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Commercial People Moves

Nera Capital Kicks Off 2025 with Ambitious Recruitment Drive

By John Freund |

Leading litigation finance firm Nera Capital is bolstering its already flourishing team, with several senior hires. A new In-House General Counsel, Managing Director of Commercial Claims Division and Financial Controller are currently being recruited to bolster the management team with new experienced talent.

In addition, the firm has already acquired a new financial analyst and the firm’s audit team is also branching out, with new hires expected to join its Manchester and Dublin offices.  Nera’s success comes after a period of sustained growth in the litigation finance market.

Director of Nera Capital Aisling Byrne shared her thoughts on the expanding team: 

“At Nera Capital, we believe that strong leadership and diverse talent are the cornerstones of our success. We don’t just work together – we grow together. Nera Capital is a place where passion, strategy, and collaboration meet, creating an environment where every team member can thrive and make a meaningful impact. I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved so far. Our expansion isn’t just about numbers – it’s about nurturing a vibrant culture of collaboration and innovation that empowers us to take major steps forward in the litigation finance space.”

The firm ended the year on an undoubtable high with the introduction of its Access to Justice Fund to assist those in need of legal assistance or financial support. 

In yet another successful funding deal, Nera also managed to procure a further $25 million to boost UK consumer protection claims and ensure increased access to justice for individuals seeking redress. The firm also recently announced the opening of its Dutch office in Amsterdam as it takes on more work in the Netherlands, adding to its locations in Dublin and Manchester. 

Aisling added: “With every fresh perspective we welcome, we are igniting a powerful movement in litigation finance – one driven by passion, purpose, and an unwavering dedication to ensuring that justice is within reach for all.

“Together, we will continue to push boundaries and redefine what’s possible in litigation finance. But most importantly, we will continue to make a difference and increase access to justice for all.

She added: “I’d like to thank our amazing team and partners in the UK, US and across Europe for greatly contributing to our success. We look forward to what the future holds.” 

About the author

John Freund

John Freund

Commercial

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Community Spotlights

Community Spotlight:  Laura Mann, Founder, Balqis Capital

By John Freund |

Company Name and Description: Balqis Capital is a B2B company specialising in deal origination and providing bespoke, insured opportunities to their network for portfolio diversification. They originate off market, litigation and private credit opportunities to their network of portfolio managers and wealth management firms. They are working on a multi billion pound, insured portfolio currently which is a fantastic addition to portfolios..

Company Website: www.balqiscapital.com   

Year Founded:  2022

Headquarters:  Cyprus, UAE

Area of Focus: We are seeing huge demand in our opportunities, given our extensive network and experience we are able to secure the best in the industry. We are always looking to enhance our proposition for investors globally.

Member Quote: We are excited to see the development of the industry in the UAE in 2025 and beyond.

Commercial Deals

Omni Bridgeway Announces Completion of Fund 9 Transaction with Ares

By Harry Moran |

As LFJ covered in February of this year, a landmark deal between Omni Bridgeway and Ares Management Corporation for the establishment of a new fund was progressing smoothly following the initial announcement of the deal in December 2024.

An announcement from Omni Bridgeway revealed that the litigation funder has completed the Fund 9 transaction, which sees Ares Management Corporation acquire a 70% interest in the fund for a total of A$320 million. The final completion of the transaction includes receipt of the final A$45m payment, following Ares’ prior A$275 payment that was announced as part of the fund’s financial close on 25 February 2025. Omni Bridgeway retains a 30% interest in Fund 9, and will remain as the adviser to the fund alongside its management of the legal assets in the fund.

Omni Bridgeway provided additional details on the establishment of Fund 9, explaining that this latest fund has interests in over 150 investments across its other established funds and one remaining balance sheet investment. The funder also noted that the portfolio legal assets in Fund 9 is comprised of both mature investments and those investments that were recently originated over the course of FY25.

Raymond van Hulst, Managing Director and CEO, provided the following statement on the completion of the transaction: 

“We are extremely proud to lead the field together with Ares through this innovative transaction. It is the first continuation fund for legal assets and is highly significant in its scope and size as a secondary market transaction. The transaction demonstrates that deep pools of institutional secondary capital are available to Omni Bridgeway to mitigate the duration risk associated with legal assets. This is driven by our high quality track record built off an institutional-grade asset management platform with a transparent valuation framework. This transaction comes at a formative time for the industry, with (1) growing institutional investor interest in legal assets given the unique asymmetrical and non-correlated returns even during volatile markets, (2) a growing market demand for legal finance, while (3) the industry is maturing and consolidating reflecting the scale, diversification, skills, experience and track record required to be successful over the long term as a manager in this asset class. This transformative transaction positions Omni Bridgeway well for the opportunity set ahead.” 

Jan-Paul Kobarg, Partner at Ares Management, also provided a comment:

“We are pleased to support OBL with this significant transaction, which underscores Ares' ability to deliver bespoke, creative capital solutions at scale. We look forward to working with Raymond and the OBL team as they build on their leadership in an asset class that we believe will be increasingly targeted by institutional investors due to its ability to generate attractive, uncorrelated returns.”

The full announcement which includes an overview of the deal’s strategic rationale and financials can be read here.

Commercial

Lawdragon Publishes 100 Global Leaders in Litigation Finance for 2025

By Harry Moran |

Lawdragon has released its 100 Global Leaders in Litigation Finance list for 2025, with the sixth edition of its annual guide ‘honoring the entrepreneurs who enable litigators and law firms to extend their reach in the types of matters they take on, their strategic pathways, and the enhanced access to justice they provide.’ This year’s list includes 174 senior executives from across the world, with this representing a small increase from the 164 individuals highlighted in the 2024 list.

Of those companies with leaders included on the list, Burford Capital saw the highest number of executives recognised with 14, with Therium Capital close behind at 10 individuals, and LCM which had nine of its team listed. 

Looking at the breakdown by jurisdiction across the 174 litigation finance leaders recognised, the US was the most represented country with 85 individuals listed. The UK came in a close second with 51 leaders recognised, and Australia came behind it with 18 executives profiled.

The full list of individuals recognised in 100 Global Leaders in Litigation Finance list can be found here.