Digestible profiles of some of the most influential members of the global legal funding community

Based in Sydney, Australia, Vicky Antzoulatos is the Joint Head of Class Actions at Shine Lawyers. Vicky has spent her career championing the rights of those adversely affected by corporate malfeasance across Australia. She has navigated the complexities of the niche area of class action dispute resolution for over 25 years, taking on some of the world's most formidable corporate entities, including international and Australian banking institutions, shipping conglomerates, and prominent fast-food chains.

Vicky has been involved in the conduct of class actions in Australia since 1999 and her deep knowledge in this area spans a broad range of class actions including employment, consumer, human rights, shareholder and financial services. Through her expertise and unwavering commitment to the pursuit of truth and accountability, Vicky continues to redefine the boundaries of legal excellence in class actions, making an impact on the lives of countless individuals across Australia.

Company Name and Description: Shine Lawyers is an Australian law firm specialising in personal injury compensation and class actions. As one of Australia’s leading class actions firms, Shine Lawyers passionately fights to obtain justice for those who have been wronged and suffered loss at the hands of institutions or corporations.  

Company Website: https://www.shine.com.au/ 

Year Founded: 1976

Headquarters: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Area of Focus: Class Actions

Member Quote: Third party litigation funding has allowed class actions to be brought that would never have seen the light of day. It is a critical aspect of modern-day litigation assisting to recalibrate the power imbalance between individuals seeking redress from large corporations or government.

An early adopter of litigation finance with ten years of experience as a funding professional, David Kerstein uses his depth of knowledge and experience to serve as a trusted and strategic partner and advisor to lawyers and clients seeking to manage litigation risk and spend.

Dave is a sought-after speaker and recognized leader in litigation finance who has been named among Lawdragon’s “Global 100 Leaders in Legal Finance” and selected by Who’s Who Legal as a “Thought Leader in Third Party Funding.” Prior to founding Arcadia Finance in June of 2024 with fellow Managing Directors Ronit Cohen and Joshua Libling, he served as Validity Finance’s Managing Director and Senior Investment Officer.

In addition to co-leading Validity’s origination and structuring teams, he helped to guide Validity’s strategic growth into new and expanded markets and avenues for investment. Prior to joining Validity, Dave was a senior investment manager at Bentham IMF, now Omni Bridgeway. Before entering the world of litigation finance, Dave spent fifteen years as a trial lawyer handling complex commercial disputes at Gibson Dunn. With his deep experience as a litigator, Dave understands the landscape attorneys and their clients face when pursuing important claims and is uniquely positioned to help them navigate it. As a long-suffering Jets, Mets, Knicks and Islanders fan, Dave is keenly aware that facing adversity can build character. He knows that every litigation has obstacles that must be overcome but that those obstacles can be used as stepping-stones that guide us to achieving our goals.

Company Name and Description: At Arcadia Finance, we go beyond traditional litigation finance to provide frictionless funding, empowering clients and partners to achieve their legal goals through customized financial solutions and unparalleled support. Our seamless collaboration, clear deal terms, and broad mandate empower clients to navigate challenges, make informed decisions, and secure capital - fast. Led by industry veterans with over $400 million invested across 80+ deals, Arcadia Finance offers adaptable solutions for all–from litigation boutiques to AmLaw firms and corporations. Arcadia Finance's mission is to invest in meritorious litigation, and with backing from multiple and flexible capital providers, we find new ways to help clients and law firms finance, monetize, and share risk on their legal assets. Our solutions include everything from traditional single-case funding and law firms portfolios, to purchasing companies or patent portfolios whose primary value is litigation. At every stage from pre-litigation to appeal and enforcement, Arcadia has the experience, flexibility, and capital to assist.

Company Website: arcadiafin.com

Year Founded: 2024

Headquarters: New York, New York

Area of Focus: With a focus on U.S.-based commercial and patent litigation and domestic and international arbitration, Arcadia Finance is open to the full spectrum of litigation-based assets, from mass torts to law firm lending to patent acquisition, including cross-border and offshore matters. We consider cases in all federal and state courts, as well domestic and international arbitrations.    

Member Quote: "Over my 25+ years of work in the legal and litigation finance industries, I've seen firsthand how meritorious claims can falter due to financial constraints. That's why I'm passionate about litigation funding – it ensures that the strength of a case, not the size of a wallet, determines its outcome."

Georgios is a seasoned finance professional with extensive experience across investment banking, technology, and the Food & Beverage industry. With a strong academic foundation, he holds a master’s in finance from the London School of Economics (LSE) and a master’s in management from Cass Business School, equipping him with deep financial expertise and strategic insight.

