Trending Now
Announcements Case Developments

Legal-Bay Lawsuit Funding Reopens Underwriting Department for Victims of Sexual Abuse

March 30, 2023

Legal-Bay Lawsuit Funding Reopens Underwriting Department for Victims of Sexual Abuse

Legal-Bay, The Pre Settlement Funding Company, announced today that they are reopening funding for victims of sexual abuse in light of recent settlements in the McLaren sports facility and multiple Los Angeles detention center lawsuits. The McLaren case centers on the alleged sexual abuse of hundreds of children by a former Olympic coach, Bahram Hojreh. Hojreh was accused of sexually abusing young female gymnasts who were under his care at the Los Angeles-based gym where he coached. The allegations of abuse first surfaced in 2017, and Hojreh was arrested in April 2018. In March 2020, the case was settled for a staggering $8.125 million, with each victim receiving $125,000 on average. According to reports, Hojreh pleaded no contest to charges of sexually abusing 13 female gymnasts, aged 7 to 14 years old, between 2014 and 2017. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but the sentence was later reduced to 6 years and 8 months, though he will have to register as a sex offender for life. Also in Los Angeles, probation and detention officers at various juvenile centers are being accused of sexually assaulting approximately 300 boys and girls during their incarceration. The lawsuit was filed this past December, and alleges that the minors suffered multiple incidents of sexual abuse at the hands of the very staff employed to watch over them. The abuse dates back as far as the 1970s right on up through 2018, and specifically names the following facilities: Camp Scott, Camp Kenyon Scudder, Los Padrinos, Barry J. Nidorf, and the Challenger Memorial Youth Centers. The lawsuit claims that there were times when employees were granted unsupervised access to the detainees, subjecting them to verbal as well as physical and sexual abuse. Lawyers for the plaintiffs argue that reasonable supervision should have been enacted to keep the incarcerated juveniles safe. In January 2020, a California state law opened a three-year window for victims to file suit, allowing any victim of sexual abuse to seek damages regardless of the amount of time that had passed since the assault took place. While that specific filing window has since closed, new cases have emerged similar to the ones outlined above that will need to be resolved. As it stands now, the law only allows victims to file suit prior to their 40th birthday or within five years of becoming aware of the childhood abuse if they are over 40. However, The Justice for Survivors Act is presently being debated in the state, and if passed, would end the statute of limitations to file claims of childhood sexual abuse. Legal-Bay reminds plaintiffs that the legal system is backlogged, creating an indefinite wait for sexual abuse survivors to see justice. Chris Janish, CEO of Legal-Bay, commented, “The issue of sexual abuse of minors has been an ongoing problem for years, and unfortunately, still continues today. The California sports facility and juvenile detention center cases are just two examples of the ongoing problem of sexual abuse within youth organizations. While it’s encouraging to see settlements being reached, it’s clear that much more needs to be done to prevent abuse from occurring in the first place. This includes greater advocacy for the children. Only by taking bold steps can we ensure that kids are kept safe and protected while in the care of youth-based institutions. In the meantime, Legal-Bay stands at the ready to assist survivors and their families with their lawsuit funding needs.” If you’ve been a victim of any type of sexual assault and need an immediate cash advance against your impending lawsuit settlement, please visit Legal-Bay HERE or call toll-free at 877.571.0405.

Announcements

View All
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.