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Legal-Bay Lawsuit Funding Focusing On Wrongful Termination Cases

NEW YORKNov. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Legal-Bay LLC, The Lawsuit Settlement Funding Company, reports today that they are focusing a large portion of their pre-settlement cash advance funding capital toward victims of wrongful termination due to racial, gender, or age-related discrimination. With the many payouts plaintiffs have received from the most recent court cases, Legal-Bay anticipates even more wrongful termination lawsuit filings to come.

Legal-Bay provides financial assistance to people who have recently found themselves unemployed, and can provide cash advances to plaintiffs while their cases are tied up in litigation. These pre settlement funds can assist people dealing with lost pay, lost benefits, emotional stress, punitive damages, and legal fees.

Chris Janish, CEO, commented on the company's focus of assisting plaintiffs in similar situations, "If the recent increase in applications is to be used as an indication, we can safely surmise that the number of wrongful termination lawsuits is on the rise. While the situation is frustrating and stressful for those who may have found themselves unjustly dismissed from their jobs, Legal-Bay is committed to helping these out-of-work individuals as they fight their cases."

If you are actively engaged in a lawsuit as a result of wrongful termination, please visit the company's website at http://lawsuitssettlementfunding.com for more information on how Legal-Bay can help you during this difficult time. Legal-Bay also helps victims involved in commercial litigation and verdict or judgment on appeal cases, as well as cases that result in personal injury.

Legal-Bay's programs are non-recourse lawsuit cash advances, also known as case funding, which means you only repay the settlement advance if you win your case. None of the programs should be considered to be a lawsuit loan, lawsuit loans, settlement loans, settlement loan, pre settlement loans, pre-settlement loans, pre settlement loan or a pre-settlement loan.

If you require an immediate cash advance or need help with finding a lawyer or law firm that specializes in wrongful termination cases, please go to the company's website: http://lawsuitssettlementfunding.com to fill out a preliminary application, or feel free to call Legal-Bay on its toll-free hotline at: 877.571.0405, where live agents are available to answer your questions.

Ruth Stackpool-Moore joins IMF Bentham and Omni Bridgeway Asia team

SINGAPORE (11 NOVEMBER 2019) IMF Bentham Limited (ASX:IMF) is delighted to announce that on Monday, 4 November 2019, Ms Ruth Stackpool-Moore joined our expanding global team as Investment Manager, based in our Singapore office. Ruth’s appointment follows the news of IMF Bentham and Omni Bridgeway’s plans to merge, creating a leading global dispute financier and the largest on-the-ground team in the Asian region. Ruth will be responsible for sourcing, assessing and managing funded cases throughout Asia, including arbitration, litigation and insolvency claims. She will be working closely with Mr Tom Glasgow, Chief Investment Officer - Asia (based in Singapore) in a fast-growing dispute investment practice which spans Asia, including mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Philippines and Singapore. In June 2019, IMF Bentham was recognised as the only ‘Band 1' funder in the Asia-Pacific by the legal industry’s leading global directory, Chambers and Partners. Ruth said: “Having been at the forefront of the growing third party funding industry in Asia, it is an exciting progression for me to join Tom and the IMF team in Singapore, and to continue to offer sophisticated funding solutions to Asian corporates from within the market-leading platform IMF has built in Asia, and globally.” Before joining IMF Bentham in November 2019, Ruth was Managing Director for an exclusive broker to a global litigation funder in the Asia-Pacific region. One of the first to set up and manage local operations for a global funder in Asia, Ruth has been commercially assessing dispute prospects and funding cases in civil and common law jurisdictions in Asia, and globally, since 2015. During that time, she has also worked to develop regional political and legislative frameworks to allow third party funding in key Asian jurisdictions. Ruth joined the funding market from the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre where, as Managing Counsel, she led the arbitration team and, in 2014, managed the Centre as Acting Secretary-General. Ruth is a qualified lawyer in Australia and the UK, with particular expertise in international arbitration, having begun her career in private practice with specialist firms Debevoise & Plimpton in London, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe in Paris and Coudert Brothers in Paris and Sydney. Tom Glasgow, IMF Bentham’s Chief Investment Officer - Asia, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Ruth to our team. As one of the pioneers of the funding industry in Asia, Ruth brings with her a wealth of experience and a deep professional network. She also joins us at an exciting time of growth, alongside the merger with Omni Bridgeway, allowing us to provide a truly unparalleled depth of service and expertise to our Asian client-base.ABOUT IMF BENTHAM IMF Bentham is a leading global litigation and dispute financier, headquartered in Australia and with offices in the US, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong and London.  The company has built its reputation as a trusted provider of innovative litigation financing solutions and has established an increasingly diverse portfolio of litigation and dispute financing assets.  IMF Bentham has a highly experienced litigation financing team overseeing its investments, delivering, as at 30 June 2019, an 89% success rate across 192 completed cases (excluding withdrawals).  Visit imf.sg or imf.com.au to learn more. ABOUT OMNI BRIDGEWAY Omni Bridgeway was founded in the Netherlands in 1986 and is known as a leading financier of high-value claims and a global specialist in cross-border (sovereign) enforcement disputes. The Omni Bridgeway group includes ROLAND ProzessFinanz, a leading German litigation funder which became part of Omni Bridgeway in 2017, and a joint venture with IFC (part of the World Bank Group). The joint venture is aimed at assisting banks with the funding and managing the enforcement of non-performing loans and related disputes in the Middle East and Africa. Visit omnibridgeway.com to learn more.

