Attorney Lynwood Evans Appointed to Leadership Role in Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Litigation

By John Freund |

Ward and Smith is pleased to announce that litigation attorney Lynwood Evans has been appointed to the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee in the litigation over contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. This appointment is particularly significant as we are quickly approaching the first anniversary of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act.

This legislation paved the way for veterans, family members, and workers stationed on the base between 1953 and 1987 to seek compensation and justice for their suffering. However, because claims of this nature have never before been litigated, there has been substantial uncertainty and limited progress made since the passage of the Act despite tens of thousands of claims having been filed. Everyone is hopeful that this newly appointed leadership structure will provide the framework for progress.

The Executive Committee assists and advises lead counsel and co-lead counsel in the undertaking of coordinating and conducting these proceedings. Its members also serve on subcommittees to execute a comprehensive litigation plan and ensure oversight, accountability, and coordination throughout the process.

One of the subcommittees is the Law and Briefing Subcommittee, on which Mr. Evans will serve.  Reflecting on his new role, Mr. Evans stated, “I am honored to be appointed to the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee and the Law and Briefing Subcommittee in this crucial litigation. Together with the dedicated leadership team, I am confident that we will be able to work collaboratively with the Government and Court to create the framework within which these claims can eventually be brought to conclusion.”

Mr. Evans is now the third Ward and Smith attorney chosen for a leadership position in this historic litigation process. Recently, the US District Court of the Eastern District of North Carolina named attorneys Charles Ellis and Ret. Major General Hugh Overholt as Liaison Counsel. They are serving as intermediaries between the Court, the Plaintiffs’ Leadership Team, and unrepresented victims.

“We are encouraged by the appointment of 3 of our attorneys to leadership positions in this groundbreaking litigation and believe that their participation will help propel the legal process forward,” remarked Brad Evans, Ward and Smith’s Co-Managing Director.

Ward and Smith’s entire Camp Lejeune litigation team is dedicated to advocating for victims seeking justice for damage caused by the water contamination. Those interested can contact Ward and Smith directly or visit our website for more information about how we can help them begin their journey toward justice.

About Ward and Smith

Ward and Smith is a full-service law firm in North Carolina with offices in Asheville, Beaufort, Greenville, New Bern, Raleigh, and Wilmington. The firm has more than 100 attorneys knowledgeable in more than 35 practice areas, from agribusiness to zoning. For more information, visit https://www.wardandsmith.com/.

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Dr. Stephan Klebes Joins Deminor’s Hamburg Team To Expand Its Leading Position In The German Litigation Funding Market

By Harry Moran |

Deminor welcomes Dr. Stephan Klebes to the Hamburg team to expand its leading position in the German litigation funding market

Dr. Stephan Klebes adds experience and expertise in complex commercial disputes, investment recovery cases and antitrust actions to the Deminor team - especially in the fields of arbitration and capital markets law.

Deminor is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Stephan Klebes as Senior Legal Counsel. With the arrival of Stephan, a further experienced litigator joins the established team of Dr. Malte Stübinger (General Counsel Germany), Patrick Rode (Senior Legal Counsel) and Tim Willing (Senior Legal Counsel).

Dr. Stübinger commented on Stephan's arrival:

“With Stephan, we are gaining a highly qualified colleague with a broad legal background who will actively support our further growth in Germany and brings the Deminor mindset with him. An excellent addition to our team that emphasises our strong commitment to the German market.”

Stephan Klebes was admitted to the German Bar in 2021 and has broad experience in litigating and advising on cross-border disputes before international arbitral tribunals and state courts, with a particular focus on general commercial disputes and investment recovery cases. Prior to joining Deminor, he was an associate with the specialised litigation law firm Quinn Emmanuel where he represented companies in various types of arbitration proceedings, as well as complex investment recovery claims before state courts.

