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

Danny Kinnear, founder of EAKO Capital, leverages his experience with top financial institutions like Deutsche Bank, Nomura, and Litigation Capital Management to offer innovative financial solutions to corporates, law firms, and funders.  EAKO partners with Google Ventures and Visa-backed entities, as well as major banks, to provide:

• Rapid bank account setup (48-72 hours)
• Diverse funding options (on both a recourse and non-recourse basis)
• Competitive foreign exchange services (a demonstration of how much we can save you, look here)
• Forward credit lines for risk management hedging purposes
• FX options and structured solutions
• Risk management consultancy to resolve complex situations – through our extensive network we can find solutions to most currency problems

Company Name and Description:   EAKO Capital helps law firms, companies, and asset managers access a range of funding and financial risk management solutions.

Company Website:  www.eakocapital.com

Year Founded:  2022

Headquarters:   Supporting clients globally out of London, United Kingdom

Area of Focus:  Comprehensive financial support through multi-currency accounts, currency and interest rate hedging, cross-border & mass payment solutions, and the provision of access to funding, including litigation finance.

Member Quote: “EAKO combines deep banking expertise with technology to deliver intelligent, cost-effective currency and funding solutions to business and asset managers operating internationally.”

Aaron Winston is an author and the Strategy Director at Express Legal Funding, bringing over a decade of experience in the consumer finance industry. In recent years, Aaron has risen to be recognized as an expert in SEO and law firm content marketing, being featured in multiple case studies.

Aaron leverages his deep understanding of digital strategies to enhance Express Legal Funding's online presence and brand authority with hundreds of thousands of unique website visitors annually. His approach combines analytical precision with creativity, making him a thought leader in the fields of pre-settlement funding and search engine marketing.

Company Name and Description: Express Legal Funding is a nationally recognized and trusted pre-settlement funding company and brand based in Plano, Texas, and is dedicated to providing fair, fast, and affordable financial support to claimants bringing personal injury and other tort claims.

Company Website: https://expresslegalfunding.com/

Year Founded:  2015

Headquarters:  5717 Legacy Drive, Suite 250, Plano, Texas 75024

Area of Focus: Pre-settlement Funding, SEO, Content Marketing, Law Firm Digital Marketing and Websites

Member Quote: Can a pre-settlement funding company really be a household name if most people aren't even aware the industry exists?

Michelle Silvers is Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Court House Capital and leads the company’s business strategy, growth and operations across geographic markets. She oversees stakeholder relations with capital investors and all decisions pertaining to the company’s investment portfolio.

Michelle is a highly-respected leader in litigation funding. She co-founded the litigation funding industry in Australia in 1999 and has over 30 years’ combined funding and legal experience across commercial dispute resolution, insolvency, insurance and collective redress (class actions).

Michelle has played a crucial role in funding more than 200 legal disputes and is passionate about structuring capital and risk management solutions for clients and helping claimants gain access to justice.

In 2019 Michelle joined Court House Capital, quickly establishing the business as a funder of choice in Australia and New Zealand. Previously, she served as Managing Director and CEO of Litigation Lending Services Limited, where she pioneered portfolio funding and grew the business to become one of the most successful funders in the region. Her career also includes senior roles at leading international funders (Augusta Ventures and IMF Bentham, now Omni Bridgeway), global insurance firms (AMP, FAI General, Lawcover) and private legal practice (DLA Piper).

Michelle is a co-founder and Director of the Association of Litigation Funders of Australia (AALF) and is a regular speaker and commentator on industry developments. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales and is a Director of Court House Capital Management Limited.

Company Name and Description: Court House Capital is a leading litigation funder focused on cases in Australia and New Zealand. Court House Capital was established with a mission to provide financial and strategic support to parties seeking capital, risk management and access to justice. Our team is led by industry founders, with Australian based capital, and is renowned for expertise, agility and collaboration.

Company Website: courthousecapital.com.au

Year Founded:  2019

Headquarters: Sydney

Area of Focus: Litigation Finance

Member Quote: We offer cost and risk mitigation strategies for commercial clients and ‘a level playing field’ for those who cannot afford to pursue justice themselves. It is an honour to be co-founders of an industry that provides access to justice for so many, and to be the funder of choice for claimants and professional advisers. Our financial resources, industry network and knowledge has helped many claimants achieve successful outcomes.

