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Apex Litigation Finance Announces the Retirement of Stephen Allinson as Head of Legal

By John Freund |

Apex Litigation Finance Announces the Retirement of Stephen Allinson as Head of Legal

Apex Litigation Finance has announced the retirement of Stephen Allinson from his role as Head of Legal, marking the end of a formal leadership chapter but not his association with the litigation funder.

Stephen is a highly respected Solicitor and Licensed Insolvency Practitioner with more than 40 years’ experience in business law, insolvency and debt recovery. Over the course of his career, he has combined practice with thought leadership, lecturing widely on credit and insolvency matters and serving in senior regulatory and educational roles.

His distinguished career includes:

  • Building and leading a nationally recognised insolvency and debt recovery practice at a large regional law practice, employing over 60 department staff and managing key national contracts.
  • Serving as Chairman of the Board of The Insolvency Service and Chairman of The Joint Insolvency Examination Board.
  • Holding senior tribunal and regulatory positions, including membership of the ICAEW Conduct Committee and more than a decade chairing disciplinary and appeal tribunals for the ACCA.
  • Chairing the Assessment Board of the Chartered Institute of Credit

Stephen first joined Apex in 2019 as a consultant, before becoming Head of Legal in 2022. In that capacity he has been instrumental in guiding Apex’s legal strategy, strengthening its market position and ensuring the company’s commitment to fair, practical and client-focused litigation funding.

While he will be stepping down from the Head of Legal role, Stephen’s association with Apex will not end. He will continue to serve the business as a trusted consultant, providing invaluable expertise and support to the team and Apex’s clients.

Maurice Power, CEO of Apex Litigation Finance, said: “Stephen’s contribution to Apex has been exceptional. His legal expertise, combined with his deep understanding of insolvency and credit law, has helped shape Apex into the funder it is today. We are delighted that while he is stepping down from his formal role, we will continue to benefit from his counsel as a consultant. We thank him sincerely for his leadership and look forward to our continued collaboration.”

Tim Fallowfield, Apex Chairman wrote:  “Apex would not be where it is today without Stephen’s contribution, his wide-ranging legal knowledge and passion for his work. He has mentored the legal team, led by example and been an integral member of the Apex Investment Committee. We wish him lots of luck for the next chapter and look forward to his future engagement with the Apex business. From all of us at Apex, a hearty thanks.”

Stephen commented: “It has been a privilege to be part of the Apex journey and contribute to the growth of the company. Access to justice has always been one of the guiding principles of my professional career and I look forward to the continuing growth of Apex and still playing my part, albeit in a different role.”

About Apex Litigation Finance

Apex Litigation Finance provides fast, fair and flexible funding solutions for small to mid-sized UK commercial disputes requiring between £10,000 and £750,000 of funding, on a non-recourse basis. By combining financial support with deep sector expertise, Apex enables access to justice for claimants while serving as a trusted partner to legal professionals and insolvency practitioners.

About the author

John Freund

John Freund

Commercial

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ARAG UK Posts £244M Income in First Results Including DAS, But Integration Costs Keep It in the Red

ARAG has reported total UK income of £244 million for the 2025 financial year, its first set of results to include the former DAS UK business, though the cost of absorbing that acquisition kept the legal expenses insurer at a pre-tax loss.

As reported by Legal Futures, ARAG Legal Expenses Insurance Company recorded income of £216.7 million, up more than 50% on the £141.4 million DAS reported a year earlier following the integration of the ARAG plc business. Growth was driven in particular by the strength of ARAG's before-the-event portfolio, with commercial products singled out.

ARAG LEI posted a pre-tax loss of £4.1 million, narrowed from a £5.5 million loss in 2024. The company attributed the shortfall mainly to the continuing cost of integrating the former DAS UK operations and consolidating the businesses under one roof at Trinity Quay in central Bristol. The UK consolidated businesses, which include ARAG plc and ARAG Law, contributed £8.9 million net of reinsurance to the international ARAG Group.

ARAG SE acquired DAS UK in 2024. The combined UK operation now insures more than 10 million families and roughly two million businesses against unforeseen legal costs, and recently launched its Insuring Justice social impact report at the House of Commons.

ARAG UK chief executive David Haynes said the business now contributes more than €250 million in income to the international group, "making the UK business ARAG's most significant operation outside Germany." He said the company was continuing its strong performance into 2026. In May, the international ARAG Group reported income of €3.2 billion, ahead of the target it had set for 2030.

Trucking Industry Tallies Four New State Funding Laws as Ohio’s Foreign-Investment Ban Takes Effect October 6

Four states have put new third-party litigation funding restrictions on the books this year, and the trucking industry that lobbied for several of them is already pressing for more.

As reported by Transport Topics, North Carolina went furthest. Governor Josh Stein signed the Prohibit Litigation Investments Act in June, making it illegal to provide litigation investments to a party or attorney in a civil action in the state. The ban took effect June 22 and applies to proceedings filed on or after that date, as well as to contracts entered into, renewed or amended afterward. Violations carry fines of up to $50,000 per offense, enforced by the attorney general.

Ohio's House Bill 105, signed by Governor Mike DeWine on July 7, takes effect October 6. It bars foreign governments, corporations and investors from participating in third-party litigation financing, prohibits funders from directing legal strategy or selecting counsel, and blocks plaintiffs and attorneys from sharing sealed or protected material with commercial funders. Funding agreements must disclose the amount advanced, the fees charged, how those fees accrue and the maximum a consumer could owe, and attorneys must provide agreements to the attorney general within 14 days of resolution.

Illinois House Bill 5487, signed August 7 and effective immediately, prohibits investors including private equity firms and hedge funds from interfering with the attorney-client relationship or controlling client records, and restricts fees tied to law firm revenue or profits. Mississippi's Transparency in Consumer Legal Funding Act took effect July 7, requiring funders to disclose to the attorney general the identity and country of incorporation of foreign entities with access to proprietary information.

Ohio Trucking Association president Tom Balzer called the legislation "a good step forward" and said further reforms are planned.

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Novarex Capital Partners has closed a second financing round of £16 million, more than tripling the size of its opening £5 million raise and bringing total capital generated across the programme to £21 million.

As reported by Pulse 2.0, the London-based platform completed the round on terms providing investors a stated return of 20%. A further round is already planned, structured around a stated return of 16.5%, though Novarex has not disclosed its timing or terms. The firm also declined to name the participants in the £16 million round or detail its contractual structure.

The capital supports the working capital requirements of an unnamed law firm regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority that prepares eligible legal claims. Novarex said the underlying firm operates within applicable SRA standards, maintains professional indemnity insurance, and handles client money and case processes inside the regulatory framework. The firm has a pipeline of contracted work and focuses on claims meeting established eligibility criteria.

Novarex describes itself as a specialist introduction platform covering private credit, litigation finance and structured capital, connecting sophisticated investors with private-market opportunities built around defined transaction parameters. It closed its initial £5 million round in August.

The structure is a familiar one in the UK consumer claims market, where law firms preparing high volumes of cases face significant upfront costs long before any recovery arrives, and where outside capital has increasingly filled the working capital gap. It is also the model drawing regulatory attention, with the SRA consulting on new rules governing solicitors' involvement in litigation funding arrangements following a series of claims firm failures.