Tune in to The LFJ Podcast, an original podcast series produced by the Legal Funding Journal editorial team, and featuring key thought leaders from throughout the global legal funding community.

In this week's episode, we sit down with Scott Mozarsky of Vannin Capital to discuss the Legal Tech industry. What are the advancements being made as pertains to Legal Services? How are litigation funders leveraging the industry's innovation? How are they picking winners and losers? And what will the future of the Legal Services industry look like, once the robots finally take over? All this and more, on this week's episode of The Litigation Finance Podcast. [podcast_episode episode="3625" content="title,player,details"]

In this episode, we sit down with David Kerstein of Validity Finance to discuss his transition from industry stalwart IMF Bentham to relative upstart Validity. We also discussed the role of Chief Risk Officer, the use of AI and Big Data to mitigate risk, and whether the issue of mandatory disclosure poses a risk to the industry at large. [podcast_episode episode="3579" content="title,player,details"]

In this episode, we speak with Michael German of Vannin Capital about the issue of disclosure. With the recent GOP Senators' push to re-introduce legislation that would mandate disclosure of all third party-funded agreements in class action cases and MDLs, disclosure is on the forefront of all industry participants' minds. Michael recently penned an article suggesting a compromise on the issue: that being mandated limited disclosure in all third party-funded cases, with excess disclosure expressly prohibited. Michael explains his reasoning on the podcast. [podcast_episode episode="3544" content="title,player,details"]

In our first episode of 2019, we speak with Nick Rowles-Davies about his transition to the now publicly-traded LCM, what the global expansion plans are, why it's so difficult for funders to break into corporate portfolio financing, and what he foresees over the next five years for this ever-evolving industry. [podcast_episode episode="3462" content="title,player,details"]

On this week's podcast, we spoke with Tets Ishikawa of Acasta Europe and Sparkle Capital. Tets described helping to found the small-to-midsize claim funding market in the UK, how the relationship between Acasta and Sparkle was born, Sparkle's role on Debenham Ottaway's new funding panel, and whether the funding and insurance industries will merge long-term. [podcast_episode episode="3087" content="title,player,details"]

In this week's episode, we spoke with Elizabeth and Elisa, co-founders of Florida-based Consumer Legal Funder, Momentum Funding. The duo shared their thoughts on the industry's evolution over the past decade, how the influx of investor capital will impact future growth, why regulation is actually a good thing, and how a chance encounter at a female entrepreneurship event led to doors being opened for their eventual founding of Momentum. [podcast_episode episode="3013" content="title,player,details"]

In this week's episode, we spoke with Debenhams Ottaway solicitor Luke Harrison. Luke recently established a panel of litigation funders - including Therium Capital Management, Sparkle Capital, and Ferguson Litigation Funding - whose aim is to assist Debenhams Ottaway in its innovative efforts to bring small-value claims in the UK. [podcast_episode episode="2836" content="title,player,details"]

On this week's podcast, Marius Nasta of UK-based Redress Solutions discusses how the winds of fate brought him into the world of litigation finance, how the industry has evolved over the last decade, what sets Redress apart from the competition, and what specific changes we should - and should not - expect in the UK post-Brexit. [podcast_episode episode="2725" content="title,player,details"]

On this week's episode, we sat down with Tim Mayer of London-based Therium. Tim discussed the variety of portfolio financing instruments Therium offers, his role on the ICCA Queen Mary Task Force, why the presence of funding should not inform a security for costs order, and how he sees things shaping up post-Brexit. Happy listening-- [podcast_episode episode="2642" content="title,player,details"]

In this episode, we sat down with Ross Wallin, Co-Founder of NY-based Curiam Capital, which just opened its doors this past February. Ross spoke about why he made the transition from litigator to litigation funder, how Curiam differentiates itself from the competition, how law firms can utilize litigation finance to increase their rack rate realization, and how he feels about the future growth potential of the industry. [podcast_episode episode="2498" content="title,player,details"]

In this episode, we spoke with Dilip Massand of Dubai-based SAS about litigation finance in the Middle East, the benefits of being an asset recovery firm with a litigation funding business line, how sovereign wealth funds and family offices approach litigation finance differently, and what gives him hope for the future of the industry. Happy listening! [podcast_episode episode="2452" content="title,player,details"]  