Boris Ziser is a partner and co-head of Schulte Roth & Zabel’s Finance Group, where he advises on a diverse range of asset classes and transactions such as asset-backed lending and securitization, warehouse facilities, secured financings, specialty finance lending and esoteric finance transactions. Boris manages the London finance practice and the global litigation funding and law firm finance practice.

With almost 30 years of experience, Boris works on a variety of asset classes, including life settlements, litigation funding, equipment leases, structured settlements, lottery receivables, timeshare loans, merchant cash advances and cell towers, in addition to other esoteric asset classes such as intellectual property, various insurance-related cash flows and other cash flow producing assets. He also represents investors, lenders, hedge funds, private equity funds and finance companies in acquisitions and dispositions of portfolios of assets and financings secured by those portfolios.

Company Name and Description: With a firm focus on private capital, Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP is comprised of legal advisers and commercial problem-solvers who combine exceptional experience, industry insight, integrated intelligence and commercial creativity to help clients raise and invest assets and protect and expand their businesses. The firm has offices in New York, Washington, DC and London, and advises clients on investment management, corporate and transactional matters, and provides counsel on securities regulatory compliance, enforcement and investigative issues.

Company Website: https://www.srz.com/

Year Founded: 1969

Headquarters: New York, New York, U.S.A.

Area of Focus: Finance, Litigation Finance, Private Credit, Structured Finance

Member Quote: "With its uncorrelated investment opportunity and plethora of rules that vary by jurisdiction (State-by-State and international), litigation funding is a complicated asset class that is rewarding at the same time, as it enables those with meritorious claims, but without the necessary resources, to pursue justice."

Lewis Edmonds is a Director of Fibre Group and is a seasoned financial planner with over 10 years of expertise in cross-border planning, wealth management, and alternative investments. He serves a diverse clientele across the UK, USA, Middle East, Europe, and Latin America, offering tailored solutions that include diversification, wealth creation, and risk hedging strategies. 

Lewis's comprehensive approach ensures clients achieve their financial goals while navigating the complexities of international finance. Lewis manages the group’s portfolio of investment opportunities and fund management providers, whilst assessing new opportunities to enhance the company’s offering. 

Company Name and Description: Based in the United Kingdom, Fibre Group focuses on cross-border payments, cross-border wealth and alternative investment strategies. 

The payments side of the businesses ensures clients have access to highly competitive exchange rates through multi-currency banking solutions, and guidance to manage foreign exchange risk, which is often a significant consideration for international property transactions and cross-border wealth matters. 

Fibre Capital focuses on international wealth management and alternative investment, by providing tailored strategies that are customised to individual goals and risk preferences.

Acknowledging the limitations of conventional banking, Fibre looks beyond public markets and traditional investments to identify solutions that diversity, balance and enhance clients’ portfolios. 

Within the Litigation funding ecosystem, Fibre’s role is to introduce their active and growing client base of investors, to investment opportunities in the litigation funding space, via loan note, corporate bond, or direct investment. 

Company Website: www.fibrepayments.com -- https://fibre.capital

Year Founded:  2021

Headquarters:  London

Area of Focus:  Traditional wealth management and alternative investment strategies for our active client base. 

Member Quote: “In an ever-changing economic landscape, we are actively seeking innovative investment strategies, to ensure the best outcome for our clients and opportunities in litigation financing are increasingly becoming an attractive alternative asset class, for our clients.”

Dan is a founder of the business, but began his career at one of the UK’s largest FX brokerages. He has since built a robust network of partnerships with financial advisors and lawyers, focusing on high-net-worth clients and professionals in sports.

Dan also specialises in supporting trusts and wealth structures with cross-border payments and management of their assets, addressing challenges typically faced with by traditional banks. 

Recognising the demand from clients for interest solutions to complement the multicurrency offering, Dan also focuses on identifying new growth and investment opportunities to enhance the current portfolio and meet clients’ needs. 

Company Name and Description: Fibre Group

Based in the United Kingdom, Fibre focus on cross-border payments, cross-border wealth and alternative investment strategies. 

The payments slide of the businesses ensures clients have access to highly competitive exchange rates through multicurrency banking solutions, and guidance to manage foreign exchange risk, which is often a significant consideration for international property transactions and cross-border wealth matters. 

Fibre Capital focuses on international wealth management and alternative investment, by providing tailored strategies that are customised to individual goals and risk preferences.