Parabellum Appoints Jiamie Chen as Director of Investment Initiatives

Parabellum Capital LLC (“Parabellum”), a leader in commercial litigation finance, today announced the appointment of Jiamie Chen as Director of Investment Initiatives, a newly created position that strengthens the firm’s origination and underwriting of new investment relationships in strategically significant sectors. She will be based in San Francisco. “Jiamie has an incredibly impressive background and entrepreneurial character. With experience as a plaintiffs’ and defense-side antitrust attorney and as a federal prosecutor, she is ideally positioned to target and develop strategic initiatives,” said Aaron Katz, Parabellum’s Chief Investment Officer. “I’m honored to join a team that continues to lead the commercial litigation finance field through a focus on true alignment,” said Ms. Chen. “It’s an exciting time to join this fast-growing industry. Litigation finance today is brimming with opportunities to leverage my affirmative litigation experience to develop new strategies that innovate the business of law.” Ms. Chen joins from the Joseph Saveri Law Firm, where she specialized in complex litigation. Her experience there included work on the EpiPen antitrust and RICO multidistrict litigation (MDL), the Capacitors price-fixing antitrust litigation, and the UFC monopoly and monopsony litigation. She previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney and as the designated Department of Justice Financial Crimes Task Force prosecutor for the District of Nevada, focusing in high-dollar financial crimes. Ms. Chen also previously served as judicial law clerk for Chief Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. She began her legal career in the antitrust and white-collar defense practices at White & Case LLP. Ms. Chen is an active member of various professional associations. In addition to serving on the California Lawyers Association Antitrust, UCL & Privacy Section’s Executive Committee, Ms. Chen is the Co-Chair of the Women’s Committee and a member of the Mentorship Program for the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area; the Regional Director for the Dartmouth Asian Pacific American Alumni Association; a Board Member of the Dartmouth Club of Greater San Francisco; and a member of the American Bar Association Antitrust Section and the Bar Association of San Francisco. She is also a Barrister member of the Edward J. McFetridge American Inn of Court in San Francisco. Ms. Chen received her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she served as Symposium Editor of the University of Pennsylvania Journal of International Law, and her B.A. in Government from Dartmouth College. She has published several expert commentaries on litigation matters and is a lead chapter author of an upcoming ABA Antitrust Section treatise on expert witnesses and Daubert practice. About Parabellum Capital Parabellum Capital is a leading financier of commercial and intellectual property litigation. Its principals pioneered the commercial litigation funding market in the United States and remain on the forefront of shaping the asset class as the industry evolves. Parabellum is a trusted financial partner to claimholders and law firms for a wide array of litigation matters in the US, other common law jurisdictions, and international arbitration forums. Founded in 2012, Parabellum’s team includes legal and financial professionals with backgrounds at major law firms, investment banks, accounting firms, and the federal government. Parabellum principals previously founded the Legal Risk Strategies and Finance group at the global investment bank Credit Suisse. Parabellum manages both separate accounts and pooled private equity vehicles for institutional and high net worth investors globally. Based in New York, Parabellum’s team has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the commercial litigation arena. Areas of focus include commercial disputes, antitrust, intellectual property infringement, trade secret misappropriation, bankruptcy and special situations. For more information, visit www.parabellumcap.com.

