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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.

Fenchurch Legal a specialist provider of litigation funding for small and medium-sized UK law firms, today announced the appointment of Nathan Patterson as Senior Financial Controller.

Nathan brings a wealth of experience to the role, with a proven track record of effective financial management and strategic planning. He previously held key financial positions at a boutique advisory firm in Dubai and a Plc house-building company in the UK.

A qualified accountant and tax advisor, Nathan is both FCCA and CTA qualified. He will play a pivotal role in driving Fenchurch Legal’s continued growth and financial success.  In his new role, Nathan will head the Finance department, ensuring accurate financial reporting, strategic budgeting, and the overall financial health of the company. He will also oversee risk management, conducting thorough financial due diligence on all borrowers. His role is pivotal in maintaining Fenchurch Legal on a path of robust financial health and sustainable growth.

Nathan Patterson commented on his appointment: “I am excited to join Fenchurch Legal at such a key time in the company’s growth period and contribute to its continued success. My goal is to enhance the financial operations and support the company’s growth ambitions through sound financial management and strategic planning.”

Louisa Klouda, CEO of Fenchurch Legal, said: “We are delighted to welcome Nathan to our team. His extensive experience will be of great value to us as we experience a period of rapid growth. He will help us continue to scale our operations and expand our client base. Nathan’s appointment underscores Fenchurch Legal’s commitment to building a strong and experienced team to support our growth plans.”

Allia Group, the innovative legal finance firm exclusively specializing in healthcare insurer disputes, is excited to announce that Justin Fitzdam has been appointed as General Counsel. Mr. Fitzdam is based in Allia Group’s Nashville office.

Fitzdam has extensive in-house healthcare litigation expertise. In his 11 year tenure at HCA Healthcare, one of the nation’s largest hospital systems and healthcare service providers, he spearheaded the development of their nationwide litigation program against managed care payors. In addition, he oversaw all litigation, regulatory enforcement and compliance, investigations, and related legal issues for a substantial portfolio of HCA’s facilities and affiliates. His strong track record of successful litigation against the largest health insurance companies resulted in several of HCA’s largest judgments.

Over the course of his career, Fitzdam brings nearly 20 years of litigation, mediation, and arbitration experience across a broad range of large, complex, and highly regulated industries.He began his career in private practice at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and then Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP where he represented clients on both the plaintiff and defendant sides in all federal and state court levels, including the United States Supreme Court.

Fitzdam holds a J.D. from Cornell Law School and a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Florida.

In his new role, Fitzdam will be responsible for leading and implementing litigation strategy for Allia Group’s portfolio of litigation and will serve as the head legal advisor to the CEO and senior management. In addition, he will also define new areas of growth and oversee the underwriting of legal risks related to new business and transactions.

“We are thrilled to welcome Justin to the team,” said Eliot Listman, CEO of Allia Group. “His expertise with payor litigation in both in network and out of network cases will be indispensable. He is an ideal fit as our strategy grows to include solutions for even the largest hospital systems and physician groups in the battle against big health insurance. We are fortunate to have Justin on the team in our mission to hold payors accountable for bad behavior.”

About Allia Group:

Allia Group specializes in litigation finance solutions to improve the financial position of healthcare providers. To demand responsibility from healthcare insurers, Allia litigates and arbitrates against these payors and structures the purchase of underpaid claims and legal rights to monetize these assets, benefitting providers’ cash flow. Allia has the experience to address the needs of hospital systems, physician groups, and emergency transportation businesses. Visit www.allia.group to learn more.

In a post on LinkedIn, The Association of Litigation Funders of Australia (ALFA) announced that it is welcoming Mackay Chapman as its newest Associate Member. Mackay Chapman becomes the 12th Associate Member of ALFA, following the inclusion of Litica in April of this year.

