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Announcements Commercial

Leading Dispute Financiers IMF Bentham and Omni Bridgeway Announce Plans to Merge

SYDNEY (October 15 2019)  Leading litigation and disputes funder IMF Bentham Limited (IMF Bentham) (ASX:IMF) announces that it is acquiring Omni Bridgeway Holdings BV (Omni Bridgeway) to create a truly global diversified funder with over A$2.2 billion in capital to fund disputes and enforcement proceedings of significant size and complexity throughout the world.


On completion of the deal IMF Bentham will acquire all of Omni Bridgeway’s investment and business activities. The minimum transaction value amounts to approximately EUR 55 million, which may further increase contingent on future business development.

“While the transaction involves IMF Bentham buying Omni Bridgeway’s business, it is a merger of equals,” said Andrew Saker, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of IMF Bentham.

The combination forms a formidable ally for clients, with 18 offices in 10 countries across the US, Canada, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East and 145 professionals experienced in legal and recovery systems world-wide and fluent in more than 20 languages. Together IMF Bentham and Omni Bridgeway have a 33-year track record of funded and recovered claims throughout the world to create a reliable partner for individuals, companies and professional advisers seeking strategic finance solutions.

Those solutions span from inception of a case through trial, appeal, enforcement and legal recovery, and include:

  • funding and management of disputes, and international enforcement of judgments and awards (including against sovereigns in all continents)
  • enforcement of non-performing loans of banks and subrogation claims of insurance companies
  • world-first After-the-Event cost protection cover in cost-shifting jurisdictions.

The tie-up combines two pioneers of the litigation funding industry. IMF Bentham began funding disputes in Australia in the 1990s and has helped shape the globalized litigation finance industry via continual expansion and a record of achieving notable success rates and returns.

Omni Bridgeway was founded in the Netherlands in 1986 and is known as a leading financier of high-value claims and a global specialist in cross-border enforcement against sovereign governments. The Omni Bridgeway group includes ROLAND ProzessFinanz, a leading German litigation funder which became part of Omni Bridgeway in 2017, as well as Omni Bridgeway’s joint venture with IFC (part of the World Bank Group) which consists of a dedicated fund and Dubai-based expertise center aimed at assisting banks with the funding and managing the enforcement of non-performing loans and related disputes in the Middle East and Africa region.

“Like IMF Bentham, Omni Bridgeway has been at the forefront of the dispute finance industry in its regions and areas for decades,” said Andrew Saker. “As one of Continental Europe’s leading litigation funders, it offered unique advantages compared to other acquisition candidates that IMF Bentham considered for its European expansion. Those factors, combined with a strong cultural fit, made clear that merging was the right choice at the right time for both companies.”

IMF Bentham and Omni Bridgeway achieve a shared goal of global diversification and presence in key litigation markets via the merger. Their new team includes professionals with wide-ranging expertise across all types of disputes and economists, financial experts, business intelligence and asset tracing professionals.

“We view the merger as a partnership of complementary strengths,” said Raymond van Hulst, Managing Director at Omni Bridgeway. “Together, we have the global scale and local understanding needed for today’s complex multi-jurisdictional and domestic disputes.”

“Since we were introduced by leading global investment bank Houlihan Lokey in March 2018, IMF Bentham and Omni Bridgeway have partnered on numerous projects and have discovered that our two companies, which have evolved on parallel paths, have a like-mindedness and commitment to excellence that distinguishes us from the competition,” said Andrew Saker.

IMF Bentham will continue to be listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and the combined group will use the first-class business operations, reporting and accounting practices that have shaped IMF Bentham’s reputation as a trustworthy and reliable disputes financier. The combined group will assume one global name pending a rebrand projected for completion by 30 June 2020.

About IMF Bentham
IMF Bentham is a leading global litigation and dispute financier, headquartered in Australia and with offices in the US, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong and London. The company has built its reputation as a trusted provider of innovative litigation financing solutions and has established an increasingly diverse portfolio of litigation and dispute financing assets. IMF Bentham has a highly experienced litigation financing team overseeing its investments, delivering, as at 30 June 2019, an 89% success rate across 192 completed cases (excluding withdrawals).  Visit imf.com.au to learn more.

