Litigation Capital Management Limited, a global provider of disputes funding, publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market, is pleased to announce the hire of Helene Roins as an Investment Manager based in Sydney.
After gaining considerable steam during the economic crisis of 2008, the Litigation Finance industry has only increased in popularity since. Predictions suggest that by 2027, the litigation funding sector will be worth more than double what it is now.
It’s clear by now that 2020 has been a year like no other. Industry growth and the impact of COVID make this an ideal time to catch up on all of the relevant issues impacting the commercial Litigation Finance industry. With that in mind, LFJ is hosting a panel discussion that will cover a wide range of topics, including the Burford/Muddy Waters saga, the IMF/Omni merger, the rise in IP litigation, hedge fund interest in the funding sector, and much more.
Burford Capital recently joined forces with InterLaw Diversity Forum for a study on ways to improve diversity in large firms. To that end, a panel of experts gathered to discuss the issue. Included were: Burford’s Elizabeth Fisher, Rothschild’s Sarah Blomfield, Patti Kachidza at M&G Prudential, and David Jackson from Barclays.
NEW YORK (July 28, 2020) – Looking to meet growing demand among businesses and law firms to finance commercial disputes, litigation funder Validity Finance has raised $100 million in additional capital. The firm also announced the arrival of experienced transactional attorney Jason Listhaus to fill the new role of in-house corporate counsel as its portfolio continues to grow.
LONDON, 28 July 2020: Omni Bridgeway Limited announces that it has resolved to fund proposed litigation to be brought by shareholders of Wirecard AG against its auditor, Ernst & Young GmbH. Such litigation will be brought in Germany by leading international law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP.
CHICAGO, Illinois, July 27, 2020 — Delta Capital Partners Management LLC, a global private equity firm specializing in litigation and legal finance, has announced its new Board of Advisors.
NEW YORK, NY, July 27, 2020 – Bryant Park Capital (“BPC”), a leading middle market investment bank, announced today that Multi Funding, Inc (“Multi Funding” or the “Company”) recently closed on a $30 million senior debt transaction with a leading international bank. This capital injection will allow the company to accelerate top line revenue, expand its physical footprint, and operate as a significant player in the pre-settlement space.
The following article is part of an ongoing column titled ‘Investor Insights.’
Brought to you by Ed Truant, founder and content manager of Slingshot Capital, ‘Investor Insights’ will provide thoughtful and engaging perspectives on all aspects of investing in litigation finance.
Most lawyers know the feeling of a meritorious case moving along well, until it slows, and the funding to keep it going starts to run short. What is the next step when a client lacks the financial capability to continue? Is dropping the case to save funds a viable alternative, even if it means forgoing a potential award?
In recent years, Litigation Finance has taken the world by storm. In many cases, third-party funding has helped ordinary citizens seek justice against much larger entities—even governments. Now there’s talk of Bangladesh adopting the practice. What could that mean for the country itself, and the wider region?
SYDNEY, 16 July 2020: Omni Bridgeway Limited (ASX:OBL), announces a new legal finance facility and an equity investment in an exciting new Japanese business providing Japanese clients with access to justice, without the associated costs and risks of pursuing their claims.
Augusta, the UK’s largest funder of litigation by case volume today announces the appointment of Clara Segurola as Lead Economist.
The financial stressors caused by the global pandemic have touched nearly every industry. Legal firms are finding it difficult to cope with remote working conditions, court stoppages, and declines in billable hours—all while trying to address a huge influx in proposed litigation. One expert is confident that Litigation Funding is the ideal way to address shortfalls and keep budgets in balance.
CHICAGO – July 13, 2020 – Longford Capital today announced that Marc A. Cavan has joined the firm asDirector. Mr. Cavan will assist with investment sourcing, due diligence, and monitoring of portfolio investments, supporting Longford’s Chicago and Dallas offices.
The UK’s Legal industry generated revenues of £2.35bn in May 2020, 12% down on May last year. May 2020 was the lowest-earning month in four years, according to Office of National Statistics data released on 14th July.
The legal field has not escaped the financial uncertainty plaguing the rest of the world. Even before COVID-19 changed nearly everything, firms were already lamenting the ‘death of the billable hour.’ Some might say that billable hours, while low risk to firms, are not a good model for clients—especially those of average or modest means.
Some continue to debate the need for Litigation Finance. Yet every day we see more examples of the practice working as it should, increasing access to justice for those who might not otherwise have it. One such case involves Nanoco, a business associated with Manchester University. The small business recently filed a patent infringement case against tech giant Samsung.
Across the board, Litigation Finance has become a powerhouse industry—one that has shown remarkable growth since its inception just over a decade ago. Since 2017, the industry has seen at least a 10% annualized increase in requests for funding. This year, a 30% increase accompanies a greater acceptance of the practice in the legal world.
The following was contributed by Matthew Pitchers, Head of Investment Valuation at Augusta Ventures.
I was in conversation the other day with a prospective user of our finance – a law firm who will remain nameless. The conversation was going well, very well in fact, until those seven words came up: “what is it going to cost me?”. I replied that our fee would be based on the higher of a multiple on the funds deployed or a set percentage of damages awarded. After a few seconds of silence which felt like an eternity, the response I got back was “that is very expensive, and I don’t think my client will go for it”.
When we think of Litigation Finance, our impulse might be to envision well-capitalized funders assisting large companies. The founder and CEO of Legalist, Eva Shang, sees the business differently. Her model is one of David v. Goliaths—helping the little guys that other funders may overlook.
The most successful Litigation Finance firms are those that act as partners, not merely funders. Funders can join a team at any point in the case and still make a positive impact. John Garda has recently made the move from full-time litigator to assessing funding opportunities for Longford Capital.
CHICAGO, Illinois, July 1, 2020 — Delta Capital Partners Management LLC, a global private equity firm specializing in litigation and legal finance, today announced the hiring of a Chief Marketing Officer and a Marketing Associate.
HFW, KPMG and Augusta Ventures are pleased to announce a non-exclusive project to assist companies facing problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown. Together, they will provide a global ‘one-stop shop’ that can quickly support companies needing assistance by facilitating funding for supporting litigation and arbitration from Augusta, and a package of legal assistance, asset tracing and enforcement measures from HFW and KPMG.
Trucking companies, insurers, and employees have been having a rough couple of years. Tax law changes have cheated drivers out of their per diem, making their taxes skyrocket. Insurance rates climb ever higher as large payouts cripple insurers. Some have placed the blame on Litigation Finance, claiming that enabling plaintiffs has had a negative impact on insurers. But is that fair?