He began his career at a boutique investment bank in London, where he honed his skills in deal structuring, financial modelling, and capital markets. His career includes a pivotal role at Diageo, where he contributed to the overall marketing strategy for its premium alcoholic products. He has also been actively involved in the tech space, leveraging his financial acumen to drive innovation and business growth.

Currently, Georgios holds a pivotal role at Heirloom Fair Legal, which specialises in legal financings in the individual and small business consumer claims sector. As the Director of Capital & Investor Relations, he coordinates Heirloom’s co-investment program, allowing families to benefit from Heirloom’s deep experience and expertise. Through his leadership, he helps families who are interested in the sector but don’t have the extensive internal resources needed to learn more about this space and access the opportunities within it.

Heirloom focuses on funding meritorious legal cases and firms with strong recovery prospects, leveraging deep industry expertise and a robust network of legal and financial professionals. Georgios helps co-investors and families understand this unique asset class, which offers attractive, risk-adjusted returns, independent of traditional market cycles.

Headquarters: London, UK

Area of Focus: Family office services, Legal finance 

Member Quote: “Countless claims fail to reach the courts – not for lack of validity, but due to financial constraints and the absence of expert guidance. At Heirloom, we are steadfast in our commitment to advancing access to justice by providing both the strategic expertise and financial backing necessary to bring deserving cases to light. As pioneers in motor finance claims, we are leading the charge in holding institutions to account and ensuring claimants receive the redress they rightfully deserve.“

Based in Sydney, Australia, Craig Allsopp is the Joint Head of Class Actions at Shine Lawyers. Craig has over two decades of experience in class actions and large-scale litigation in both the private and public sectors. His unwavering commitment to justice has left an indelible mark on Australia’s legal landscape, positioning him as a trailblazer in shareholder dispute resolutions. Craig’s distinguished career is studded with triumphs that have shaped legal precedent. In every case he sees through, Craig strives to obtain justice for thousands of people impacted by the misconduct of corporations, the big banks and other major financial service institutions, and Australian governments. In particular, Craig has worked on some of Australia’s highest profile shareholder and social justice class actions.

Craig's dedication to legal excellence and social justice is demonstrated by the profound impact he has on the legal landscape. He has set a standard for advocacy and achieving substantive change in the pursuit of fairness and accountability, particularly in corporate and government sectors.

Company Name and Description: Shine Lawyers is an Australian law firm specialising in personal injury compensation and class actions. As one of Australia’s leading class actions firms, Shine Lawyers passionately fights to obtain justice for those who have been wronged and suffered loss at the hands of institutions or corporations.  

Company Website: https://www.shine.com.au/ 

Year Founded: 1976

Headquarters: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Area of Focus: Class Actions

Member Quote: Third-party litigation funding has significantly improved access to justice in Australian class actions allowing individuals to pursue representative claims against corporations and governments for various alleged misconducts.

Stephen is a seasoned litigation and contingent risk insurance broker and former practicing complex commercial litigator who joined WTW in February 2025 as Head of Litigation and Contingent Risk Insurance.  In his role, Stephen evaluates litigation-related risks and structures bespoke litigation and contingent risk insurance policies for litigation finance, hedge fund, private equity, law firm, and corporate clients. 

Prior to joining WTW, Stephen was a Managing Director and Senior Lawyer in Aon's Litigation Risk Group.  Stephen joined Aon in 2019, and was the first insurance industry professional dedicated solely to the litigation and contingent risk insurance market, leading the Litigation Risk Group's origination and business development work, in-house legal diligence, efforts to advocate for coverage with underwriters, and negotiation and structuring of insurance policies.  During his time at Aon, Stephen was a three-time Risk and Insurance Magazine “Power Broker” (2022, 2023, 2024); spearheaded the development of judgment preservation insurance and insurance-backed judgment monetization as well as the synergy of litigation and contingent risk insurance with litigation finance; and was responsible for placing billions of dollars in total coverage limits – including the largest ever litigation and contingent risk insurance policy, and several policies that each provided over $500 million in coverage limits – and delivering hundreds of millions of dollars in premium to insurers.  Stephen additionally provided consulting and broking services on litigation-driven, insurance capital-based investment opportunities and sales of litigation claims, insurance claims, and subrogation rights as part of the Aon Special Opportunities Group.

Prior to joining the insurance industry, Stephen was a complex commercial litigator in the New York City office of Boies, Schiller & Flexner from 2011 to 2019.  While at BSF, Stephen amassed significant trial, appellate, and arbitration experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in the U.S. and abroad across a wide array of practice areas, including securities, antitrust, constitutional, insurance, first amendment, employment, government contracting, and criminal law, as well as in multidistrict and class action litigation.  Stephen's clients included banks and other major financial institutions, private equity firms, technology companies, foreign sovereigns, professional sports teams, television networks, insurance companies, corporate executives, and other high-net-worth individuals.  

