Trending Now
Announcements Commercial

Affiniti Finance Announces £10MM Funding Line to Royds Withy King

December 9, 2019

Affiniti Finance Announces £10MM Funding Line to Royds Withy King

We are delighted to announce we have established a funding facility with major law firm, Royds Withy King. This £10 million pound innovative funding facility will allow the law firm to offer clients a competitive edge in the litigation arena where the costs of pursuing claims to trial can be prohibitively expensive. The funding will enable clients to unlock claims which they might otherwise find difficult to bring or where they wish to structure their own finances to the benefit of their business interests rather than the litigation. Funding under the facility will spread the risk for claimants and, very importantly, is provided on a ‘non-recourse’ basis which means that if, unexpectedly, the claim fails, then there is no comeback for the claimant. The facility has been tailored to support a variety of practice areas and sectors both in the UK and internationally, including Arbitration and Contentious Probate. Jamie Lester, Dispute Resolution Partner in Royds Withy King’s City Office, who has overseen the project, said: “Legal disputes are unfortunately a fact of life and the higher the stakes, the more damaging and costly they can be to parties who will not only have to shoulder legal expenses as part of their existing budgets but also suffer the opportunity costs of diverted resources.” “After extensive research of the funding market, we are extremely excited about the facility with Affiniti Finance whom we recognise as bringing a fresh and transparent approach to the market and whose proposition we believe will be of real and tangible benefit to our clients. The facility is designed to provide them with a tool to hedge risk, eliminate budget constraints and monetise pending claims to free up capital for other business needs. It also resets the bargaining position against deep pocket defendants. The facility can also be accessed within a matter of days rather than the customary lead time of two-three months.” Our CEO, Ian Cunningham, said: “Affiniti Finance is delighted to provide the funding facility to Royds Withy King, a leader in the UK and international litigation markets. Our facility will enable Royds Withy King clients further access to justice and forge a formidable relationship for both parties.” Stewart Wilkinson, London Head of Dispute Resolution at Royds Withy King, said: “We have always prided ourselves in offering our clients innovative pricing options and structures for pursuing litigation in the UK and overseas. The facility with Affiniti Finance is the logical next step in this process and forms part of a series of innovative initiatives that we are bringing to the market to assist clients in a rapidly changing environment.” About Affiniti Finance Affiniti Finance was founded in 2014 and specialises in providing financial support to individuals or companies who are pursuing meritorious legal claims. The company covers several areas of legal funding including Financial Mis-selling, Civil Litigation, Personal Injury and across the commercial spectrum. Affiniti Finance helps claimants manage the risk of litigation and empowers them to pursue claims that might not otherwise be possible. For further information, visit www.affinitifinance.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @affinitifinance.

Announcements

View All
Announcements Commercial

Court of Appeal Shuts Down BHP’s Attempt to Overturn Mariana Liability Judgment

By John Freund |

The Court of Appeal of England and Wales today refused BHP’s application for permission to appeal the High Court’s landmark liability judgment in the Mariana disaster litigation.

The High Court found BHP responsible for the 2015 collapse of the Fundão tailings dam in Mariana, Minas Gerais, Brazil, concluding that BHP is liable for the disaster under both the Brazilian Civil and Environmental law.

The Court of Appeal heard BHP’s application for permission to appeal the decision on 12 March after BHP was refused permission to appeal by the High Court in January.  BHP asked the court for permission to contest the findings that it was a polluter, and that it had knowledge of the risks associated with the dam before the collapse. The mining company also challenged the finding that all claimants brought their claims in time.

The Court of Appeal’s refusal marks a further victory for the hundreds of thousands of Brazilian victims who have spent over ten years pursuing justice, and a major setback for BHP. The High Court’s liability judgment remains in force, and BHP has exhausted the ordinary routes by which it could seek to overturn it.

In today’s ruling, the court concluded that BHP’s proposed grounds of appeal have no real prospect of success and there is no other compelling reason for the appeal to be heard.  The decision means that the parties will proceed to the trial of Stage 2 of the proceedings, which will determine issues of causation, loss and damages. The trial evidence is to be heard from April 2027 to December 2027, with closing submissions listed for March 2028.

Lord Justice Fraser wrote in the decision: “I do not accept that any of the grounds relating to BHP’s liability for the dam collapse are reasonably arguable. I do not consider that there is any foundation for the different complaints that the trial judge failed to engage with BHP’s case."