Legal-Bay Settlement Funding Announces Extended Filing Deadline For Victims Of Sexual Abuse

JERSEY CITY, N.J.Nov. 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Legal-Bay LLC, The Lawsuit Pre Settlement Funding Company, reports a win for the victims of child sexual abuse at the hands of clergy members. After years of fighting, Governor Phil Murphy signed a law that offers victims of abuse the ability to sue their abusers up until they turn 55, or within seven years of their realization that the abuse caused them harm. Additionally, victims formerly excluded by the previous statute of limitations now have two years to file lawsuits seeking damages from the churches and dioceses that covered up the abuse. The bill will go into effect on December 1, 2019. If you or a loved one require an immediate cash advance from your clergy or Catholic church sexual abuse case, please visit the company's website:  http://lawsuitssettlementfunding.com or call: 877.571.0405 Chris Janish, CEO, commented on the company's focus of assisting plaintiffs in similar situations, "While these cases are appalling and heartbreaking, it's important for our company to inform the public of their options. Nothing can compensate for the lifetime trauma of childhood abuse, but with the new extended deadlines, adult victims will now be able to receive monetary reparations for their pain and suffering." Legal-Bay is an advocate for victims of sexual abuse across the country, and is well-versed in clergy abuse litigation, especially in situations where Catholic churches have filed for bankruptcy to limit their payouts. Even in those cases, the pre settlement cash company was able to provide a lawsuit cash advance to victims across the country, including NY and NJ. If you have already filed a clergy or Catholic Church sexual abuse lawsuit, you can apply for presettlement funding at:  http://lawsuitssettlementfunding.com or call: 877.571.0405 Legal-Bay's programs are non-recourse lawsuit cash advances, also known as case funding, which means you only repay the settlement advance if you win your case. None of the programs should be considered to be a lawsuit loan, lawsuit loans, settlement loans, settlement loan, pre-settlement loans, or a pre-settlement loan. SOURCE Legal-Bay LLC

West Virginia Basically Outlaws Consumer Legal Funding

After the state of West Virginia amended article 6N of its Consumer Credit and Protection Act this past summer, the litigation funding industry has essentially been prevented from operating in the state. And that's exactly what industry opponents were hoping for. According to JD Supra, West Virginia's amendment only applies to funding towards individuals, not to commercial entities (that's in contrast to some other states' funding regulations, such as Wisconsin's, which appear to apply more broadly). The amended article now regulates both the funders themselves and their funding contracts. Key provisions include: the requirement for funders to register in the state and remain 'in good standing,' a prohibition on paying the consumer's attorney any fee or commission, a prohibition on assigning funding contracts (with some exceptions), a mandate that funding contracts be completely filled in when presented to the consumer and contain certain disclosure language, a prohibition against mandatory arbitration, and perhaps most importantly - a rate cap of 18% with no more than semi-annual compounded fees. That last provision is what essentially prevents the industry from operating in the state, since roughly 10% of all funding investments are lost due to the case being dismissed or lost at trial (funding is non-recourse, so if the consumer doesn't win a payout or settle, the funding company gets nothing). Plus, the penalties for violation are harsh. Any violation renders the funding agreement null and void, and should the funder litigate the enforcement of a contract in court and lose, they may be on the hook for the counterparty's attorney fees. All of this is a clear signal to the industry by the state of West Virginia: Go away. And as the Alliance for Responsible Consumer Legal Funding points out, that is exactly what has happened.

U.S. Claims Makes Further Inroads into $250B Market

DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Nov. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- DRB Financial Solutions, LLC (DRBfinancial.com), and its wholly-owned subsidiary U.S. Claims (USClaims.com), America's premier pre-settlement funding company, today announced that U.S. Claims has closed on yet another private placement transaction.  This marks the company's second litigation advance backed transaction of the year and DRB Financial's fourth term securitization transaction involving this asset class overall.  It primes U.S. Claims to continue its run of impressive growth.

DRB Financial's Senior Vice President and Head of Capital Markets, Jason Sutherland, commented, "We are very pleased with the market's response to this new and rapidly growing asset class.  In each of our four-term transactions, we have achieved improved execution in terms of advance rate and credit spreads."  He continued, "We hope to issue 2-3 such term deals per year as we continue to expand the origination and servicing platform."

Donna Lee Jones, the President of U.S. Claims, added, "America's tort system presents us with a total addressable market of more than $250 billion per year, and we have barely scratched the surface of this opportunity.  We look forward to helping tort victims through the often arduous litigation process while offering attractively priced investment opportunities to the capital markets."

The pre-settlement funding company, established in 1996, has been consistently voted among the best in the nation.  In 2019 alone, U.S. Claims earned first place rankings by the audiences of national legal publications in several categories, including "Best Consumer Litigation Funding Provider," "Best Law Firm Funding Provider," and the coveted "Hall of Fame" award from The Legal Intelligencer.