Stephen earned his J.D. from the New York University School of Law in 2010, and is a member of the New York State Bar.  He also clerked for the Honorable Tanya S. Chutkan in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Company Name and Description:  Willis Towers Watson

Company Website: https://www.wtwco.com/en-us

Headquarters:  Stephen is based in New York

Area of Focus:  Litigation and contingent risk insurance for litigation finance, hedge fund, private equity, law firm, and corporate clients

Member Quote:  “I have been working with litigation finance firms to insure their litigation-related investments since I first entered the insurance industry in 2019, and I view litigation finance and funder-backed plaintiff-side litigation as the most important growth areas for the litigation and contingent risk insurance market, as well as the areas where coverage can be most value additive for clients. 

I have also been bringing litigation finance firms into insurance transactions as financing counterparties since I first devised the concept of insurance-backed monetization for judgment preservation insurance clients back in 2020, which concept has since expanded to the point where litigation finance capital has become inexorably intertwined with all forms of plaintiff-side insurance coverage.  

As the market for this insurance pivots away from single-case risks and towards portfolio-based policies for litigation finance firms and the law firms that they fund, litigation finance clients can trust that WTW will be at the forefront of innovating new coverage structures and concepts to address their unique risk management needs and ambitious financial goals, will deliver best-in-class client service utilizing our incomparably strong and longstanding relationships with underwriters, and will be a vocal champion of litigation finance both within and outside of the insurance industry.”

Caroline Taylor is a Founding Partner of Ignitis, an early-stage litigation funder focused on developing cases to assess viability and prepare them for full litigation. With over a decade of litigation experience, Caroline brings a unique blend of funding expertise and strategic legal insight, leveraging an extensive professional network to support cases from inception to resolution. Ignitis partners with claimants, foundations, corporate clients, lawyers, experts, funders, and other legal professionals to ensure that each case has what it needs to maximize its chance of success.

Before founding Ignitis, Caroline was a partner at a leading international collective redress firm. She played a key role in expanding the firm’s European operations, including opening offices across several countries, assembling and leading teams, and driving case development and management. Her work in securing litigation funding helped support the development of over 30 cases across Europe and the UK. Caroline’s ability to seamlessly integrate operations between U.S. and European offices proved instrumental in advancing initiatives on both sides of the Atlantic. Her deep understanding of collective redress procedures in multiple European jurisdictions, combined with her experience taking cases from concept to resolution, makes her well-suited for her role at Ignitis.

During her time in private practice, Caroline specialized in class actions, complex litigation, and personal injury cases, gaining firsthand experience of the impact corporate misconduct can have on individuals. This exposure sharpened her litigation skills and solidified her commitment to justice. Caroline also served in several leadership roles, including as a Board Member of the American Association for Justice, Chair of its Railroad Section, and as a Board and Executive Committee Member of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association. She has received numerous accolades, including recognition by The National Trial Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America, and Super Lawyers. Caroline is a frequent speaker at international legal conferences.

She is admitted to practice in Tennessee, Florida, and Kentucky state courts, as well as in numerous federal and appellate courts in the United States and England and Wales.

Company Name and Description: Ignitis AG is an early-stage funding company. Ignitis was founded to solve a critical challenge: parties often need initial capital to develop the case into something viable to attract larger litigation funders. Essentially, to secure funding, one must first invest capital. Drawing on decades of experience in litigation and institutional investment, we are uniquely positioned to provide the capital and expertise needed to kickstart cases and drive them toward resolution. We focus solely on early-stage funding, ensuring that quality cases get the financing they need to be successful while increasing access to justice.

Company Website: www.ignitisag.com

Year Founded: 2024

Headquarters: Zug, Switzerland

Area of Focus: We focus specifically on initial case development and early-stage funding. We put our money in at initial, risky stages, to develop the case and prepare it for full funding and filing. We not only inject capital, but we also provide expertise and advice along the way to ensure that the case has the greatest opportunity for success.

Member Quote: "Too many meritorious cases never make it to court, not because they lack merit, but because the injured parties lack the financial resources or the know-how to move forward. At Ignitis, we are committed to improving access to justice by investing in cases that other funders might overlook and offering the expertise needed for thorough case development—ensuring more individuals have their day in court."

Kishore Jaichandani is a founder and Managing Director of CAVEAT CAPITAL and an
expert in litigation funding and related advisory services globally. He has a unique
combination of financial and, legal acumen with having Bachelor of Law., Company
Secretary, MBA (Finance) and CIMA qualifications and have rich professional experience
working on these areas for more than 25 years.