Acknowledging the limitations of conventional banking, Fibre look beyond public markets and traditional investments to identify solutions that diversity, balance and enhance clients’ portfolios. 

Within the litigation funding ecosystem, Fibre’s role is to introduce their active and growing client base of investors, to investment opportunities in the litigation funding space, via loan note, corporate bond, or direct investment.

Company Website: www.fibrepayments.com -- https://fibre.capital

Year Founded:  2021

Headquarters:  London

Area of Focus:  Cross-border payments, interest solutions and alternative investment strategies. 

Member Quote: "We are dedicated to delivering the highest service standards by integrating cutting-edge payment technology with innovative interest and investment strategies to achieve the best outcomes for our clients."

With a background in Physics, Engineering and Software, Julian Coleman has 30+ years’ experience at the COO level conceiving new products and leading the project management, system design, engineering, software development, manufacturing, compliance and delivery teams.

Company Name and Description: 10^th Mind is an e-discovery company that has been created with a major focus on innovation, not only for general e-discovery activities but in particular to assist litigation funds to overcome their specific challenges and threats  –  a special approach demanding a change of mindset.

Our name reflects our focus on innovation and is derived from the intelligence community – the Tenth Man principle. It requires that, where a group of ten analysts is working on the same data and nine of the group reach the same conclusion, it is the duty of the 10^th person, the 10^th Mind, to examine the issue on the premise that the other nine are wrong.

The ‘group think’ consensus may be right most of the time, or even mostly right all of the time, but tends to favour business as usual. The 10^th Mind is there to challenge the consensus view and proffer different solutions.

10^th Mind has defined (and addressed) four key areas:

• Costs – there is in our view an increasing understanding that costs must be reduced
• Process management and recording – not only does a very efficient process drive costs down, but it can (and must) include extensive record keeping of the entire process in order to support effective litigation
• Technology will play an ever increasing role
• Litigation Funds – a rapidly expanding market both in terms of finance available and in market sectors, funds are naturally focused on profit, a critical part of their business being case selection – and costs are a major factor here too. Funds have their own challenges, but also are having a significant impact on the wider litigation landscape.

Addressing these issues has been very interesting. As a seasoned C level executive it has been interesting to analyse and then dispense with so much convention. A business structured around what is today rather than yesterday can look very different and cost far less whilst being intrinsically more responsive and adaptable. In terms of what we can do, having no legacy structures to worry about has major benefits which transfer to the client:

• Costs are reduced.  Many expensive overheads can be dispensed with.
• We have developed our own project management and recording systems; based on PRINCE2 and facilitated by our unique software, integrated with selected new commercial products, management processes are vastly improved. Full traceable record keeping and transparency are built in and automated, essentially at zero cost.
• …and finally but crucially, 10^th Mind will work with funds on special terms:
  • if the fund is prepared to take on a case we will work on a CFA basis
  • we will also work with the fund on a CFA basis to undertake early stage investigations, in our view crucial to improving the evidence on which to base case selection and ultimately, therefore, profitability.

At 10^th Mind we are convinced that not only is such an approach necessary now, but there will be ever-present forces driving the need for continued evolution:

Costs are becoming a major issue.  Significant concern has emerged in the English litigation funding community over last year's Paccar judgement. Omni Bridgeway’s Co-chief Information Officer, Matt Harrison, has said that some litigation funders may not survive the economic instability as “they don’t have the money available to them to invest in cases and in law firms.”  Bloomberg Law also recently noted that some litigation funds are currently facing financial difficulty.

Burford, one of the biggest litigation funds in the world and which describes itself as "the institutional quality finance firm focused on law", undertook surveys from which they report:

"[Over half of respondents to its poll] (52%) say drastic steps are needed to better manage legal costs, such as moving away from the billable hour, limiting outside firms and more innovation from outside counsel."

and

"Finance and legal professionals agree: the legal department’s top priority for the next 15 years is to minimize legal costs. But they are also unified in prioritizing that the legal department simultaneously find new ways to recover value."

It is clear there is a consensus that costs, specifically cost reduction, must be considered, and in our view, litigation funds will be a driving force.

Litigation funds have a very different focus from law firms, crucially they exist to make profits and that means winning cases, which in turn places a focus on the initial assessment stage.  And, as previously observed, the sector is expanding both in terms of available funds and in scope, driving change and posing challenges for dispute litigation as a whole. 