Mackay Chapman is a boutique legal and advisory firm, specialising in high-stakes regulatory, financial services and insolvency disputes. The Melbourne-based law firm was founded in 2016 by Dan Mackay and Michael Chapman, who bring 25 years of experience in complex disputes to the business.More information about Mackay Chapman can be found on its website.

Armadillo Litigation Funding, a premier and trusted alternative asset class litigation funding company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Nicole Bakare, Esq. as the new Managing Director. In this role, Ms. Bakare will enhance and expand the underlying credit offering of the company’s platform and assist in monitoring current portfolios, contributing to the strategic growth and success of the firm and its clients.

Ms. Bakare joins Armadillo Litigation Funding from the Houston office of a large multinational law firm, where she represented corporate clients across a variety of industries in all phases of civil litigation, including state and federal courts, arbitration, and bankruptcy-related litigation. Her extensive experience and dedication to excellence make her a valuable addition to the Armadillo team.

“We are thrilled to have Nicole Bakare join our team,” said Jeff Manley, Chief Operating Officer of Armadillo Litigation Funding. “Her legal expertise and strategic insight will be instrumental in driving our investment evaluation processes and enhancing our portfolio, ultimately benefiting the firms we serve by providing more effective and targeted funding solutions.”

Ms. Bakare is a graduate of The University of Michigan and Tulane University Law School. She has been a member of the State Bar of Texas since 2006. Throughout her career, she has held prominent positions at Greenberg Traurig, LLP; Cozen O’Connor; Doyle, Restrepo, Harvin & Robbins LLP; and served as a briefing attorney to Justice Evelyn V. Keyes at the Court of Appeals for the First District of Texas.

Ms. Bakare expressed her enthusiasm about joining Armadillo Litigation Funding, stating, “I am honored to join Armadillo Litigation Funding, a firm renowned for its excellence and commitment to providing top-tier funding solutions in the complex litigation space,” said Nicole Bakare. “I look forward to leveraging my experience to support our clients and help drive their success through strategic investment evaluation and dedicated service.”

For more information about Armadillo Litigation Funding and its services, please visit www.armadillolf.com.

About Armadillo Litigation Funding: Armadillo Litigation Funding is a leading provider of alternative asset class funding in mass tort, consumer, and commercial litigation. Armadillo offers general obligation loans secured by the borrowers’ interests in current and future awards, including, but not limited to, contingent fees.

Litigation Capital Management Limited (AIM:LIT), an alternative asset manager specialising in dispute financing solutions internationally, announces the appointment of a new Chief Financial Officer, David Collins.

The Board is pleased to announce the appointment of David Collins as CFO, effective as at todays date. David is a Chartered Accountant and brings over 20 years of experience in senior finance and capital markets roles across a range of leading institutions including EY, Morgan Stanley, Och-Ziff Capital (now Sculptor Capital) and Prudential plc. David also brings considerable experience of the legal finance industry having previously been CFO of Vannin Capital, a leading litigation funder that was acquired by Fortress Investment Group in 2019. Since early 2024 David has been acting as a financial advisor to LCM and knows the business and the legal finance industry well. David will not initially be a member of the Board, but, is considered a Person Discharging Managerial Responsibilities (“PDMR”). David is however expected to join LCM’s board in due course.

Mary Gangemi will step down from her position after a period of transition at which time it is expected she will resign her position on the board. A separate RNS will be issued at that time. Mary has served the Company for some four and a half years, during which time she has significantly contributed to the company’s growth and financial strategy.

Jonathan Moulds, Chairman of LCM, said; “I am delighted to announce the appointment of David Collins as our next Chief Financial Officer. David’s significant financial and capital markets experience will be of tremendous value to us as we transition our business from being a balance sheet investor to becoming a third-party asset manager with a highly attractive economic model. We are thankful for Mary’s dedicated service and the contribution she has made to our financial health and operational success.” 