He assists law firms, corporates, and individuals globally in obtaining non-recourse
financing for commercial litigation and arbitration cases. He is committed to creating value
for lawyers and, their clients to have access to the information and expertise they need
to negotiate fair funding agreements in the event of litigation in the competitive legal
market. His expertise includes developing financial solutions to help law firms and big
corporations to mitigate risk, and achieve their growth strategies, including using litigation
portfolios as collateral for off-balance sheet working capital, and monetizing litigation and
judgments.

Company Name and Description: CAVEAT CAPITAL arranges to provide litigation finance solutions
that address clients’ unique challenges. We manage entire litigation funding process, utilize our capital
sources and negotiate with various stakeholders for our clients. We arrange to meet
clients’ litigation costs to provide a better solution for P&L, working capital support, and
budgets to optimize recovery efforts to transform the legal cost from cost center to value
generator.

CAVEAT CAPITAL assesses the feasibility and options for obtaining legal finance /
litigation or arbitration funding. We are highly skilled and experienced in providing clients
with honest and reliable assessments of the funding opportunities of each case.

Company Website: www.caveat-capital.com

Year Founded:  2022

Headquarters:  Dubai, UAE

Area of Focus: Litigation Funding / Legal Finance / Third Party Funding 

Member Quote: “Transform your legal costs into Value Generation”

As President of Rockpoint Legal Funding, Maz Ghorban brings over 25 years of leadership experience spanning the legal services, call center, and software industries. With a proven track record of scaling private and public companies, Maz drives Rockpoint’s mission to empower plaintiffs by providing critical funding, accessible medical treatment, and operational efficiencies for law firms.

Based in Los Angeles, Maz oversees Rockpoint’s innovative offerings, which include pre-settlement and post-settlement funding, plaintiff and litigation funding, and medical lien purchases. He is also leading the launch of Rockpoint Probate Funding, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at providing financial relief to beneficiaries and executors navigating the complex probate process. This service enables heirs to access funds for urgent expenses such as medical bills, funeral costs, and daily living needs, bridging the gap during inheritance delays.

Before joining Rockpoint, Maz served as Executive Vice President and Business Unit CEO at Alert Communications, where he enhanced operational efficiencies for law firms nationwide by leading the largest legal-only intake call center in the United States. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Global Services at AbacusNext (now Caret), a premier provider of practice management solutions for law and accounting firms. His leadership roles also include serving as Vice President of Corporate Strategy and M&A at OnSolve, a leader in emergency mass notification solutions.

Earlier in his career, Maz held senior management roles at West Corporation and Raindance, where he focused on post-sale operations and corporate strategy. As Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy at MIR3, he spearheaded mergers and acquisitions, including the successful sale of the company to Veritas Capital. With a comprehensive understanding of the legal services lifecycle, Maz has dedicated two decades to supporting plaintiff and defense firms with case acquisition, case management, IT/technology solutions, and firm operations.

A recognized thought leader in the legal and financial services industries, Maz frequently shares his expertise on topics such as litigation funding, corporate strategy, and operational excellence. Outside of his professional endeavors, Maz is a passionate Pittsburgh Steelers fan who enjoys teaching boxing, playing musical instruments, and spending quality time with his family.

Under Maz’s leadership, Rockpoint Legal Funding continues to set industry benchmarks for innovation, excellence, and client satisfaction. His strategic vision and unwavering commitment position the company as a trusted partner for plaintiffs, law firms, and beneficiaries seeking comprehensive financial solutions in the legal sector.

Company Name and Description:  Rockpoint Legal Funding provides tailored financial solutions for plaintiffs and law firms, offering critical funding to individuals involved in litigation, including personal injury and employment cases. By bridging financial gaps during the legal process, Rockpoint empowers plaintiffs to access necessary medical care and living expenses while helping law firms streamline operations and maximize case outcomes.

Company Website: https://rockpointlegalfunding.com/

Year Founded: 2015

Headquarters:  Serving clients across the United States, with a strong presence and specialized focus in California.

Area of Focus: When individuals face financial challenges during the litigation process, Rockpoint Legal Funding provides essential solutions to bridge the gap. By offering pre-settlement and post-settlement funding, as well as medical lien purchasing, Rockpoint enables plaintiffs to access necessary medical care and cover living expenses without the financial strain.

Law firms also benefit from Rockpoint’s tailored funding solutions, which streamline operations and improve case outcomes. With a commitment to empowering plaintiffs and supporting legal professionals, Rockpoint Legal Funding plays a vital role in facilitating access to justice while driving efficiency and innovation in the legal funding industry.

Rockpoint continues to expand its impact through initiatives like Rockpoint Probate Funding, addressing financial needs during the complex probate process. For more information, visit Rockpoint Legal Funding.

Member Quote: "Don’t count the days, make the days count." - Muhammad Ali

Aisling Byrne is the Co-Founder of Nera Capital, a pioneering legal funding provider reshaping the landscape of litigation finance. Hailing from Ireland, she co-founded Nera Capital in response to the financial challenges following the 2008 global economic downturn, recognising the need for innovative funding solutions to support law firms and their clients.