Erik Bomans, Chief Executive Officer, added:

“I wish to echo my colleagues' sentiments by congratulating Stephan on joining Deminor’s growing Hamburg team. Stephan’s wide-ranging legal expertise is a welcome arrival, and I am confident they will complement General Counsel Dr Malte Stübinger and his fellow Senior Legal Counsels. I look forward to his contribution to Deminor and our clients as we strengthen our position as a Chambers & Partners Band 1 Ranked provider of litigation funding solutions in Germany.”

Stephan Klebes studied law and economics at the University of Mannheim (LL.B., First State Examination) and the University of Cape Town, South Africa (LL.M. in Alternative Dispute Resolution). He then obtained his doctorate at the University of Osnabrück at the chair of Prof Dr Mary-Rose McGuire on an arbitration-related topic and completed his clerkship at the Higher Regional Court of Celle.

On joining Deminor, Stephan comments:

“I am delighted to be working with Deminor to further advance the field of litigation funding in Germany and Europe. The possibility of third-party financing of litigation and arbitration still has a lot of potential. Deminor will certainly be able to further expand its leading role in the German market on the basis of its strongly value-based approach. It is a great pleasure for me to be able to contribute to this mission.”

Dr. Klebes was recognised by Best Lawyers in the category "Ones to Watch 2024" in the field of Arbitration and Mediation.

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Clio Announces US $900M Investment at US $3B Valuation to Transform the Legal Experience For All

By Harry Moran |

Clio, the global leader in legal technology, announced it has raised US $900 million, based on a US $3 billion valuation, in a Series F investment round led by New Enterprise Associates (NEA). The round also includes new partners Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Sixth Street Growth, CapitalG, and Tidemark, who join current investors TCV, JMI Equity, funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. and by T. Rowe Price Investment Management, Inc., respectively, and OMERS. Marking a new era in its growth journey, Clio will continue to expand its multi-product platform, including further investments in its burgeoning AI portfolio and integrated legal payments. It will also accelerate its rapid market expansion upmarket and internationally, deepening its organic growth to more than 130 countries across the globe.

For 16 years, Clio has been at the forefront of creating innovative, cloud-based solutions tailored to the unique needs of the legal industry. Clio is the operating system for law firms, powering every aspect of the legal process. It simplifies law firm management by centralizing client intake, case management, document management, legal payments, and more. With more than 250+ legal technology software integrations, Clio is also the world’s largest legal technology platform, endorsed by more than 100 law societies and bar associations worldwide, including all 50 state bar associations in the United States.

“This historic raise was heavily oversubscribed, further demonstrating the overwhelming demand and confidence in Clio’s future,” said Jack Newton, CEO and Founder of Clio. “I’m thrilled to embark on this journey with NEA and our group of exceptional investors. The Clio operating system is the undisputed platform of the legal technology sector, engineered to not only meet but anticipate future industry demands. We are pioneering this future for our customers, driven by our mission to transform the legal experience for all. Our commitment to delivering unparalleled value propels every decision we make, and we are inspired by the massive opportunities ahead.”

Tony Florence, Co-CEO at NEA, has joined Clio’s Board of Directors. Mr. Florence commented, “Clio embodies everything NEA looks for in a growth-stage investment: an exceptional, purpose-driven team, market and product leadership, and stellar business physics. Clio is mission critical to law firms, and the company’s best-in-class retention and NPS are testaments to the team’s ability to continuously innovate, deliver immense value, and meet the dynamic needs of the legal sector. With the right foundation in place for continued market expansion and advanced AI capabilities, we believe the best is yet to come. We look forward to applying NEA’s company-building expertise to partner with Jack and the Clio team on their next phase of growth.”