Logically as funding takes over a larger percentage of dispute litigation, the greater the overall impact this will have on costs. Arguably as saturation approaches, such pressures can only increase.

Process management and recording is in our view now essential, not merely tracking the ingestion and processing of data from collection to court, but the recording of all the management processes which defined the data management: who did what, when and why, recorded in forensic detail. This not only, if done well, improves business processes but it evidences them should legal challenges arise. Hence this data must be ‘forensics ready’.

Technology can and will help. But it must be the right technology which assists the first two objectives, ie improving practises whilst reducing costs. Having found critical gaps in commercial offerings, we have worked on our own solution.

Website: www.10thMind.com

Founded: 2023

Headquarters: UK (London)

Member Quote: We feel it crucial that providers must always question the legacy thinking and structures that entrench lack of efficiency, accuracy, and high costs.  By applying the 10^th Mind principle, we are providing services in a new way: shared risk, formal (and unique) project management and software, along with specialised services specifically to assist funds combine to make us, to our knowledge, unique in the e-discovery sector.

If you would like to find out more as to how we can assist you and your clients, we would be delighted to meet you. Please contact us through our website (www.10thmind.com) or email our COO directly at julian.coleman@10thmind.com.

Michael Klaschka is a Managing Principal and head of the Financial Institutions team based in EPIC’s Jersey City office.  He has over 32 years of industry experience and is a highly respected and skilled negotiator in the professional liability marketplace. 

Mike has extensive experience working with financial institution, investment management, litigation finance, real estate, venture capital, private equity and complex risks with strong technical knowledge of D&O, E&O, Cyber, Fidelity, Fiduciary, Media and Employment Practices Liability. 

Mike joined EPIC in August 2016.  Prior to joining EPIC, Mike was the national leader of Integro’s Management Risk Practice where he spent 11 years.  Prior to Integro, Mike spent 10 years at Marsh & McLennan where he held various positions including head of their E&O Center of Excellence Group based in NY as well as the west coast FINPRO placement leader for their financial institution, technology and commercial accounts group based in San Francisco.  Mike earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Drew University in 1991, and majored in Economics with a minor in Political Science.

Company Name and Description:  EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants

We are a unique and innovative retail risk management and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm, founded in San Francisco, California in 2007 with offices and leadership across the country.

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants has a depth of industry expertise across key lines of insurance, including risk management, property and casualty, employee benefits, unique specialty program insurance and private client services.

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

Year Founded: 2007

Headquarters: San Francisco, CA

Area of Focus: Property & Casualty Insurance with expertise in Directors’ & Officers’, Errors & Omissions, Employment Practices, Fund, and Cyber Liability.

Member Quote: Procuring insurance for litigation finance companies can be a challenge as many insurers view the industry as driving up their costs.  Several even prohibited their underwriters from offering terms.  In addition, litigation finance companies have unique exposures that are not addressed in “off the shelf” products offered by insurers.  At EPIC, we have the knowledge and experience as well as the relationships with key insurers that gives us the ability to negotiate and place coverage tailored to each client.

Alfonso Chan is a trial lawyer who focuses on litigating and licensing complex intellectual property cases on behalf of universities, research institutes and technology companies. His matters are primarily focused on semiconductors and electronic technology-intensive matters, as well as biomaterials and medical devices.

Alfonso represents plaintiffs and defendants in district courts nationwide and before the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. He is also registered to practice before the U.S Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and has experience in inter partes review proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). His international practice includes handling matters in China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Europe. Alfonso served as an adjunct professor of International Comparative Law at Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law. Prior to practicing law, Alfonso was an officer in the United States Navy and nuclear propulsion engineer at Naval Reactors Headquarters. Alfonso received his JD from the Dedman School of Law and a Masters in Engineering from the University of Virginia.

Company Name and Description: King & Spalding helps leading companies advance complex business interests in more than 160 countries. Working across a highly integrated platform of more than 1,300 lawyers in 24 offices globally, we deliver tailored commercial solutions through world-class offerings and an uncompromising approach to quality and service.     

Company Website: kslaw.com/?locale=en

Year Founded: 1885

Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.

Area of Focus: Intellectual Property Litigation, Innovation Protection 

Member Quote: “Patience and flexibility are essential to crafting a funding solution. The marketplace does not suffer cowboys gladly.”

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.”