With deep expertise in litigation finance, she has driven Nera Capital’s expansion into the UK consumer market while spearheading commercial litigation funding across Europe and the USA. Under her leadership, the firm has played a pivotal role in funding landmark actions in many jurisdictions. Beyond her professional achievements, Aisling is a passionate equestrian, competing internationally in showjumping with a talented string of horses.

Company Name: Nera Capital

Company Description: Founded in 2011, Nera Capital was established with a bold vision - to revolutionise legal finance by seamlessly integrating modern technology with traditional values. By funding essential disbursements, Nera Capital empowers law firms to pursue justice without financial constraints, ensuring that clients can access the legal representation they deserve.

With a proven track record of delivering pragmatic funding solutions, Nera has helped partner firms achieve remarkable growth in a short time. More than just a funder, Nera Capital serves as a strategic partner, leveraging its industry expertise, technology and extensive network to drive success for its clients.

Company Website: neracapital.com

Year Founded: 2011

Headquarters: Ireland, with offices in Manchester and The Netherlands

Areas of Focus: Nera Capital provides Law Firm funding across a diverse range of claim portfolios, including Financial Mis-selling, Data Breach, Personal Injury, and more. Always at the forefront of legal finance, Nera continually explores new claim types and remains open to innovative funding opportunities.

Member Quote: “When it comes to litigation funding, strategy and collaboration are key. A well-structured funding solution requires more than just financial backing - it demands a deep understanding of legal complexities, a forward-thinking approach, and a team that is both skilled and adaptable. At Nera Capital, we believe in building long-term partnerships with law firms, providing them with not just capital, but also the strategic guidance and support needed to navigate challenges and maximise success. By combining financial and technical expertise with a keen insight into evolving legal landscapes, we ensure that meritorious claims receive the investment they need to deliver justice.”

As a former litigator who recently obtained his MBA, Andrew offers a unique perspective in his role of creating, developing, and maintaining business relationships with law firms and litigants as LF² expands its commercial program.

Andrew is an Associate Director of Investments at LF². In his role, Andrew works with the Underwriting and Investment team to both analyze and develop potential funding opportunities. Andrew received a Dean’s Merit Scholarship from Cardozo Law School and an MBA from Columbia Business School. Andrew practiced as a commercial litigator prior to entering the litigation finance industry.

Company Name and Description:  Lex Ferenda Litigation Funding LLC. We specialize in funding single commercial cases starting at $1 million.

Company Website: www.lf-2.com

Year Founded: 2020

Headquarters:  Rye, New York

Area of Focus: Business development and underwriting.

Member Quote: I’m grateful to be able to make an impact in such a dynamic industry, particularly as it continues to grow and enhance outcomes within and beyond the legal community.

Stuart Price is the Chief Executive Officer, Managing Director and co-founder of CASL. Mr Price worked in the United Kingdom, the Middle East and Australia during his 30+ year career in banking and investment banking, legal and litigation finance. Mr Price has held senior positions in litigation finance for over a decade with a career highlight being the resolution of a class action against the Queensland State Government for ‘Stolen Wages’ for $190m, on behalf of over 12,000 First Nations peoples.  

Mr Price was instrumental in the establishment of The Association of Litigation Funders of Australia (ALFA), where he was the inaugural CEO and Managing Director from 2018. Mr Price continues as a Director of ALFA.

Mr Price has a 1^st Class Honours Degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of St. Andrews, is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales, a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia & New Zealand, a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and a Fellow of FINSIA.

Company Name and Description: CASL was founded in 2020 by John Walker and Stuart Price with the objective of creating a level playing field and providing access to the legal system for claimants to prosecute meritorious claims.

CASL is a significant litigation funder in the Australian market, raising investment capital of $156m in 2022 that represents one of the largest dedicated pools of capital to this market.

Company Website: https://www.casl.com.au/

Year Founded:  2020

Headquarters: Sydney

Area of Focus: Litigation Finance

Member Quote: CASL has one of the most experienced litigation finance teams which when combined with substantial financial resources, enables it to be a leading provider of litigation finance with local decision making.

Sam Klatt is the Chief Investment Officer at 10 East, where he is responsible for sourcing and managing investment opportunities.

Mr. Klatt has +20 years of experience investing in public equities real estate, private credit, private equity, and venture capital. Prior to founding Portage Partners and then 10 East, Mr. Klatt was a vice president at M.D. Sass, a private investment manager that focused on traditional and alternative investment strategies.