Jonathan Wheeler, lead partner for the Mariana litigation at Pogust Goodhead, said: “The Court of Appeal has now joined the High Court in finding that BHP’s grounds of appeal have no real prospect of success - an emphatic and unambiguous outcome. BHP remains liable for the worst environmental disaster in Brazil’s history, and it will not be given another bite at the cherry.”

“Our clients have waited more than a decade for justice while BHP pursued every procedural avenue to avoid accountability; those avenues are now closed. We are focused on securing the compensation that hundreds of thousands of Brazilians have been owed for far too long.”

Announcements Commercial

Loopa Finance Wins at the Lexology European Awards 2026 in the Litigation / General Counsel Category

By John Freund |

Loopa Finance has been recognized as the winner in the Litigation – General Counsel Team category at the Lexology European Awards 2026, one of the leading recognitions in the international legal sector.

The award was received in London by Ignacio Delgado, General Counsel Europe at the firm, on behalf of Loopa Finance’s European team, composed of Ignacio Delgado (General Counsel Europe), Marina Gouveia (Investment Manager), Fernando Pérez Lozada (Senior Investment Manager), and Fernando Folgueiro (Managing Partner).

The Lexology European Awards recognize outstanding legal teams across the region through a methodology that combines independent research, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and thousands of nominations supported by clients and industry peers, as well as the annual research conducted by the Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) and Client Choice.

The selection process is based on performance evaluations related to effective communication, commercial understanding, technical expertise, strategic management, and team strength, and is supported by a global community of more than 940,000 subscribers.

This recognition positions Loopa Finance’s European team among the leading practitioners in complex litigation and strategic legal management in Europe.

“This award reflects the strength of a team operating across two continents that understands litigation not only from a legal perspective, but also through financial analysis and risk management. It is the result of collective work and a rigorous, strategic approach to structuring complex disputes,” said Delgado during the ceremony.

More Than an Award: Validation of a Model

The award comes at a time of consolidation for the firm. Loopa Finance recently completed its rebranding process, evolving from Qanlex to Loopa Finance and reinforcing an identity aligned with its growth in continental Europe and its broader international positioning.

It also coincides with the closing of Fund III, raising €65 million to finance complex litigation and arbitration across Europe and Latin America, significantly expanding the firm’s investment capacity and supporting the continued growth of its platform in the region.

This milestone adds to the firm’s recent rankings, including its Band 1 classification by Chambers & Partners in Latin America and Europe, its recognition as “Highly Recommended” by Leaders League across multiple jurisdictions, and the inclusion of members of its team among the Thought Leaders in Third-Party Funding by the Lexology Index. Together, these results confirm the strength of Loopa Finance’s model and the consolidation of its team as a reference in the strategic financing of disputes at an international level.

About Loopa Finance

Loopa Finance is an investment fund specializing in the financing and monetization of litigation and arbitration across continental Europe and Latin America, supported by a technology-driven model and rigorous risk analysis. The firm provides capital to cover legal costs or monetize ongoing claims through non-recourse structures, where the recovery of the investment depends exclusively on the successful outcome of the case, assuming the financial risk of the dispute while fully aligning its interests with those of clients and law firms.

Announcements Commercial

Pravati Capital Partners with SEI to Bring Litigation Finance to Registered Investment Advisors

By John Freund |

One of the oldest litigation finance firms in the United States has announced a strategic partnership aimed at expanding mainstream investor access to the asset class.

As reported by Business Wire via Yahoo Finance, Scottsdale-based Pravati Capital has partnered with financial services firm SEI to provide registered investment advisors with structured access to litigation finance as an alternative investment option. The collaboration will leverage SEI's distribution platform to make litigation funding opportunities available within advisor portfolios.

The partnership reflects growing institutional interest in litigation finance as an alternative asset class. Historically, litigation funding has been difficult for mainstream financial advisors to access on behalf of their clients, with the market largely dominated by specialized funds and institutional investors. The Pravati-SEI arrangement seeks to bridge that gap by creating a more accessible pathway for advisors seeking diversification through non-correlated investments.

The announcement underscores a broader industry shift as litigation finance continues to move from a niche strategy toward greater acceptance within traditional wealth management channels. As the global litigation funding market grows — projected to reach over $25 billion in 2026 — partnerships like this one may signal a new phase of institutional adoption.