About U.S. Claims: U.S. Claims (www.USClaims.com) provides litigation funding for plaintiffs, attorneys, and surgeries.  Its flagship offering is providing non-recourse financial support to personal injury victims, some of whom may have suffered catastrophic injuries from defective products, unsafe premises, motor vehicle accidents, and other types of accidents; this financial support provides the injured plaintiff the means to pay bills and endure the often long and arduous litigation process.

About DRB Financial Solutions, LLC, (DRB) provides liquidity solutions to individuals and small/medium-sized businesses holding high quality but illiquid assets. Having raised over $1 billion in capital and developed a robust origination platform, DRB is a market leader in four major lines of business:  U.S. Claims, CRG Financial, (CRGFinancial.com), DRB Capital (DRBCapital.com) and Producer Advance (ProducerAdvance.com).

Bloomberg Surveys Challenges and Opportunities in Litigation Funding Market

As we turn the corner into 2020, Bloomberg Law analyzes the results of its own Litigation Finance Survey to account for the challenges and opportunities facing the industry at this pivotal moment. As reported in Bloomberg, litigation finance had a wild year in 2019, and there is a lot to digest going into 2020. Bloomberg recently conducted a litigation finance survey, where they found that disclosure is the top concern for attorneys who have obtained or are interested in obtaining funding. Their survey shows that over 50% of attorneys who have done so are uninformed as to how frequently disclosure has been ordered (and in what contexts). Another key concern is accounting methodology. This topic was brought to the forefront in the Burford Capital / Muddy Waters saga, and has since become a hot-button issue in the industry. Burford is one of only a handful of publicly-traded funders, and the largest funder in existence; so to have the company shed nearly 50% of its value in a single day is naturally off-putting for investors and would-be investors into the space. And that brings us to one of the key points of of Bloomberg's survey findings: there is room for industry growth. The survey found that interest in funding outpaces current funding levels. Bloomberg points to Legalist's and Validity's funding rounds as two of the top-10 funding rounds in Legal Tech for 3Q19.

Therium Access announces second round of grant awards to improve access to justice in the UK