Mr. Klatt received an M.S. in Real Estate Development from Columbia University in 2010 and earned a B.A. in Economics from Johns Hopkins University with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Management. Mr. Klatt is also a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Company Name and Description: 10 East, led by Michael Leffell, allows qualified individuals to invest alongside a seasoned team with a decade+ historical track record of strong performance in litigation finance, private credit, real estate, niche venture/private equity, and other one-off investments that aren’t typically available through traditional channels.  

Benefits of 10 East membership include:   

• Flexibility – members have full discretion over whether to invest on an offering-by-offering basis.  
• Alignment – principals commit material personal capital to every offering.   
• Institutional resources – a dedicated investment team that sources, monitors, and diligences each offering.  

10 East is where founders, executives, and portfolio managers from industry-leading firms diversify their personal portfolios. 

Company Website: 10east.co

Year Founded: 2011, as Portage Partners, rebranded as 10 East in 2022 

Headquarters:  New York

Area of Focus: Litigation finance, real estate, private credit, and niche venture/private equity. Emerging managers, independent sponsors, and one-off co-investments.

Member Quote: Our principals, partners and members have invested more than $100 million in litigation finance opportunities since inception—it’s a strategy where we often identify highly attractive risk/return asymmetry with the added benefit of being less correlated to the markets.

Mats Geijer is a lawyer by training, with a background in shipping and insurance companies, and a pioneer in the Scandinavian litigation funding market for the past 10 years. Currently head of Scandinavia at one of Europe’s oldest litigation funders, DEMINOR, Mats is a Swedish legal expert and an experienced business manager who has worked on a broad range of domestic and multi-national disputes with a particular focus on management liability, post-M&A-litigation and insurance disputes.

Mats comes with experience working for renowned international litigation funders and insurance companies, and is viewed as a pioneer in the Scandinavian Litigation Funding market, the “daddy of Nordic dispute funding” as someone once said. He worked on some of the first known deals in the region 10+ years ago and was recruited to setup the Deminor office in Stockholm during 2023.

According to Mats: "Now one year down the line, it’s been a roller coaster ride, with lot’s of traveling to see old and new faces in the legal community in Scandinavia and Europe. The opening of the office coincided with a dip in the economy, high inflation, high interest rates and generally a lot of stress in the financial system. The first case came in on day two from a bankruptcy estate when I literally had just gotten myself “online” after the summer break, and it hasn’t stopped.

Another aspect that I have really enjoyed at Deminor is the opportunity to work with private enforcement on Antitrust cases, this is an interesting and growing market in Scandinavia. To summarize, it has been a positive start and I hope we can continue the positive momentum during the years to come. Everyone in the industry is always welcome to pay us a visit in Stockholm, the capital of Scandinavia (in the view of Swedes at least)."

Company Name and Description:  Founded in 1990, Deminor is a leading privately-owned and international litigation funder with offices in Brussels, London, Hamburg, Madrid, New York, Stockholm, Hong Kong, Milan, and Luxembourg. Deminor’s name, derived from the French ‘défense des minoritaires’, reflects its origins in providing services to minority shareholders. Deminor is still very much defined by the pursuit of good causes and its determination to restore justice for clients. Deminor is the brand name of the Deminor Recovery Services group, a group of companies whose strategic focus is to assist businesses and investors in monetising legal claims. Deminor is ranked Band 1 by Chambers and Partners for Litigation Funding in Europe.

Company Website: www.deminor.com

Year Founded:  1990

Headquarters:  Brussels, Belgium

Area of Focus:  Litigation Funding of commercial disputes in Scandinavia, primary target is arbitration proceedings. Antitrust and private enforcement on behalf of claimants. Investment recovery assistance on securities litigation on behalf of institutional investors.

Member Quote: The service we provide is a win-win for all parties - when done in the right way!

Jeffrey T. Zaino, Esq. is the Vice President of the Commercial Division of the American Arbitration Association in New York. He oversees administration of the large, complex commercial caseload, user outreach, and panel of commercial neutrals in New York. He joined the Association in 1990. Mr. Zaino is dedicated to promoting ADR methods and services.

His professional affiliations include the American Bar Association (Dispute Resolution, Litigation, and Business Law Sections), Connecticut Bar Association, District of Columbia Bar Association, New York State Bar Association (Dispute Resolution Section - Executive Committee Member and Chair of the Blog Committee; Commercial & Federal Litigation Section, Chair of the Arbitration and ADR Committee), New York City Bar Association (Member of the Arbitration Committee and Affiliate Member of the ADR Committee), Board of Advisors of the Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution, New York Law School ADR Advisory Committee, American Bankruptcy Institute, and Westchester County Bar Association.

