Developments Commercial

Judge’s Pushback Limits Funding Discovery in Apple Patent Fight

By John Freund |

A federal judge has rejected an effort by Apple to force disclosure of litigation funding materials in a patent infringement dispute, reinforcing judicial reluctance to open third-party funding arrangements to routine discovery. The decision comes amid ongoing debates over transparency in litigation finance and marks another instance where courts have declined to equate outside funding with improper influence.

As reported in Bloomberg Law, the dispute arises from Apple’s defense against patent infringement claims tied to its iPhone “Back Tap” functionality. As part of its litigation strategy, Apple argued that communications between the plaintiff and its litigation funders could reveal undue control over the case or otherwise undermine claims of independence by counsel. According to the court, those arguments fell short of the threshold required to justify disclosure.

In denying the request, the judge emphasized that generalized concerns about litigation funding do not override long-standing protections such as the work-product doctrine. Materials prepared in anticipation of litigation remain shielded absent a clear showing of substantial need, and the court found no evidence that the funder’s involvement compromised legal strategy or decision-making. The ruling also rejected the notion that the mere presence of third-party funding creates a presumption of relevance or discoverability.

The decision aligns with a growing body of case law in federal courts that treats litigation funding as a legitimate commercial arrangement rather than an automatic basis for expanded discovery. While some judges have ordered limited disclosures in narrow circumstances, particularly in class actions or conflicts analyses, courts have generally resisted defendant attempts to use funding as a backdoor to privileged materials.

Commercial Regulatory Issues

Rep. Issa’s Litigation Funding Transparency Effort Falters in House Judiciary Committee

By John Freund |

The latest attempt to legislate transparency in U.S. litigation funding stalled in the House Judiciary Committee this week when the committee considered the Protecting Third Party Litigation Funding From Abuse Act but recessed without ever voting on the measure and did not reconvene to advance it. The bill, introduced by Representative Darrell Issa of California, has now effectively been pulled from further consideration at this stage.

An article in IPWatchdog states that the Protecting Third Party Litigation Funding From Abuse Act was debated alongside other measures during a lengthy markup that focused primarily on immigration enforcement issues. The measure closely tracked a previous effort, the Litigation Transparency Act of 2025, also spearheaded by Issa, which sought to require parties in civil actions to disclose third party funding sources and related agreements. Like its predecessor, the current bill faced procedural challenges and competing priorities in committee, and did not reach the floor for a vote before lawmakers recessed.

Issa and his co-sponsors have framed the effort as necessary to illuminate so-called abuses in the U.S. litigation system by requiring the identity of third party funders to be disclosed to courts and opposing parties. But the repeated failure of similar bills to gain traction reflects deep partisan and practical concerns. Opponents argue that broad disclosure mandates could chill legitimate funding arrangements and impede access to justice, while supporters insist that transparency is essential to protect defendants and the legal system from hidden financial interests.

The stall of this latest proposal comes amid other congressional efforts on litigation finance, including separate proposals to address foreign funding in U.S. courts, but underscores the political and policy challenges in regulating private capital in civil litigation. With the bill pulled, stakeholders will watch for whether future iterations emerge in committee or form the basis of negotiations in upcoming sessions.