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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.

About the author

Harry Moran

Harry Moran

Commercial

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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.

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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.

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As reported by Legal Futures, Dr. John Sorabji — co-chair of the Civil Justice Council working party on litigation funding and former principal legal adviser to the Lord Chief Justice — told the Justice Select Committee that mandatory LEI coverage deserves serious consideration. He acknowledged the recommendation is a personal view rather than an official CJC position.

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As reported by AOL, State Rep. Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva, filed HB5244, which would require disclosure of third-party lawsuit funders, block foreign interests from financing domestic litigation, prevent funders from steering cases or pressuring settlements, and cap investor returns to ensure plaintiffs receive the majority of recoveries.

"If you are going to profit from lawsuits filed in Illinois, you shouldn't be allowed to hide in the shadows," Ugaste said. The bill, he added, "creates basic rules to ensure outside funders aren't steering cases."

Katie Reilly, Executive Director of the Illinois Coalition for Legal Reform, noted that "commercial third-party litigation funding has grown quickly, but Illinois law has not kept pace." The organization expressed support for the measure.

Similar legislation has already passed in Wisconsin and Indiana. However, HB5244 faces uncertain prospects in the Democrat-dominated Illinois General Assembly, where trial lawyers who benefit from third-party financing have historically donated millions to state Democrats. The bill reflects a broader national trend of state-level efforts to impose guardrails on the rapidly expanding litigation funding industry.