He has also written and published extensively on the topics of election reform and ADR, including several podcasts with the ABA, TalksOnLaw, and Corporate Counsel Business, and has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, and Bloomberg to discuss national election reform efforts and the Help America Vote Act.  He was deemed a 2018 Alternative Dispute Resolution Champion by the National Law Journal and received awards for his ADR work from the National Academy of Arbitrators, Region 2 and Long Island Labor and Employment Relations Association, New York State Bar Association (Commercial and Federal Litigation and Dispute Resolution Sections).

Company Name and Description: The not-for-profit American Arbitration Association^® (AAA^®)-International Centre for Dispute Resolution^® (ICDR^®) is the largest private global provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services in the world.

With that comes enormous responsibility, which the AAA-ICDR^® embraces. Its work lessens the load of a tremendously overburdened court system. Its efforts ease the financial hardships of those shattered by natural disasters. The foundation it established supports access to justice for all. 

The AAA-ICDR has a core dedication to service and particularly to education. It would be gratifying to focus on teaching people to stay out of disputes; however, since that is not a realistic objective in today’s world, the AAA-ICDR provides fair, rational, faster, and less adversarial means to handle the disputes that inevitably arise. 

Contrary to a common misperception, arbitration is confidential—not secretive. Parties are free to talk about their cases; it is the AAA-ICDR and the arbitrators who are bound to keeping parties’ confidences, similar to a judge and jury. 

Company Website: www.adr.org

Year Founded:  1926

Headquarters:  NYC

Area of Focus:  Commercial, Construction, Consumer, Employment, Government, International, and Labor

Member Quote: I look forward to working with the members of the Legal Funding Journal to collaborate on various efforts, including the promotion of arbitration and mediation.

Tamar is an underwriter in the Political Risk division at Mosaic Insurance and, among other things, responsible for developing Mosaic’s Arbitration Award Default Insurance (AADI) worldwide after previously supporting transactional liability division. In prior positions, she worked as a senior lawyer at JSC Georgian State Electrosystem in Georgia, representing the company in the European Union, and later, as an associate at Fridman Law Firm PLLC in New York. She started her career at Georgia’s Ministry of Economy & Sustainable Development, where she represented the government in courts, with a particular focus on complex commercial litigation.

Mosaic Insurance is a global specialty insurer with exceptional expertise, a focus on complex products, and an award-winning, digitized operating model. Mosaic Insurance underwrites for trade clients alongside we own Lloyd’s Syndicate 1609—offering capacity and custom service across seven lines of business in seven countries.

Company Website: https://www.mosaicinsurance.com/

Year Founded:  2021

Headquarters:  Bermuda

Area of Focus:  Arbitration Award Default Insurance Product

Member Quote: We believe that our new product revolutionizes the landscape for litigation funders investing in international arbitration, providing funds with certainty and effectively managing the value of their investments.

Felipe Hotta, Partner at Pogust Goodhead, is a 29-year-old Brazilian lawyer who graduated from the University of São Paulo (USP). Hotta graduated a master's degree in environmental law from Queen Mary University of London and trained at the Negotiation Program at Harvard Law School. 

Specialized in indigenous law, environmental law, and human rights, Hotta dedicates his career to advocating on behalf of vulnerable communities and of those without full access to justice in Brazil, particularly in cases against large international corporations.  

Pogust Goodhead is a global law firm headquartered in London, England, dedicated to fighting for justice on behalf of those affected by potentially irresponsible actions from large corporations. Pogust Goodhead´s mission is to level the playing field between individuals, businesses and large corporations. 

In 2023, Pogust Goodhead and Gramercy signed a £450 million investment partnership, the largest litigation funding deal in legal history. 

Company Website: https://pogustgoodhead.com/ 

Year Founded: 2018 

Headquarters: Rio de Janeiro, London, Philadelphia, Amsterdam, Miami, Edinburgh, San Diego, New Jersey and Sydney. 

Area of Focus:  Environmental law, human rights, climate litigation, consumer law, indigenous law, collective disputes 

Member Quote: "In a context where access to justice is often a privilege of the powerful, litigation funding emerges as hope for those who have been victims of human rights or environmental rights violations in Brazil, particularly in the fight against large corporations." 

Invenio LLP Co-Founder and Managing Partner Ed Gehres has worked on all sides of the litigation finance marketplace. Ed began his career as a defense-side trial lawyer at AmLaw 100 firms, then started doing plaintiffs-side work, served as a partner and practice group leader, and then developed a transactional practice that led to his work as General Counsel of an investment platform that had multiple litigation finance and services companies.

Ed co-founded Invenio LLP to help level the playing field for civil justice. The firm works at the intersection of plaintiffs, the law firms that represent them, and the investors who see that they get their day in court. Leveraging this broad base of experience as litigator, lender, deal lawyer, and law firm leader, Ed now focuses on helping law firms and claimants navigate complex litigation finance transactions.  