Patrick Moloney, Chief Executive Officer of LCM, said; “I would like to extend my gratitude to Mary for her contribution to LCM over the past four and a half years. I wish her the very best in her future endeavours. I am also excited to welcome David to our team. He brings a wealth of experience and a strong track record in financial leadership. We see significant opportunities in our markets to drive meaningful shareholder value creation and I am sure that David will play a pivotal role in helping us capitalise on them. Our business continues to perform well and we look forward to updating our investors when we present our results for our 2024 financial year in September.”

About LCM

Litigation Capital Management (LCM) is an alternative asset manager specialising in disputes financing solutions internationally, which operates two business models. The first is direct investments made from LCM’s permanent balance sheet capital and the second is third party fund management. Under those two business models, LCM currently pursues three investment strategies: Single-case funding, Portfolio funding and Acquisitions of claims. LCM generates its income from both its direct investments and also performance fees through asset management.

LCM has an unparalleled track record driven by disciplined project selection and robust risk management. Currently headquartered in Sydney, with offices in London, Singapore, Brisbane and Melbourne, LCM listed on AIM in December 2018, trading under the ticker LIT.

www.lcmfinance.com

The European Litigation Funders Association (ELFA) is pleased to announce that Dutch collective claim manager and aggregator ClaimShare, has joined ELFA as an associate member. 

“ClaimShare‘s mission is to support people and SMEs that have suffered harm and seek redress from corporate wrongdoers. ClaimShare does this by bundling their claims and providing professional services to organizations that represent the claimants’ interests. Seeking the appropriate litigation funder is a crucial part of that service and for access to justice in general. For years, ClaimShare has advocated the necessity and added value of a dedicated litigation funding association in the EU. The establishment of ELFA is crucial to better inform clients, the legal industry and policy makers in the EU of the essential role litigation funding plays and its mechanics, as well as develop and foster best practices”, said Dirk Jan van den Broek, Managing Director of ClaimShare. 

Omni Bridgeway‘s Managing Director and ELFA Chairman, Wieger Wielinga, expressed his enthusiasm about ClaimShare joining as an associate member. He stated, “ELFA is delighted to have ClaimShare on board. With Dirk Jan and the broader ClaimShare team, we gain a wealth of experience accumulated through years of assisting claimants and interest organizations, specifically in the European Union in obtaining the redress they might not have otherwise achieved. Their perspective as a claims manager and aggregator will significantly contribute to our organization’s mission and benefit the entire industry.” 

About The European Litigation Funders Association: 

ELFA was founded by three leading litigation funders with a European footprint, and today includes almost all European litigation funders. ELFA, was established to serve as the European voice of the commercial litigation funding industry. With the objective of representing the industry’s interests before governmental bodies, international organizations and professional associations, ELFA also aims to act as a clearinghouse and reference for relevant information, research and data regarding the uses and applications of commercial legal finance within the European continent. ELFA aims to be inclusive for all professional litigation funders of larger or smaller size and to allow specific contributing market participants and academics as associate members. 

About ClaimShare: 

ClaimShare exists to support individuals and interest groups to set up and manage class actions and group actions advancing equitable access to justice. ClaimShare has successfully initiated several well-known impactful claims, helping its clients obtain legal redress regarding leaking silicone breast implants, wrongful electricity pricing and metals fraud.

A top-tier litigation finance firm has achieved a significant milestone by becoming a member of the prestigious European Litigation Funders Association (ELFA).

This development marks a strategic move for Nera Capital as it continues to solidify its position as a key player in the global litigation funding market.

With its headquarters in Dublin, along with offices in Manchester and The Netherlands, the company has earned a reputation for delivering innovative financial solutions and cutting-edge technology across a diverse range of claim types.

The company’s portfolio includes high-volume consumer disbursement funding in the UK and substantial commercial claims in both Europe and the USA.

This strategic membership in ELFA underscores Nera Capital’s commitment to fostering ethical and effective litigation funding practices.