On this week's episode, we sat down with Ed Truant, Managing Director of Balmoral Wood, a Canadian Fund of Funds (FoF) for the Litigation Finance space. Ed discussed how the FoF idea first started, what he looks for when assessing fund managers, why diversification is so crucial when investing in Litigation Finance, and what keeps him up at night in regard to potential future regulations in the United States. [podcast_episode episode="2352" content="title,player,details"]

In this week's episode, we discuss issues surrounding Privilege in the context of Third Party Litigation Funding. How does the privilege situation differ across jurisdictions? What do the Chevron and Acceleration Bay cases teach us about how privilege gets waived? How can funders allay client concerns? And what are the legislative trends and forecasts? It was our privilege to speak with Mr. Landis...  (see what I did there?)  [podcast_episode episode="2281" content="title,player,details"]

In this episode, Tom Glasgow of IMF Bentham discusses Third Party Litigation Funding in East Asia. What types of cases are being looked at, and what can we expect down the road? How do Hong Kong and Singapore compare and contrast in their approaches to TPLF? And what does the future of TPLF look like in East Asia? We hope you enjoy the listen-- [podcast_episode episode="2220" content="title,player,details"]

In this episode, we spoke with Chris Deadman, who broke off from Augusta Ventures to start his own SME-focused commercial litigation funder, Invicta Capital Funding. Chris discussed the SME market in the UK, why he thinks it's poised to grow faster than the large-claims market, his push into portfolio financing, and how Brexit will affect the broader industry. Happy listening everyone! [podcast_episode episode="2163" content="title,player,details"]

On this episode, we spoke with Michael Weisz, Co-Founder of YieldStreet. YieldStreet is a platform that allows accredited investors the opportunity to invest in alternative assets, such as commercial real estate and Litigation Finance. Michael explained to us why YieldStreet was founded, how the platform works, how they managed to overcome the challenge of educating investors about niche asset classes through YieldStreet University, and what the future looks like for both YieldStreet and Litigation Finance. [podcast_episode episode="2111" content="title,player,details"]

This week we speak with Noel Edmonds, a UK broadcasting legend, radio executive, and host of 'Deal Or No Deal.' Noel has secured financing from Therium Capital Management for his £60MM claim against Lloyds Bank. Noel shared his thoughts on 'Lliars Banking Group,' why he opted for litigation funding, and the reason he founded an internet radio station - Positively Noel - where all songs relate to his battle with Lloyds. It's a wide-ranging interview, spanning topics from Body Energy to Star Wars... we hope you enjoy listening! [podcast_episode episode="2055" content="title,player,details"]

In this episode, Zachary Krug shares his global perspective on Litigation Finance by discussing the industry's emergence in both Latin America and the Middle East. What is the status of Litigation Finance in those emerging markets? How have local practitioners and corporates responded to the practice? And what are the specific challenges facing global funders in each locale? All that and more, on this episode of the Litigation Finance Podcast... Note -- Link to Zachary's article on "The Steady Rise of Litigation Funding in Latin America" is here.  [podcast_episode episode="2004" content="title,player,details"]

Today marks the 1-year anniversary of Litigation Finance Journal!  To celebrate, we brought in LFJ's Founder and CEO, Jason Redlus. Jason explained why he first started LFJ, how he assesses the Litigation Finance industry from the standpoint of an investor, what funders are doing well (and what they should be doing differently), and what he expects LFJ will look like 1 year from now. We hope you enjoy taking a peek behind the LFJ curtain on this special episode-- [podcast_episode episode="1959" content="title,player,details"]

On this episode of the LFJ podcast, we spoke with Reid Zeising, Founder and CEO of Atlanta-based Consumer Legal Funder, Cherokee Funding. Reid opened up about Cherokee's funding process, the significance of 'rolling contracts,' why plaintiffs should value time over money, and why he believes the Chamber of Commerce and the Consumer Legal Funding industry can and should start working together. [podcast_episode episode="1899" content="title,player,details"]

On this episode, we sat down with Joel Magerman, CEO of investment bank Bryant Park Capital, to discuss the Consumer Legal Funding industry from the debt and equity markets' perspectives. What do funders need to prepare before approaching debt and equity markets? What's the #1 reason funders are turned down for investment? What are the expectations for industry growth? How do money managers feel about the Chamber of Commerce and the uncertain regulatory environment? All of those questions and more are answered in this week's podcast. Additionally, here is the link to Bryant Park's 2016 Pre-Settlement CEO Survey, which we highlight in the interview. It's chock-full of findings culled directly from the CEOs of Consumer Legal Funding companies themselves. Definitely worth a look. [podcast_episode episode="1858" content="title,player,details"]