Therium Group Holdings Limited, one of the world’s leading providers of litigation, arbitration and specialty legal finance, today announced the second recipients of grant awards by Therium Access, the firm’s not-for-profit arm dedicated to facilitating access to justice. This follows the recent appointment of Lord John Thomas of Cwmgiedd to its Advisory Committee and Jeunesse Mensier as Grant Programme Director.  The recipients of this grant round are: The Child Poverty Action Group:  a grant for the employment of an additional solicitor to build the capacity of their award-winning legal team which conducts strategic litigation to end child poverty; The Bar Human Rights Committee: a grant for the employment of a legal and policy officer to support the Bar’s influential international human rights work; JUSTICE: a grant towards their core costs to support their work which seeks to effect systemic change within the UK justice system by producing in-depth reports and recommendations; Advocate: a grant for the employment of their volunteer manager who facilitates and supports the laudable pro bono efforts of the Bar by representing those who cannot afford legal representation; The Free Representation Unit: a grant for the employment of a legal officer to provide full casework and advocacy in the social security and employment tribunals; National Family Mediation: a grant for the employment of a call handler to provide early advice and arrange mediation for families going through divorce or separation; The Speakeasy Law Centre: a grant for the employment of a new trainee solicitor who will provide legal advice to vulnerable people in the Cardiff area and ultimately qualify as a solicitor with experience in legal aid and social welfare law; Project for Registration of Children as British Citizens: a grant for the employment of a legal administrator and towards their core costs to support the specialist advice and strategic litigation they conduct on complex children’s citizenship issues; and Central England Law Centre: a grant towards their Birmingham centre’s core costs to support the direct advice they provide to local people and to bring strategic litigation cases. In addition, Therium Access has approved grants for two strategic litigation cases. Further information on these grants will follow in due course. Launched in March 2019, Therium Access has committed to providing grants worth a total sum of £900,000 to date. It is anticipated that tens of thousands of people will benefit from these grants, either by receiving direct advice and support or by the strategic litigation conducted by these organisations. Therium Access is the first of its kind initiative in the litigation funding industry. Grants awarded by Therium Access are intended to promote access to justice for those who lack the funds necessary to pursue or defend claims, as well as supporting projects that seek to improve access to justice.  John Byrne, Co-Founder and CEO of Therium Capital Management Limited, said: “We were overwhelmed by the number of worthy applications we received.  It is humbling to see the incredible work that so many organisations are doing every day to support the most vulnerable people in our society. Therium is proud to offer support to a number of these inspirational organisations and we look forward to building even more relationships in the advice sector.” Lord Falconer, Chairman of Therium Access Advisory Committee, said: “These grants demonstrate the depth of the impact Therium Access has. Most of our grants have been made to organisations which provide direct advice to those most in need, but it is also critical to support organisations which seek to challenge, influence or change the law.” About Therium Access Therium Access is the primary expression of Therium’s corporate and social responsibility programme. Therium Access dispenses with the criteria of funding for profit and has the sole purpose of facilitating access to justice.  Therium Access is a mark of Therium’s wider commitment to the pursuit of justice and the rule of law. Therium Access accepts applications from charities and other entities whose services and projects facilitate access to justice or from those seeking assistance to obtain legal representation on cases (including defence) which have strategic importance. The applicant’s need and the impact of the grant will be important factors in our review process. The deadline for the submission of the next round of grant applications is 30 April 2020. In addition, urgent applications may be considered on an ad hoc basis. Applications need to be made by legal representatives or the entity seeking a grant.  The board of Therium Access is assisted by an Advisory Committee which is chaired by Lord Falconer, former Lord Chancellor, Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Secretary of State for Justice. Therium Access aims to support access to justice in the broadest terms and considers applications that further the following causes (in no particular order): The right to legal representation or due process; The proper and efficient administration of justice; The advancement of human rights; The promotion of equality of rights and diversity; The protection of children, the elderly, the disabled, minorities, asylum seekers and other vulnerable or disadvantaged groups; The advancement of environmental protection or improvement; The promotion of legal education that furthers the causes listed above; and any other case or project in which a person, group, or entity will not have access to justice without financial assistance. Therium Access is intended to be a global initiative. Its initial focus is on the UK and it will be rolled out in other jurisdictions in a number of planned phases. About Therium Therium is a leading global provider of litigation and arbitration and specialty legal finance. Over that period, Therium has funded claims with a total value exceeding £34 billion, including many of the largest and most high profile funded cases in the UK.  With investment teams in the UK, USA, Australia, Spain and Norway, Therium has established a track record of success in litigation finance in all forms, including single case litigation and arbitration funding, funding law firms and portfolios of litigation and arbitration claims.  Therium is also a founding member of the Association of Litigation Funders of England and Wales.  Therium Access and its not-for-profit funding is the latest innovation from Therium which has consistently been at the forefront of innovation in litigation finance, pioneering the combined use of insurance tools alongside funding vehicles, and introducing portfolio funding products into the UK.  Therium’s ability to develop innovative funding arrangements and bespoke financial solutions for litigants and law firms complements its unmatched experience and rigorous approach to funding a wide range of commercial disputes throughout the world. Chambers and Partners have ranked Therium as a Tier 1 litigation funder and Neil Purslow, the firm’s Chief Investment Officer, as a leading individual in the litigation funding industry, for the last two years. In February this year, Therium Capital Management was top ranked as one of the two “Leading” litigation and arbitration funding firms in the UK by legal and business directory Leaders League, in their 2019 ranking of litigation funding. Therium was also ranked as “Excellent” in the 2019 US ranking.  www.therium.com  www.theriumaccess.org

LPF-Funded $750MM Shareholder Class Action Launched Against New Zealand Insurer CBL

LPF Group is funding a $750MM class action against collapsed New Zealand Insurer CBL, alleging the company directors breached their continuous disclosure obligations, made misleading statements during the IPO, and engaged in insider trading. As reported in Stuff, CBL collapsed in 2018, and now major shareholders, led by investment firm Harbour and Argo Investments Limited, are seeking redress for their financial losses. The company failure was one of the largest at the time in New Zealand corporate history. The claim alleges that the IPO statements were misleading, as they gave the impression that the company had enough in reserves to cover its insurance obligations. The claim also states that company executives failed to properly disclose key financial information post-IPO, and that directors Peter Harris and Alistair Hutchinson sold shares in CBL through companies they controlled, using information not privy to the general public. The now-defunct insurer, which did most of its business in Europe and specialized in new home renovation insurance, cost shareholders hundreds of millions when it went belly-up. Questions are also being asked about the industry regulator, the Reserve Bank, which had suspicions about CBL in 2013, but did not actively pursue an investigation until 2017 due to a lack of resources. CBL's directors are defending themselves against the allegations, and deny any wrongdoing whatsoever.