The ELFA is a collective of like-minded professionals from the litigation funding industry whose management committee is formed by representatives from the original founding companies, Deminor, Nivalion and Omni Bridgeway.

To become a member, firms need to have demonstrated excellence in the sector and a proven track record of deploying a significant amount of capital into the market.

Aisling Byrne, Director at Nera Capital, expressed her delight at this milestone, stating: “We are very pleased to join the European Litigation Funders Association.

“As a member, we look forward to collaborating with industry peers, sharing our wealth of experience, and contributing to the advancement of ethical and effective litigation funding practices across Europe.

“It positions us to advocate for transparency and promote higher industry standards that benefit all stakeholders involved. We believe our involvement will drive positive change and reinforce the essential role of litigation funding in delivering access to justice.”

Nera Capital’s membership in ELFA comes at a pivotal time when the litigation funding market is experiencing rapid growth.

By aligning with ELFA, Nera Capital is poised to play a crucial role in shaping the future of the industry, and the importance of litigation funding.

Wieger Wielinga, Managing Director of Omni Bridgeway and Chairman of ELFA, welcomed the company’s membership, noting the significance of their inclusion:

“With its roots in Ireland, the only Common Law EU country, Nera Capital operates in several EU jurisdictions as well as the UK.

“ELFA is thrilled to have another experienced funder on board, further enabling us to develop best practices for assisting claimants, insolvency trustees and consumer organisations and law firms across Europe.

“The addition of Nera to ELFA will also enhance our ability to advocate for the funding industry and its invaluable role in delivering access to justice across Europe.”

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.

·        Nera Capital is dedicated to facilitating the setup of class actions and group actions to promote equitable access to justice for individuals and interest groups. With a proven track record, Nera Capital has spearheaded numerous impactful claims, empowering clients to achieve legal redress in cases such as Housing Disrepair Claims, where vulnerable claimants lack the means to address their grievances effectively. Additionally, Nera Capital has played a pivotal role in supporting claims like the Trucking Cartel case in Europe, assisting in exposing evidence of anti-competitive behaviour by manufacturers. Through its strategic interventions and advanced AI capabilities, Nera Capital continues to champion fairness and accountability in the legal landscape. 

·       www.nerecapital.com

About The European Litigation Funders Association (ELFA):

·        ELFA was founded by three leading litigation funders with a European footprint and today includes the vast majority of EU based litigation funders. ELFA was established to serve as the voice of the commercial litigation funding industry operating from within the EU member states. With the objective of representing the industry’s interests before governmental bodies, international organisations and professional associations, ELFA aims to act as a clearinghouse and reference for relevant information, research and data regarding the uses and applications of commercial legal finance within the European continent. ELFA aims to be inclusive for all professional litigation funders of larger or smaller size and to allow specific contributing market participants and academics as associate members.

·        www.elfassociation.eu

Aon strengthens its M&A and Transaction Solutions team and pioneers a local team specialising in the management of these risks

Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, has appointed Fernando Gragera as Director of Litigation and Contingent Risks for Spain and Portugal. Fernando will join the Iberia M&A and Transaction Solutions (AMATS) team led by Lucas López Vázquez, and globally in Aon’s international Litigation Risk Group. His role will be to develop the litigation insurance practice and assist Aon’s clients in transferring risks arising from litigation and contingent situations.

Fernando Gragera, a Spanish lawyer and solicitor of England and Wales with more than 13 years of professional experience, comes from PLA Litigation Funding, a litigation funder specialising in the Iberian market. Previously, he worked as a lawyer in the litigation and arbitration department of Cuatrecasas and as in-house counsel at Meliá Hotels International, where he was responsible for the group’s litigation and arbitration.

This appointment responds to the growing interest from investment funds, corporations and law firms in covering contingent and litigation-related risks and makes Aon the first professional services firm with a local team specialising in contingent and litigation solutions in Iberia.

