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Patrick Dempsey Joins Certum Group as Director of Commercial Litigation Strategy

By Harry Moran |
March 25, 2025

Patrick Dempsey Joins Certum Group as Director of Commercial Litigation Strategy

Certum Group, the first and only company in America providing both litigation finance and insurance solutions for companies facing the uncertainty of litigation, has added Patrick Dempsey as Director of Commercial Litigation Strategy.  Mr. Dempsey will oversee all facets of Certum’s commercial litigation business, including originating, structuring, and monitoring single-case financing products and portfolio solutions for law firms, corporates, and other litigants.  Mr. Dempsey will also help build out Certum’s consulting services for companies that are looking to invest in or value legal assets but may not have the requisite underwriting expertise. 

A veteran of the legal finance industry, Mr. Dempsey joins Certum from Burford Capital, where he served as a director responsible for originating new investments with law firms and corporates alike.  Prior to Burford, Mr. Dempsey served as the Chief Investment Officer of Therium Capital Management’s U.S. operations.  In private practice, Mr. Dempsey was a litigator at Hogan Lovells and Proskauer, where he regularly took cases through to trial and arbitral hearings across a broad number of industries.

“We are thrilled to have Patrick join our team,” said Joel Fineberg, Certum’s founder and managing director. “His extensive experience across multiple industries and complex commercial areas, along with his ability to build strong relationships with counterparties, will be a very valuable asset as we continue to innovate in the ever-evolving world of litigation funding.” 

“I am excited to join the fantastic team at Certum,” said Mr. Dempsey. “I believe the opportunity is substantial. With its full suite of funding solutions and insurance products, Certum is extremely well-positioned for this next phase of growth within the industry.  I’m looking forward to helping more clients figure out how Certum can help them achieve their litigation and business goals.”

Certum Group created the first and only litigation risk transfer platform that combines insurance, premium finance, and litigation funding to provide tailored solutions for companies, litigants, and law firms. Founded more than 10 years ago, the team is comprised of former litigators, judicial clerks, actuaries, and financial professionals who design risk transfer and funding solutions to meet legal, business, and financial objectives.

Mr. Dempsey earned his J.D. from Tulane University Law School and his B.S. from the University of New Orleans.

About Certum Group

Certum Group provides bespoke solutions for companies facing the uncertainty of litigation. We are the leader in providing comprehensive alternative litigation strategies, including class action settlement insurance, litigation buyout insurance, judgment preservation insurance, adverse judgment insurance, contingency fee insurance, capital protection insurance, litigation funding, and claim monetization. Our team of experienced former litigators, insurance professionals, and risk mitigation specialists helps companies remove the financial and operational volatility arising out of litigation by transferring the outcome risk. Learn more at www.certumgroup.com.

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Harry Moran

Harry Moran

Commercial

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Longford Capital Doubles Down to Support American Innovation

By John Freund |

Longford Capital Management, LP today announced that it has launched the Longford Capital American Innovation Initiative to help American inventors protect their legal rights, access the U.S. legal system, and advance American innovation.

America is the greatest country in the world and Americans are achieving advancements in every facet of our lives, including healthcare, artificial intelligence, clean energy, technology, aerospace, cybersecurity, transportation, wireless communications, and many others. Intellectual property is critical to American exceptionalism and national security. American inventors are systematically the victims of intellectual property theft at the hands of foreign and domestic bad actors. Well-financed multi-national corporations steal the innovations of small and medium size American companies leaving them will little options to protect their legal rights in the expensive U.S. legal system. For more than a decade, Longford has been supporting American inventors, investing approximately $500 million to support nearly 100 intellectual property owners trying to defend their assets. These efforts have resulted in recoveries of more than $1.5 billion from patent infringers.

Take, for example, Malcolm Beyer, Jr., a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, retired Captain in the U.S. Marines, and small business owner. His company developed a communication system that increases safety and operational effectiveness for the U.S. military, law enforcement, and first responders. When his patented technology was infringed by foreign companies, he didn’t have the money to defend his legal rights in court. He turned to Longford Capital. Longford provided millions of dollars to pay his legal fees, which allowed Mr. Beyer to successfully defend his legal rights and protect his innovation. Without access to litigation finance, Malcolm Beyer’s company would not have survived.

