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Ignite Specialty Risk Launches in the US with Litigation Capital Protection Insurance

February 8, 2024

Ignite Specialty Risk Launches in the US with Litigation Capital Protection Insurance

 Ignite Specialty Risk, a leading provider of litigation risk insurance, announced today the US launch of its Litigation Capital Protection Insurance offering and the appointment of litigation finance expert and former litigator, Nicole Silver as Lead Underwriter and Head of US Operations.

Ignite’s Litigation Capital Protection Insurance enables litigation funders and law firms to deploy capital across a portfolio of litigation assets with the assurance that their underlying investment will be protected even if the portfolio does not perform as expected. It is backed by a panel of AM Best A- (Excellent) rated capacity.

Ignite was founded in the UK in 2022 by a team with deep experience in both litigation funding and insurance. Following the company’s London market success offering the most extensive range of litigation insurance products among UK providers, Ignite is now bringing its Litigation Capital Protection Insurance product to the US market.

“Litigation Capital Protection Insurance is a relatively new concept to many funders and law firms, but it is quickly gaining popularity for its ability to protect a litigation asset portfolio investment and, as a result, facilitate a more efficient and robust capital structure within the asset class,” said Byron Sumner, Ignite CEO and Co-founder. “Ignite’s US team has significant experience in the structuring of these policies, having been at the forefront of their design for several years. We are excited to bring this expertise to the US market to help litigation funders and law firms benefit from a meaningful risk-transfer in the context of litigation, and ultimately secure access to justice for claimants with meritorious disputes.”

Silver, head of Ignite’s US operations, brings a 20-year track record litigating complex disputes. She has worked at Winston & Strawn and Greenberg Traurig and has appeared before numerous courts and tribunals including the US Supreme Court, various appellate and district courts, as well as the ICDR, ICC, ICSID, UNCITRAL, and the USTR. Silver’s experience in litigation finance includes work at Validity Finance, where she supervised and advised on litigation matters including performing due diligence and underwriting portfolios of cases. As a funder, she has had exposure to all aspects of litigation insurance, including ATE, judgment protection, and litigation capital protection insurance.

“Not only is Nicole considered to be a highly skilled attorney, she brings along an excellent track record of success litigating complex disputes, and her work as a funder has given her an insider’s view on all aspects of litigation insurance,” said Sumner. “Her extensive expertise within the insurance, investment, and legal communities will be invaluable to Ignite in the US market, and we could not be more delighted to be launching here with Nicole leading the charge.”

About Ignite:

Ignite Specialty Risk provides an extensive range of insurance products to meet the growing demands of the commercial litigation marketplace. Founded in March 2022 Ignite provides litigation risk insurance with AM Best Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) capacity to a range of clients including litigation funders, law firms, and other lenders.

For a full list of licenses, visit ignitespecialty.com.

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Announcements Commercial

Court of Appeal Shuts Down BHP’s Attempt to Overturn Mariana Liability Judgment

By John Freund |

The Court of Appeal of England and Wales today refused BHP’s application for permission to appeal the High Court’s landmark liability judgment in the Mariana disaster litigation.

The High Court found BHP responsible for the 2015 collapse of the Fundão tailings dam in Mariana, Minas Gerais, Brazil, concluding that BHP is liable for the disaster under both the Brazilian Civil and Environmental law.

The Court of Appeal heard BHP’s application for permission to appeal the decision on 12 March after BHP was refused permission to appeal by the High Court in January.  BHP asked the court for permission to contest the findings that it was a polluter, and that it had knowledge of the risks associated with the dam before the collapse. The mining company also challenged the finding that all claimants brought their claims in time.

The Court of Appeal’s refusal marks a further victory for the hundreds of thousands of Brazilian victims who have spent over ten years pursuing justice, and a major setback for BHP. The High Court’s liability judgment remains in force, and BHP has exhausted the ordinary routes by which it could seek to overturn it.

In today’s ruling, the court concluded that BHP’s proposed grounds of appeal have no real prospect of success and there is no other compelling reason for the appeal to be heard.  The decision means that the parties will proceed to the trial of Stage 2 of the proceedings, which will determine issues of causation, loss and damages. The trial evidence is to be heard from April 2027 to December 2027, with closing submissions listed for March 2028.

Lord Justice Fraser wrote in the decision: “I do not accept that any of the grounds relating to BHP’s liability for the dam collapse are reasonably arguable. I do not consider that there is any foundation for the different complaints that the trial judge failed to engage with BHP’s case."