Miguel Blesa, head of Aon Transaction Solutions in Iberia: “Fernando’s appointment is a major milestone for the industry and embodies a commitment we have been working on for years. In this way, we reinforce our commitment to continue to support our clients and help them make the best decisions to protect and grow their business”.

About Aon

Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Through actionable analytic insight, globally integrated Risk Capital and Human Capital expertise, and locally relevant solutions, our colleagues provide clients in over 120 countries and sovereignties with the clarity and confidence to make better risk and people decisions that help protect and grow their businesses.

Follow Aon on X and LinkedIn. To learn more visit our NOA content platform. 

Lex Ferenda Litigation Funding LLC “LF2” is pleased to announce the following promotion and appointment: Andrew Kelley is now LF2’s Deputy Chief Investment Officer; Andrew Bourhill joins LF2 as Associate Director, Investments. Kelley previously served as Managing Director, Underwriting and Risk. Bourhill, who was an intern at the company while completing his MBA at Columbia Business School, graduated this month and now joins on a full-time basis.

“LF2 has been working on its first investment fund, committing it to litigation assets around the US. It has always been our plan to increase our commitments to Andrew and Andrew, and we are pleased that the business is in a place that we are able to do that,” said Chris Baildon, LF2’s Chief Operating Officer.

PROMOTION

Kelley, who now serves as the Company’s Deputy Chief Investment Officer, is a key part of the management team and works carefully with the co-founders and advisory board to understand risk and manage investments.

“I am excited to expand my role at LF2 and look forward to continuing to help our clients and their counsel successfully navigate the dispute resolution process without having to worry about how to pay for their representation,” said Kelley. “As a former outside counsel and in-house lawyer, I understand the complex business and legal dynamics of successfully funding, prosecuting, and resolving disputes.”

Prior to joining LF2 in early 2023, Kelley was Associate General Counsel and head of commercial litigation at Fortune 500 company, DaVita Inc.. He has also served as General Counsel to a private equity firm headquartered in Colorado and as outside counsel at two different international law firms in Colorado. Kelley received his J.D. from Harvard Law School and his B.A. from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He is actively licensed to practice law in Colorado.

APPOINTMENT

Bourhill joins as Associate Director, Investments, and will be primarily responsible for creating, developing, and maintaining business relationships with law firms and litigants to ensure that LF2’s commercial activity continues to expand while its clients receive best-in-class service.

“I am looking forward to joining the LF2 team and applying my unique perspective in a dynamic industry with such high growth potential,” said Bourhill. “As a former litigator and finance professional, I’m excited to enhance outcomes for both our clients and investors while being able to promote access to high quality legal representation.”

Prior to obtaining his MBA, Bourhill was an associate attorney at a premier defense law firm in Manhattan specializing in commercial litigation. Bourhill received his J.D. from the Cardozo School of Law, and his B.A. from Emory University. He is actively licensed to practice law in New York.

“I am humbled to have Kelley and Bourhill take expanded roles at LF2 and believe that their increased fidelity with our clients and investors will make our business stronger,” said Michael German, Chief Investment Officer at LF2. “We are continuing to expand in the litigation finance space and are excited about the future, particularly with Andrew and Andrew playing strategic roles within the business,” German said.

ABOUT LEX FERENDA LITIGATION FUNDINGLF2 is a commercial litigation finance company anchored by institutional capital. LF2 is structured with the objective of meeting the highest standards in investment process management, quality control, risk management, and compliance. For further information about LF2, please visit: www.lf-2.com.

Darrow, the leading AI-powered justice intelligence platform, today announced the appointment of Mathew Keshav Lewis as its first Chief Revenue Officer and US General Manager. Lewis brings over 20 years of experience driving revenue and growth for high-profile legal and technology companies – including SaaS platform Dealpath, alternative investment platform Yieldstreet, and legal services pioneer Axiom Law – and will be responsible for helping Darrow scale as it continues an accelerated growth trajectory. 