About Omni Bridgeway
Omni Bridgeway was founded in the Netherlands in 1986 and is known as a leading financier of high-value claims and a global specialist in cross-border (sovereign) enforcement disputes. Visit omnibridgeway.com to learn more.

About ROLAND ProzessFinanz
ROLAND ProzessFinanz AG has been providing commercial litigation funding solutions since 2001. The company became part of Omni Bridgeway in mid-2017, creating one of Continental Europe’s leading litigation funders. ROLAND funds medium-sized merits and group claims in the German speaking jurisdictions of Europe.  Visit roland-prozessfinanz.de/en/ to learn more.

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Tenadio Corp Completes $60 Million in Financing for Patent Litigation Program

By Harry Moran and 4 others |

Tenadio Corp, a consulting firm specializing in advising patent owners and inventors, announced it has completed an additional $60 million in financing for the Patent Capital Funding Program (“PCF”), a litigation finance program established by Tenadio’s founding principal, Michael Ciuffo. 

Waterford Capital, Inc., a Dallas, Texas based broker-dealer, was the sole placement agent for the transaction, which was privately placed with institutional investors. 

“The PCF Program is off to a great start for 2025. We are excited to have added new partners and participants in this round of funding and are very encouraged with recent events in patent litigation that will further strengthen our clients’ positions in defending the value in their intellectual property rights,” said Michael Ciuffo. 

“The Patent Capital Funding Program continues to be a reliable funding source for patent owners, having raised approximately $315 million in patent infringement litigation financing to date. We are so grateful for the collaboration of everyone involved, which is a key to the Program’s success, and we look forward to continuing its expansion,” said Dave Piotrowski, Managing Director of Waterford Capital. 

About Tenadio Corp

Tenadio Corp utilizes decades of experience in structured finance and litigation funding to develop optimal funding structures for patent holders and infringement litigation. Tenadio works with its advisors and partners to offer a full platform of patent litigation services, including patent valuation, monetization, funding options, and lead counsel selection. Tenadio provides a thorough evaluation of each patent infringement case, creating a structure that provides an attractive investment opportunity while simultaneously monetizing proceeds associated with future infringement cases. 

About Waterford Capital

Waterford Capital, Inc. is a leading arranger of litigation finance and other structured finance and asset securitization transactions. The firm arranges capital for clients in connection with patent infringement financing, asset-backed credit facilities, private placements of asset-backed securities, and whole loan sale programs. Waterford Capital is a registered broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC.

Announcements Commercial

Juris Capital Joins the International Legal Finance Association

By Harry Moran and 4 others |

The International Legal Finance Association (ILFA), the only global association of commercial legal finance companies, announced that Juris Capital has joined their association, adding to their rapidly growing membership base. 

Juris Capital is committed to delivering innovation solutions for financial stability for commercial litigation and arbitration along with investments in law firms through creative billing arrangements. Juris Capital’s team has over twenty years of experience investing in commercial litigation, all of their principals are licensed attorneys or certified public accountants. 

"Juris is excited to join ILFA to provide perspective from its over 15 years of operation," said David Desser, Juris Managing Director. 

"We believe the industry faces an inflection point, where the choice of policies will affect outcomes for businesses, consumers, and funders, and we will support ILFA's effort to secure sound policies in the United States and abroad." said Dane Lund, Juris Managing Director. 

Rupert Cunningham, Global Director of Growth and Membership Engagement at ILFA, commented on Juris Capital joining ILFA, saying “I’m delighted to welcome Juris Capital to ILFA’s growing ranks. Juris’ team bring with them a great deal of experience in litigation finance and we at ILFA look forward to working with David and Dane, whose expertise will be invaluable in our efforts to support and represent the legal finance sector globally.”

About the International Legal Finance Association  

The International Legal Finance Association (ILFA) represents the global commercial legal finance community, and its mission is to engage, educate and influence legislative, regulatory and judicial landscapes as the voice of the commercial legal finance industry. It is the only global association of commercial legal finance companies and is an independent, non-profit trade association promoting the highest standards of operation and service for the commercial legal finance sector. ILFA has local chapter representation around the world. 

For more information, visit www.ilfa.com and find us on LinkedIn and X @ILFA_Official.