Invenio LLP is a leading provider of legal services for those navigating the complexities of the litigation finance industry. We’ve represented both plaintiffs and defendants in litigation; and immersed ourselves in venture start-ups and private equity ventures catering to plaintiffs, law firms, and claims development experts. This gives us a unique blend of expertise suited to untangling the complexities of the litigation finance space and finding solutions. Invenio is committed to increasing access to civil justice by helping plaintiffs of all types access courts and level the playing field against well-resourced defendants.  We believe litigation finance can be a force multiplier for plaintiffs and the firms that represent them. We aim to make the process of exploring and obtaining litigation finance clear, fair, and straightforward.

Since Invenio LLP was founded in January of 2022, the firm has advised on nearly $500 million in credit transactions involving legal assets and has developed an emerging practice involving alternative business structures.

Company Website: inveniolaw.com

Year Founded: 2022

Headquarters: Invenio is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and has offices in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and Phoenix, AZ.

Area of Focus: Invenio LLP is fully engaged in all aspects of the rapidly emerging litigation finance industry. The firm’s founding partners have each worked on multiple claimant funding and law firm loan transactions and have themselves litigated cases where law firm portfolio funding or third-party case funding was used. Our clients are law firms borrowing for their cases or portfolios, claimants seeking traditional third-party funding, lenders and insurers seeking assistance with underwriting and servicing of cases or portfolios of cases, and parties to litigation finance-related disputes or distressed transactions. We focus on case & portfolio underwriting; borrower & claimant-side representation; alternative business structures; and pre-settlement, post-settlement & medical lien funding.

Member Quote: “I’ve shifted gears multiple times in my career. But I truly believe it was all leading to this important work in litigation finance. This is about ensuring access to the civil justice process. I view it as a life’s work.”

Jessica Fillmore, MBA, is Co-Founder of Élan™, a consulting agency that specializes in business growth services. Her extensive background has created a diverse and robust wealth of knowledge and experience in digital media, legal notification strategy and implementation, marketing strategy, legal branding, and campaign building.

During her tenure, she has planned and implemented high-profile, complex legal notice communication programs. Jessica also has vast experience as a digital media expert and has worked with global clients across retail B2B, CPG, Education, and Healthcare industries. She leverages this experience as well as access to top industry tools to effectively plan and execute notification plans. 

Jessica has co-authored and published on various aspects of modern legal notice, online claim filings, and current legal notification in class action litigation. She was a lead contributing author for Élan Legal Media's “State of Media, 2022”, “Seven Realities of Modern Legal Notice”, and “How We Drive Online Claim Filings”. 

In the course of her legal marketing experience, she has designed legal notices for a wide range of cases including retail customer, defective drug and device, targeted metropolitan area, nationwide, and more, all resulting in a 100% success rate for delivering estimated impressions and notice requirements. She has also served as an expert in determining ways in which firms can increase effectiveness on a number of cases including catastrophic injury, medical malpractice birth injury, product liability, and more. 

Jessica Fillmore is accredited as a Certified Scrum Master by the Scrum Alliance. She has served on the Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association. She has also co-taught an advanced advertising course for MBA candidates at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. 

Company Name and Description: Elan™ is a strategic marketing and consulting team dedicated to driving measurable business growth. We combine a deep understanding of lead generation, cutting-edge marketing tactics, and optimized lead intake to deliver exceptional results. Our team of experienced analysts, media planners, and creatives specializes in the legal and medical industries, allowing us to tailor our solutions to your unique needs.

Here's what sets us apart:

• Data-driven optimization: We leverage advanced analytics to ensure your marketing spend delivers the highest possible return on investment (ROI).
• Industry expertise: Our team has a proven track record of success in the legal and medical fields, which grants us an understanding of the specific challenges and opportunities you face on a daily basis.
• Focus on results: We're not interested in empty promises. We partner with you to achieve tangible growth that moves the needle for your business, and have results that show it.

Élan provides clear and effective marketing solutions to propel your business forward.

Company Website: elanteams.com 

Year Founded:  2017

Headquarters:  Minneapolis, MN

Area of Focus: Élan works with Litigation Funding Groups to bridge the gap between funded marketing plans and the top tier law firms that support them. When Élan partners with a funded law firm, we work to ensure not only a clear path of transparent data for all campaign stakeholders, but also offer a strategic approach to building and supporting a quality brand for the firm long term -- funded or not. We work to build long term partnerships that continuously evolve and grow across every point of the campaign. 

Member Quote: 

“When working with our litigation funding partners, we eliminate any work a client would typically need to handle. Whether that’s working with the law firm, lead intake team, or even case value reports, we manage every component of a funded marketing campaign so that you can focus on your investors. Our goal is to create a streamlined process while providing transparency for every invested dollar spent.”