“Mathew’s arrival at Darrow opens enterprise-level deals to all plaintiff law firms, previously accessible only to a select few,” said Evyatar Ben Artzi, CEO and Co-Founder of Darrow. “His expertise from YieldStreet and Axiom empowers our partners to leverage AI, driving unprecedented growth and innovation.” 

Lewis, who will be based in Darrow’s New York headquarters, joins Darrow after serving as the first Chief Revenue Officer of Dealpath, a real estate deal management platform. He also previously held the role of Chief Revenue Officer and GM, Investments at Yieldstreet, where he drove record revenue and growth for the investment platform. 

“I’m delighted to join a team of tremendously talented individuals at Darrow, who have already disrupted the legal technology space and forged the path ahead,” said Mathew Keshav Lewis, Chief Revenue Officer & US General Manager of Darrow. “I am inspired by Darrow’s progress to date, and I look forward to working alongside Darrow’s growing team to expand the company’s footprint.”

This announcement comes at a period of rapid growth for the company, which completed its $35 million Series B funding round last year. Darrow currently works on active litigation valued over $10 billion across legal domains such as privacy, consumer protection, and antitrust. 

About Darrow: Founded in 2020, Darrow is a LegalTech company on a mission to fuel law firm growth and deliver justice for victims of class and mass action lawsuits. Darrow’s AI-powered justice intelligence platform leverages generative AI and world-class legal experts and technologists to uncover egregious violations across legal domains spanning privacy and data breach, consumer protection, securities and financial fraud, environment, and employment. Darrow is based out of New York City and Tel Aviv. For more information, visit: darrow.ai. 

The team around former Carpentum Capital has launched AURIGON LITIGATION RISK CONSULTING (LRC), a litigation funding intermediary based in Switzerland with a special focus on Latin America. 

Founder and Managing Director Dr. Detlef A. Huber comments: ”AURIGON LRC is combining two worlds, litigation finance and insurance. Both areas are increasingly overlapping. Insurers offer ever more litigation risk transfer products and funders recur to insurance to hedge their risks. Hence complexity and advisory requirements are increasing, especially in still developing markets like Latin America. With our team of lawyers and former re/insurance executives trained in Latin America, the US, UK and Europe we are perfectly suited to advice our clients in any stage of the funding process or in related insurance matters. Our goal is to become the preferred partner for litigation and arbitration funding projects out of Latin American jurisdictions and I am looking forward to this new adventure.”

ABOUT AURIGON

AURIGON Advisors Ltd. is operating as re/insurance consultancy since 2011 with a special focus on dispute resolution and auditing. With AURIGON LRC an intermediary for litigation funding has been launched servicing our clients out of Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Switzerland in Spanish, English, Portuguese and German. With our experience setting up the first Swiss litigation fund dedicated to Latin America (founded 2018), and in the insurance advisory area (since 2011), we are bringing together knowledge of processes and mindsets of the funding and the insurance world. 

Westfleet Advisors, the premier U.S. litigation finance advisory firm, is delighted to announce the appointment of James “Jim” Batson as its new Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Batson, widely recognized as a leader in litigation finance, brings an extensive portfolio of expertise, including nearly a decade at Omni Bridgeway, most recently as its US Co-CIO, and a former partnership at Liddle & Robinson.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jim to Westfleet,” said Charles Agee, Founder and CEO of Westfleet Advisors. “His impressive track record and deep industry knowledge align perfectly with our strategic goals. Jim’s leadership is set to drive significant growth, reinforcing Westfleet’s role as an essential advisor in the increasingly complex litigation finance market.”

“At a time when the litigation finance industry has reached a critical juncture, requiring sophisticated understanding to navigate its complexities, I am excited to join Westfleet Advisors,” said Mr. Batson. “The industry’s growth and the diversification of funding options have made it imperative for clients to seek knowledgeable and experienced advisors. Westfleet’s long-established expertise in advising on deal structures, pricing, and market trends positions us uniquely to guide our clients to the most advantageous outcomes. I look forward to advancing our mission to deliver unmatched advisory services in this dynamic sector.”

