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Since January of 2019, UK-based AxiaFunder has secured nearly GBP 2 million in funds from investors. So far, the litigation funding platform has funded 13 cases, netting an impressive average investor return of 55%.

Leading litigation funder Omni Bridgeway is currently observing multiple significant milestones, including the 35th anniversary of its founding. In addition, 2021 represents 20 years since it was first listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, and the opening of its German arm.

One Florida committee has suggested changes to its policies on law firm ownership. So far, lawyers are sharply divided. While the Florida committee does acknowledge that many lawyers are resisting reforms in this area, that hasn’t dissuaded them from pursuing it.

Litigation Finance powerhouse Woodsford has submitted its response to the Secretariat’s initial draft on the regulation of third-party funding. The proposed reforms include addressing concerns about conflicts of interest, security for costs, or that funders may exert undue influence over decision making or cost-related decisions about the cases they fund.

There’s been a lot of talk about how well-funded collective actions are driving up the price of liability insurance, particularly for directors in corporate settings. Furthermore, one of the ways to address this issue seems to be increased regulation and more stringent disclosure requirements. But is this an accurate representation of the facts? Andrew Saker, Managing Director & CEO of Omni Bridgeway doesn’t think so.

Last week, the London Court of Appeal agreed to reopen a suit against an Anglo-Australian mining company, BHP. The case centers on a 2015 dam rupture that caused the worst environmental disaster in Brazilian history.

Anyone hoping to be a success in the world of legal finance should expect to amass knowledge from multiple industries. Banking, litigation, corporate finance, IP and patent laws, and more. This is why many of the most successful funding entities employ staffers from multiple business disciplines, and why they seek out those with cross-disciplinary skill sets.

Nearly 20 million users in the UK may be eligible claimants in a lawsuit against Google, stemming from allegations of illegal charges in its Google Play store. The alleged overcharges impacted UK users of Android phones.

As Litigation Finance regulations evolve, those involved in active cases may change their tactics. On July 19th, a motion to dismiss a pending appeal was filed by the parties in Sax v Fast Track Investments. In this case, legal finance agreements affirm that New York laws apply to the question of whether or not the funding was a loan.

Burford Capital is the largest Litigation Finance company on Earth. Returns on litigation investments are consistently high, yet investment pros can’t seem to agree whether Burford stock is a big risk or a sure thing. The truth, as always, may be somewhere in between.

Litigation Finance has seen big legal developments over the last year and a half. Especially impacted are insolvency practitioners and those who work in asset recovery.

An update to an arbitration relating to the Ntaka Hill Nickel Project against the Republic of Tanzania was recently released by Indiana Resources.

If the old adage that “time is money” is true, then the length of time it takes to file a case, see it to completion and actually receive the award, can be unpredictable at best.

Funders and risk specialist Erso Capital has released its Q1 statement, and it seems largely positive. The funders report high demand for single-case funding. It also boasts a strong portfolio of completed transactions in several jurisdictions.

RBG Holdings has recently published its pre-close trading update. This comes ahead of its six-month financial report—expected in September of this year. RBG Group includes several profitable divisions, including those providing commercial and dispute-related legal services, and litigation funding.

The story of Lionheart Capital begins with John Ruiz and Ophir Sternberg (real estate developer and founder of Lionheart). Sternberg joined forces with hedge fund Elliott Management, turning Heart Hospital into a spate of luxury villas. This past May, Ruiz and Sternberg bought Cigarette Racing Team together.

The financial uncertainties brought about by COVID are one driver for the increased use of third-party legal finance. Businesses are becoming insolvent in record numbers. Even those with strong cash reserves are burning through them at unprecedented rates. How does legal funding help?

It’s been said that non-pharma-related patent litigation tends to focus on a few big companies. Most are consumer-facing brands with their own retail outlets, though certainly not all. Those who make a career out of being a non-practicing entity (NPE) know who they are and how to target them.

An important precedent was set recently, involving a decision in LCM Operations Pty Ltd in the matter of 316 Group Pty Ltd (in liquidation) 2021, and the use of documents produced in an examination. What exactly happened?

We tend to think of legal funding as a tool used by the ‘Davids’ in a David v Goliath matchup. Increasingly, however, litigation funding is being used in divorce cases.

It’s no secret that litigation funding has its share of detractors. Some are still suspicious of the increasingly regulated practice, despite evidence that it’s a net gain for clients, legal teams, investors, and those who have been harmed by a well-monied entity.

Singapore’s Ministry of Law announced last month an extension to its existing framework of laws impacting litigation funding. The extended framework will expand the types of proceedings that may utilize third-party funding.

It’s estimated that a class action in Australia may assist developers with their restoration and replacement costs. This case is expected to be the largest in the nation in 2021, as it involves more than 3400 apartment buildings now deemed unsafe.

Complaints against third-party litigation funding tend to focus on a few oft-repeated points. Increased litigation, class actions in particular, ostensibly cause insurance rates to rise. Funders aren’t always required to disclose their funding agreements, ostensibly hiding a potential conflict of interest. Finally, funders are blamed for a supposed increase in frivolous actions—even though no funder wants to take on a case without merit.

Litigation Capital Management maintains that its team has performed admirably in what has been a difficult and unusual year. On that note, LCM announced its second specialist litigation fund is on track to close this quarter, owing to explosive investor interest.

The divorce settlement between Farkhad Akhmedov and Tatiana Akhmedova has been in contention since it was first ruled on in 2016. London’s High Court determined that Akhmedova should receive over GBP 453 million of his more than GBP one billion estate. According to her, that judgment was not enforced.

A recent study into the future of legal funding resulted in several interesting insights. These include potential market growth, use of funding by corporates, expense, and strategic input into cases.

Seth Lovis, former managing director of Seth Lovis & Co, has been struck after admitting to failing to meet his obligations to various lenders. An investigation by the SRA determined that the personal injury lawyer accepted funding from multiple lenders for the same case more than a dozen times.

As litigation funding expands and adapts to the needs of consumers, it is becoming known by an increasing array of names: lawsuit loans, car accident loans, pre-settlement funding, etc. That’s because third-party funders are always developing new ways for non-recourse legal funding to help those in need.

Not all companies are enthusiastic about filing an IP lawsuit—even a highly meritorious one. Such cases are costly, complicated, and may not resolve for years. At the same time, the potential for a large recovery is high.