Today, we are ramping up our efforts to support our country, American inventors, small and medium size businesses, and the advancement of American exceptionalism. The ability to protect innovation through the patent system and the U.S. legal system is essential to attract investment and encourage the best and brightest Americans to dedicate their careers to improving our lives. Longford’s funding empowers American innovation and makes America stronger. Members of Longford’s legal team are perennially recognized as leading IP strategists with an established record of developing and implementing world-class IP value creation programs for American companies.

About Longford Capital

Longford Capital is a leading private investment company that provides capital to leading law firms, public and private companies, research universities, government agencies, and other entities involved in large-scale, commercial legal disputes. Longford was one of the first litigation funds in the United States and is among the world’s largest litigation finance companies with more than $1.2 billion in assets under management. Typically, Longford funds attorneys’ fees and other costs necessary to pursue meritorious legal claims in return for a share of a favorable settlement or award. The firm manages a diversified portfolio, and considers investments in subject matter areas where it has developed considerable expertise, including, business-to-business contract claims, antitrust and trade regulation claims, intellectual property claims (including patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret), fiduciary duty claims, fraud claims, claims in bankruptcy and liquidation, domestic and international arbitrations, claim monetization, insurance matters, and a variety of others.

Commercial Legal Innovation

Startup Founder Touts Data-Driven Funding Model

By John Freund |

A litigation funding startup founder is making the case that technology, disciplined underwriting, and alignment with law firms will define the next phase of growth in the funding industry.

In Part II of its interview series, Above the Law spotlights the founder’s views on building a differentiated funding platform in an increasingly competitive market. The discussion centers on how newer entrants can compete with established players by leveraging data analytics, focusing on select case types, and maintaining tight operational controls. Rather than pursuing volume for its own sake, the founder emphasizes a strategy built around rigorous case selection and long-term partnerships with law firms.

A key theme in the interview is the importance of underwriting discipline. The founder notes that not all meritorious cases make good investments, underscoring the need to evaluate damages models, collectability, and litigation timelines with precision. Technology plays a central role in that process, with analytics tools helping to assess risk factors and identify patterns across similar claims. This approach, the founder argues, allows the company to move efficiently while avoiding the pitfalls of overly aggressive capital deployment.

The interview also touches on market education. Despite litigation finance’s growing acceptance, misconceptions persist among lawyers and corporate stakeholders. The founder suggests that transparency around pricing, control, and alignment of interests remains critical to winning trust—particularly among firms that may be considering funding for the first time.

Commercial

AI Reshapes Mass Torts With Cost-Saving Promise

By John Freund |

Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving from a back-office efficiency tool to a central driver of strategy in mass tort litigation, with significant implications for plaintiff firms, defense counsel, and the litigation funding community.

An article in Bloomberg Law explores how AI-powered tools are transforming the economics of large-scale product liability and personal injury cases. From claimant intake and medical record review to document analysis and settlement modeling, AI platforms are enabling law firms to process vast amounts of data at a fraction of the traditional cost and time. In mass torts—where tens of thousands of claims can hinge on nuanced medical and factual distinctions—these efficiencies are particularly valuable.

According to the report, firms are deploying AI to automate the review of medical records, identify injury patterns, and categorize claimants more quickly. This not only reduces overhead, but also enhances early case assessment, helping firms determine which claims warrant full investment. On the defense side, corporate legal teams are leveraging similar technologies to assess exposure and streamline discovery. The result is a technological arms race in high-volume litigation.

While some observers raise concerns about accuracy, oversight, and ethical guardrails, proponents argue that AI can reduce administrative waste and free attorneys to focus on higher-value legal analysis. Vendors servicing the mass tort bar are also positioning AI as a way to increase access to justice by lowering the cost of bringing claims that might otherwise be economically unviable.