Mr. Batson’s prior roles have honed his skills in developing growth strategies and enhancing client services, with a strong focus on operational excellence and strategic advisory for complex legal disputes.

“Jim’s deep understanding of the industry’s needs and his proven leadership abilities will be instrumental as we expand our advisory services and deepen our engagement with the market,” added Agee.

About Westfleet Advisors

Westfleet Advisors is the leading litigation finance advisor in the United States. Founded in 2013, the company has been instrumental in promoting transparency and efficiency in the litigation finance market. With a team of seasoned experts active since 1998, Westfleet provides clients and their attorneys with essential resources and insights necessary for navigating successful litigation financing.

After opening offices in Brussels in 2015, London in 2021, and Amsterdam in 2023, Geradin Partners continues its European expansion with the launch today of its Paris office with the hires of former EU official and competition litigator Marc Barennes and his team. 

Founding partner, Damien Geradin comments: 

“We’re delighted that Marc accepted our offer to open our Paris office. France is a key jurisdiction in Europe, and Marc and his team will help us achieve three goals. First, it allows us to bolster our competition and digital regulation practice. The Paris office will allow us to better serve our clients in France, in particular those in need of strategic advice regarding the DMA (Digital Markets Act), DSA (Digital Services Act) and EU competition law. It will also assist our international clients in interactions with the French competition authority. Second, given his unique experience within the competition authorities and courts, Marc adds further strength to our ability to pursue high-stakes appeals and interventions in relation to competition authority decisions at the French and European levels. Third, Geradin Partners has brought major private actions in the courts, in particular against large tech firms in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, while Marc has been a frontrunner in bringing collective actions in France. With Marc onboard, we will offer a choice between bringing a competition and DMA actions before the Dutch, English or French Courts, depending on which is best for each client”. 

Marc Barennes is a competition litigator with 20-plus years of experience. With over 15 years at the European Commission and the Court of Justice of the European Union, he brings unique expertise in competition law. During his time with European institutions, he was directly involved in more than 350 cases, including more than 70 of the most complex and high-profile European cartel, abuse of dominance, merger and State aid cases. Before joining Geradin Partners, Marc also gained experience over the past five years of damages actions through his role as Executive Director of a leading claim aggregator, and co-founding partner of the first French claimant firm specialized in class actions. Marc has also been a Lecturer at French School of Law, Sciences Po Paris since 2014 and has been a non-governmental advisor to the European Commission and/or the French and Luxembourgish competition authorities for the International Competition Network (ICN) since 2012. He is a member of both the Paris and New York bars. 

Marc Barennes added: 

“I’m honoured and delighted to join Geradin Partners and launch its Paris office. In only a few years, Geradin Partners has become the go-to European firm for all complex competition and digital regulation cases. It now comprises an exceptional team of 20 competition and digital regulation specialists, including five senior former competition agency officials, who work seamlessly on French, EU and UK high-stake cases. The many cases it has already successfully brought against large tech firms before the French, English and EU competition authorities and courts as well as the multi-billion damages claims it has filed against them in the Netherlands and England are a testament to its expertise and its innovative approach to complex competition issues, especially in the digital space. I look forward to assisting French companies both in benefiting from those damage actions and in their most complex cases before the French and EU competition authorities and courts. Our ambition is to expand the Paris office rapidly: applications at the partner and senior associate levels are welcome”. 

About Geradin Partners

Geradin Partners was founded by competition and digital regulation expert Damien Geradin, who has spent the past 25 years working as an attorney, while combining this with an academic career. With a team of seven partners and a total of 20 competition experts based in Paris, Brussels, London and Amsterdam, Geradin Partners is the first European boutique to offer seamless competition law and digital regulation services in major cases throughout the EU and the UK. It is recognized by its clients and peers for its commitment to excellence, as well as for its innovative and strategic approach. 