In this episode, we spoke with Philip Evangelou about the work/life balance differences between litigation funders and litigators, what he looks for when diligencing prospective investments, how Augusta is uniquely structured for growth in both the SME and large-claim markets, and why overall litigation in the UK is likely to surge post-Brexit. Hope you enjoy the podcast and happy listening! [podcast_episode episode="1807" content="title,player,details"]

In this week's episode, we speak with Maurice Power about Ferguson Litigation Funding's roots as an insolvency-based law firm, what the market is like for small to mid-size Commercial & Consumer claims in the UK, how he approaches educating lawyers and trustees about the benefits of litigation finance, and what life will be like after Brexit (assuming there is a Brexit). Hope you enjoy listening! [podcast_episode episode="1761" content="title,player,details"]

On this week's episode, Carolina Ramirez took us through the sourcing and diligence process of UK-based commercial litigation funder, Vannin Capital. She also explained what it's like to open their New York office, and commented on Vannin's new CEO appointment, Richard Hextall. And perhaps most interestingly, Carolina described the litigation funding market in Latin America - specifically Sao Paolo, Brazil - where third party funding is ripe for future growth. We hope you enjoy listening! [podcast_episode episode="1707" content="title,player,details"]

In this week's episode, we sat down with Allison Chock to discuss Bentham's plans for their freshly-minted $200M fundraising vehicle, the company's push into bankruptcy investment, its growth within the United States, and the battle against the Chamber of Commerce on the issue of mandatory disclosure. We even learned a few new terms during the podcast, like 'Tall-Poppy Syndrome,' and what the 'IMF' in Bentham IMF actually stands for. Curious? Take a listen to find out-- ** Here is the link to the U.S. Court's Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure, which Allison mentioned while discussing the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.   [podcast_episode episode="1670" content="title,player,details"]

On this episode of the Litigation Finance Podcast, we sat down with Roni Elias of TownCenter Partners. Roni discusses what it's like to run both a Consumer & Commercial Litigation Finance company, why small to mid-size law firms aren't too fond of Litigation Finance, and why he's against the Chamber of Commerce's recent push for mandatory disclosure. [podcast_episode episode="1595" content="title,player,details"]

On this week's episode, our guest is Tania Sulan, CIO of Bentham Canada. Tania spoke candidly about a number of subjects, including the challenges of opening an office in a brand new market, what makes Canada such an attractive investment opportunity, the specific differences between the Canadian and U.S. lit fin markets, and how far Canada has come in recognizing and accepting litigation finance as a valuable tool for both lawyers and claimants. The Canadian litigation finance market is certainly heating up, which is good for Canada... because it's cold up there. It's also good because it means more entrants are soon to emerge: everyone from global funders like IMF Bentham extending their reach, to local funders popping up in litigation hubs such as Toronto and Vancouver, to lawyers and claimants seeking out funding opportunities... plenty of interested parties will soon be getting in on the act. Yup, litigation finance in Canada is about to experience hockey stick growth (c'mon, I had to work in a hockey reference...), so give this episode a listen and learn a bit about litigation finance in Canada, eh. [podcast_episode episode="1508" content="title,player,details"]

On this episode of the Litigation Finance Podcast, our guest is Eric Schuller. Eric is the Director of Government and Community Affairs at Oasis Financial, an Illinois-based Consumer Legal Funder, and President of ARC – the Alliance for Responsible Consumer Legal Funding. ARC is a trade organization and coalition of Consumer Legal Funders dedicated to preserving the industry through political and social outreach.

Eric went in-depth on Consumer Legal Funding – who uses it, how they benefit, and how the industry operates. We discussed the Chamber of Commerce’s push to label Consumer Legal Funding transactions as loans, and how Consumer Legal Funders can best counter their arguments. We also delved into Eric’s lobbying efforts – the frank discussions he’s had with legislators, and how specifically he’s educating them to better understand the industry.

We closed on Eric’s predictions for the Consumer Legal Funding industry, and he was kind enough to share an extremely personal story from one of his clients.

If you’re at all interested in the Consumer Legal Funding space – including the challenges and opportunities therein – you need to check out this podcast!

[podcast_episode episode="1483" content="title,player,details"]