Announcements Consumer

Legal-Bay Pre-Settlement Funding to Begin Funding Hawaii Wildfire Claims After Major Supreme Court Decision

By Harry Moran and 4 others |

Legal-Bay, the Pre Settlement Funding Company, announces today that they are committed to funding their clients in Hawaii who are dealing with wildfire claims. In light of the Aloha state's Supreme Court ruling last week, a previously stagnant $4 billion settlement has now been allowed to proceed, providing financial assistance to numerous displaced Hawaiians still dealing with the after-effects of the deadly inferno.

The 2023 Lahaina wildfire on the island of Maui was the most devastating United States fire in over a century. It killed over 100 people and turned entire towns into ash. Thousands of lawsuits against those responsible for the blaze--including Hawaiian Electric, Kamehameha Schools, the state of Hawaii, and Maui County—soon followed. While the $4 billion offer doesn't come close to covering the $5 billion in property damage—not to mention the incalculable loss of life—attorneys accepted the offer amidst rumblings that the main defendant, Hawaiian Electric, might declare bankruptcy.

Between homeowners, renters, and businesses, insurance companies have already paid out $1.5 billion to victims and are expected to pay out close to $1 billion more. Monday's ruling is a good way for insurance companies to receive reimbursement as well as victims to receive future payouts, paving the way for all parties to move forward with their claims. The case is scheduled to be sent back to a Maui judge to determine what comes next.

Chris Janish, CEO of Legal-Bay, commented, "My personal connection to Lahaina and its residents makes seeing the devastation that much harder. We are committed to immediately funding wrongful death wildfire cases in large funding amounts for those families that need it. And we will be assisting renters who are displaced by getting cash advances to help them until a final settlement comes.  Our experience in California wildfire cases enables our underwriting team and staff to process approvals quickly for renters, homeowners, and commercial claims."

If you are a lawyer or plaintiff involved in an active wildfire lawsuit and need an immediate cash advance settlement loan against an impending lawsuit settlement, please visit Legal-Bay HERE or call toll-free at 877.571.0405.

Legal Bay has a long history dealing with wildfire lawsuits, as they've been a leader in almost every case over the past seven years. They were one of the first companies to fund PG&E plaintiffs during the California Camp Fire lawsuits back in 2018, and they've remained involved throughout every wildfire and natural disaster since. They are dedicated to supporting their clients in need of financial assistance, specifically those that are dealing with the aftermath of natural wild fire disasters in places like Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, and California.

Numerous renters, homeowners, and business owners have been temporarily displaced, or seen their homes and companies destroyed altogether. Amidst the devastation and uncertainty, people who have been affected by tragedy need help and they need it now. In these circumstances, legal funding—sometimes referred to as "lawsuit loans" or "settlement loans"—can be immensely beneficial. Legal-Bay is leading the charge to provide loans for settlements to affected residents as soon as possible.

As a leading lawsuit funding provider, Legal-Bay knows that relocation efforts can cost their clients money they don't have. Some are looking into loan settlement options in order to fund basic living expenses while they get their lives back on track. A loan for settlement can also help bridge the gap of time it will take to receive that eventual check from the insurance company. Legal-Bay is proud of the numerous funding they've provided for their current crop of clients along with providing a multitude of loan on lawsuit options for any future financial needs.

If you're the plaintiff in an existing wildfire lawsuit and need an immediate advance against your anticipated cash settlement award, you can apply HERE or call: 877.571.0405

Legal-Bay lawsuit funding remains vigilant in helping clients who have seen their homes and properties damaged by recent events. Additionally, any new clients that have an existing lawsuit and need cash now can apply for regular settlement funding to help them get through their own crises. Legal-Bay funds all types of loans for lawsuits including personal injury, slips and falls, car accident lawsuit, property damage, commercial litigation, and more.

Legal-Bay is one of the best lawsuit loan companies when it comes to providing immediate cash in advance of a plaintiff's anticipated monetary award. The non-recourse law suit loans—sometimes referred to as loans for lawsuit or loans on settlement—are risk-free, as the money doesn't need to be repaid should the recipient lose their case. Therefore, the lawsuit loan funds aren't really a loan, but rather a cash advance.

To apply right now, please visit the company's website HERE or call toll-free at: 877.571.0405 where agents are standing by.