Orington Capital (“OC”), today launched an international, Australian headquartered subsidiary, Orington & Partners (“O&P”). O&P specialises in management consulting, legal and dispute financing advisory, restructuring and corporate advisory mandates across the globe including Australia, the United States, India, UAE, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. In addition, O&P provides investment banking and capital raising services in India.

O&P has been founded by entrepreneurs and corporate professionals combining vibrancy and rigour.  The firm prides itself on being new-age that understands how rapidly changing technology impacts businesses. O&P’s target market are mid-market businesses that are seeking a collaboration-first, solutions approach. As a result we are flexible with how we package our solutions to tailor to each business’s needs and financial position. 

The firm is led by Kashish Grover, Managing Partner and CEO, and supported by Orington Capital which provides broad global expertise in owning and investing in various businesses/assets, a larger footprint and access to its investment balance sheet in which few professional service firms are fortunate enough to gain access to.

“I’m extremely excited to be joining Orington & Partners as a Founding Partner, in which we look to provide to an underserved mid-market a breadth of exceptional strategy, transactions and legal finance advisory services, unrivalled by any other in the market. Additionally, our experience combines international best practices with new-age thinking understanding that technology continues to evolve and change the business landscape. ” Mr Grover expressed.

Wei-Khing Seow (Executive Chair of O&P and Managing Director of OC) commented: “We are fortunate to bring on board such an amazing talent and leader in Kashish. He brings a truly exceptional combination of integrity, passion for listening and learning, as well as an unparalleled level of pragmatic smarts.

O&P is positioned to service clients uniquely as a one-stop shop that can help your business grow and improve, whether it be organically and/or inorganically. Lastly, we will help your business create value and monetise legal assets that few other firms in the world can do.”

Please see Orington & Partners’ website for a list of specific services and jurisdictions we provide services to. We welcome both direct enquiries and referrals.

About Orington & Partners

Orington & Partners is an Australia headquartered, international firm specialising in management consulting, legal and dispute financing advisory, restructuring and corporate advisory mandates across the globe including Australia, the United States, India, UAE, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. We also provide investment banking and capital raising services in India.  Visit orington.com/orington–partners for further details.

About Orington Capital

Orington Capital is an Australian family owned and operated investment firm. Established in 2021. Its business holdings and activities originated in Australia but are increasingly international. Uniquely, Orington invests holistically and unconstrained across the entire capital and investment structure in both private and public markets. Orington provides bespoke capital and can attach dedicated business support service solutions to its investments and portfolio companies.  ACN: 664 474 640. Visit orington.com for further details.

Litigation Capital Management (LCM) has announced that Zachary Segal has joined the team as an Investment Manager.

Delta Capital Partners Management, a global private equity firm specializing in litigation and legal finance, is pleased to announce that Jonathan Patrick has joined the firm as its Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer.  Patrick will be based in the firm’s Chicago headquarters.

Delta Capital Partners Management, a global private equity firm specializing in litigation and legal finance, is pleased to announce that effective March 1, 2024, Anthony Donofrio has joined its Board of Advisors.

Juris Capital, an investment manager specializing in innovative financial solutions for commercial litigants and law firms, is delighted to announce that Dane Lund has joined as a Managing Director. As Juris begins to expand its offerings of tailored financial solutions for commercial claimants, top-tier law firms and litigation boutiques, Lund will play a leading role in developing and executing new strategies for the firm. With the addition of Lund, Juris will offer more bespoke solutions for a wide range of cost needs, whether in the hundreds of thousands or millions.

Today Keller Postman UK Limited and Lanier, Longstaff, Hedar & Roberts LLP announce their merger to form a new specialist collective redress law firm called KP Law Limited.