Clio raised its Series E funding in April 2021, a US $110M growth equity round. Since then, Clio has grown its revenue beyond US $200M ARR and has expanded internationally to the APAC region, as well as upmarket to become the leader in mid-market cloud legal practice management software, serving more than 1,000 mid-sized firms in the United States alone. Clio’s all-in-one payments business has skyrocketed since its launch in 2022, now processing billions of dollars annually in legal-specific transactions. Additionally, Clio’s platform has been expanded to include: 

  • Clio Duo proprietary generative AI solution to help lawyers complete routine tasks, and leverage their firm analytics to run a more efficient practice; including audit log functionality for court discovery (available in 2024)
  • Clio Accounting to manage firm finances in one system of record, designed to help keep law firms compliant
  • Module for personal injury lawyers with distinct litigation needs, and procedures for medical recordkeeping, this add-on offers rapid settlement estimates for high volume case assessments
  • Clio Draft intelligent document automation and court form libraries in 50+ jurisdictions
  • Electronic court filing services available directly in Clio to streamline court interactions
  • Legal Aid and nonprofit grant billing models, eligibility calculators, and dashboards
  • Google Local Service Ads directly embedded in the Clio platform to generate, screen, and intake local leads

“While we’re immensely proud of our growth to date, the real opportunity lies ahead of us,” continued Newton. “AI is ushering in an exciting and important new era for legaltech, and Clio is leading that transformation. There’s much to accomplish for the success of our customers so they can thrive in an economy that embraces technology in every interaction.”

Clio has more than 1,100 employees located across hub locations in North America, EMEA, and APAC regions. The company is actively hiring across all areas of its business including product, R&D, sales, marketing, and customer success.

Law firms Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati served as legal counsel to Clio. William Blair acted as Clio’s exclusive financial advisor.

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Leading European Finance Firm Nera Capital to Fund €1 Billion Truck Cartel Class Action

By Harry Moran |

A prominent European finance company has announced it will be funding over 25,000 claims in a €1 billion class action against truck manufacturers, who were part of a price-fixing cartel.

Nera Capital, which has offices in Manchester, Dublin and The Netherlands, is focussing exclusively on group redress claims, helping consumers and small to medium sized businesses, fight for justice against antitrust behaviour by corporates.

In 2016, the European Commission found MAN, Volvo/Renault, Daimler, Iveco, and DAF broke European Union antitrust rules by colluding on truck pricing and on passing on the costs of compliance with stricter emission rules from 1997 to 2011.

The Commission imposed a record €2.93 billion fine on the manufacturers, except MAN as it revealed the existence of the cartel. All companies acknowledged their involvement and agreed to settle the case.

Speaking about this historic class action, Nera Capital Director, Aisling Byrne, said this investment will ensure truck owners receive justice for the damage the 14-year cartel caused. "The agreements covered both medium-duty trucks and heavy-duty trucks and affected the entire European Economic Area. While the cartel stopped running in 2011, the after affect was felt by truck owners in the following years, and it is important that those affected get their chance for justice.”

Nera Capital has appointed a leading German law firm to act for the claimants in the case.

When the European Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager handed down the historic fine in 2016, she said it was not acceptable that the manufacturers were part of a cartel instead of competing with each other. In 2016 she commented on the more than 30 million trucks on European roads, which accounted for around three quarters of inland transport of goods in Europe, playing a vital role for the European economy.

Ms Byrne echoed these comments and said the firm's success is built through its strong industry relationships and a passion for justice. “This is a pivotal moment for corporate accountability,” she added. “Our investment underscores our commitment to supporting small businesses and consumers who have been impacted by antitrust violations. With a strong track record of committing over £475 million, in aggregate, into claims, we are excited to offer our support to truck owners across Europe, because we believe justice should be accessible to all. Nera Capital stands firm in its mission to level the playing field against corporate misconduct. This class action is not just about compensation but also about holding accountable those who undermine fair competition."

About Nera Capital

·       Established in 2011, Nera Capital is a specialist funding provider to law firms.

·       Provides Law Firm Lend funding across diverse claim portfolios in both the Consumer and Commercial sector.

·       Headquartered in Dublin, the firm also has offices in Manchester and The Netherlands.

.     Member of European Litigation Funders Association.

.     www.neracapital.com

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