Jonathan Wheeler, lead partner for the Mariana litigation at Pogust Goodhead, said: “The Court of Appeal has now joined the High Court in finding that BHP’s grounds of appeal have no real prospect of success - an emphatic and unambiguous outcome. BHP remains liable for the worst environmental disaster in Brazil’s history, and it will not be given another bite at the cherry.”

“Our clients have waited more than a decade for justice while BHP pursued every procedural avenue to avoid accountability; those avenues are now closed. We are focused on securing the compensation that hundreds of thousands of Brazilians have been owed for far too long.”

Announcements Commercial

Loopa Finance Wins at the Lexology European Awards 2026 in the Litigation / General Counsel Category

By John Freund |

Loopa Finance has been recognized as the winner in the Litigation – General Counsel Team category at the Lexology European Awards 2026, one of the leading recognitions in the international legal sector.

The award was received in London by Ignacio Delgado, General Counsel Europe at the firm, on behalf of Loopa Finance’s European team, composed of Ignacio Delgado (General Counsel Europe), Marina Gouveia (Investment Manager), Fernando Pérez Lozada (Senior Investment Manager), and Fernando Folgueiro (Managing Partner).

The Lexology European Awards recognize outstanding legal teams across the region through a methodology that combines independent research, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and thousands of nominations supported by clients and industry peers, as well as the annual research conducted by the Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) and Client Choice.

The selection process is based on performance evaluations related to effective communication, commercial understanding, technical expertise, strategic management, and team strength, and is supported by a global community of more than 940,000 subscribers.

This recognition positions Loopa Finance’s European team among the leading practitioners in complex litigation and strategic legal management in Europe.

“This award reflects the strength of a team operating across two continents that understands litigation not only from a legal perspective, but also through financial analysis and risk management. It is the result of collective work and a rigorous, strategic approach to structuring complex disputes,” said Delgado during the ceremony.

More Than an Award: Validation of a Model

The award comes at a time of consolidation for the firm. Loopa Finance recently completed its rebranding process, evolving from Qanlex to Loopa Finance and reinforcing an identity aligned with its growth in continental Europe and its broader international positioning.

It also coincides with the closing of Fund III, raising €65 million to finance complex litigation and arbitration across Europe and Latin America, significantly expanding the firm’s investment capacity and supporting the continued growth of its platform in the region.

This milestone adds to the firm’s recent rankings, including its Band 1 classification by Chambers & Partners in Latin America and Europe, its recognition as “Highly Recommended” by Leaders League across multiple jurisdictions, and the inclusion of members of its team among the Thought Leaders in Third-Party Funding by the Lexology Index. Together, these results confirm the strength of Loopa Finance’s model and the consolidation of its team as a reference in the strategic financing of disputes at an international level.

About Loopa Finance

Loopa Finance is an investment fund specializing in the financing and monetization of litigation and arbitration across continental Europe and Latin America, supported by a technology-driven model and rigorous risk analysis. The firm provides capital to cover legal costs or monetize ongoing claims through non-recourse structures, where the recovery of the investment depends exclusively on the successful outcome of the case, assuming the financial risk of the dispute while fully aligning its interests with those of clients and law firms.

Announcements Commercial

Pravati Capital Partners with SEI to Bring Litigation Finance to Registered Investment Advisors

By John Freund |

One of the oldest litigation finance firms in the United States has announced a strategic partnership aimed at expanding mainstream investor access to the asset class.

As reported by Business Wire via Yahoo Finance, Scottsdale-based Pravati Capital has partnered with financial services firm SEI to provide registered investment advisors with structured access to litigation finance as an alternative investment option. The collaboration will leverage SEI's distribution platform to make litigation funding opportunities available within advisor portfolios.

The partnership reflects growing institutional interest in litigation finance as an alternative asset class. Historically, litigation funding has been difficult for mainstream financial advisors to access on behalf of their clients, with the market largely dominated by specialized funds and institutional investors. The Pravati-SEI arrangement seeks to bridge that gap by creating a more accessible pathway for advisors seeking diversification through non-correlated investments.

The announcement underscores a broader industry shift as litigation finance continues to move from a niche strategy toward greater acceptance within traditional wealth management channels. As the global litigation funding market grows — projected to reach over $25 billion in 2026 — partnerships like this one may signal a new phase of institutional adoption.