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Pravati Capital Completes Expansion to Key Markets and Adds Accomplished New Hires to its Distinguished Leadership Team

NEW YORK, July 29, 2020 — Pravati Capital, leading litigation finance pioneer and consulting firm, today announced four new members to its esteemed leadership team, each complementing the firm’s outstanding services and legal insight. Joining Pravati Capital, Bruce Cohen, Douglas Smith, Scott Potter and Shane Ham will bolster the company’s litigation practice with specialized experience to better serve clients.

Pravati Capital announced four new members to its esteemed leadership team, each complementing the firm’s outstanding services and legal insight. Joining Pravati Capital, Bruce Cohen, Douglas Smith, Scott Potter and Shane Ham will bolster the company’s litigation practice with specialized experience to better serve clients.

The accomplished new additions bring a wealth of knowledge in areas such as debtor-in-possession financing, complex litigation and commercial litigation, and will help steer and strengthen the firm’s plans for growth, while expanding its footprint to key markets including New York, Los Angeles and Dallas. As Pravati Capital continues to grow and scale, the strategy will remain on developing attractive alternative investment funds that offer solid returns at a low risk given that assets are not related to the economic cycle. The established focus combined with the specialized experience will allow the industry leader to explore new and existing opportunities within the dynamic and growing field.

“We are thrilled to welcome these accomplished individuals and look forward to the value they will add to our insight and practice,” said Alex Chucri, CEO at Pravati Capital. “Our clients are our top priority and we are confident these additions will enhance our company as we continue to grow and offer exceptional service as we expand our practice of finance litigation.”

New additions to Pravati Capital’s leadership includes:

Pravati Capital welcomes Bruce Cohen as Director of Business Development in the Dallas office. Cohen’s 30 years of well-rounded background add extreme value to the firm and his past positions include Senior Legal Director at PepsiCo, Inc., where he was responsible for sales and antitrust matters in its Frito-Lay subsidiary and Associate General Counsel of Verizon Communications Inc. A former U.S. Army Field Artillery Officer, he is a Distinguished Graduate with Honors of the Virginia Military Institute and received his Juris Doctor summa cum laude from the University of Georgia School of Law. Cohen was a litigation partner at a prominent Atlanta law firm and has appeared in trials, regulatory proceedings and appeals in over three dozen states. He holds advanced degrees in history and law from Michigan State, the University of North Texas, and King’s College London. He previously served as a Special Assistant to the Attorney General of Texas, and as a judicial law clerk for a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

“I’ve really enjoyed the challenge of learning about litigation finance and explaining it to law firms and legal departments, many of whom really didn’t know it existed, let alone the ways it could help their practice and their teams,” said Cohen. “It’s still a nascent business in many respects, and I look forward to helping it grow.”

Doug Smith serves as Senior Commercial Lending Advisor in the Scottsdale, AZ office. With a 30-year background managing corporate and commercial real estate lending, Smith focused primarily on structured finance transactions, Debtor-In-Possession bankruptcy restructuring, and distressed loan portfolios. Prior to the private sector, he worked for Congressman John Rhodes, Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives during the Carter and Reagan administrations. Currently, he is a member of the Arizona board of directors for a commercial bank and President of the private non-profit Phoenician II Foundation. In the past, he has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Maricopa County Industrial Development Authority, the Board of Directors for the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, the Maricopa County Community Development Advisory Committee and the Arizona Republican Party Finance Committee.

“The economy is experiencing major dislocation and businesses will need debtor-in-possession and debt restructuring services for some time to come,” said Smith. “Pravati is uniquely positioned to provide these financial services in an efficient and creative manner to middle market enterprises.”

Scott Potter joins as Director of Business Development in Pravati Capital’s home office in Scottsdale, AZ. Potter honed both his legal and client relations skills through a decade long commercial litigation career and an additional four years of in-house counsel experience. He was the corporate counsel and global client relations manager for an international manufacturing firm and the vice president of legal affairs for a national lien company. Scott is a graduate of both the Marriott School of Management and the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University. He has practiced at the administrative, trial and appellate levels in both real estate and commercial litigation and represented both billion-dollar corporations and impoverished individuals. Scott has served on the Arizona State Bar’s alternative Dispute Resolution committee and been named a Southwest Super Lawyer Rising Star.

“My parents always said I could excel at anything that I wanted to do.  What I always wanted to do was help people to be happy,” said Potter. “Pravati gives me the chance to lift financial burdens from others as they seek greater peace in their lives.”

Shane Ham joins as a Legal Investment Analyst in Pravati Capital’s home office in Scottsdale, Arizona. Formerly a litigation partner at Osborn Maledon, he focused on complex commercial and personal injury matters. His practice spanned a broad variety of topic areas, from constitutional law to medical marijuana compliance. Prior to attending law school, Shane spent nearly a decade in Washington, D.C. where he worked as a producer on a political talk show and a technology policy analyst for a prominent think tank. Shane received both his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Juris Doctorate (magna cum laude) from the University of Arizona, and he clerked for then-Vice Chief Justice Andrew D. Hurwitz at the Arizona Supreme Court.

“As a litigator I saw too many cases that were strong on the merits but had to be abandoned because the plaintiff did not have the funds to fight for years against a deep-pocket defendant,” said Ham. “At Pravati I get to help level the playing field, and give people who have been wronged a chance to have their day in court.”

“The new additions to our leadership team will continue to support our vision of transformation and innovation, which together with leading and breakthrough insight and practices within our industry, will allow us to continue serving our clients as we grow in the future,” added Pravati Capital’s CEO Chucri.

About Pravati Capital

As a leader in the litigation financing field, Pravati Capital has changed how companies and law firms envision their future. For more than a decade, we have been at the forefront of litigation financing solutions, creating innovative sources for bridge capital. It is our mission to provide innovative, efficient capital solutions for law firms, compassionate assistance to plaintiffs, and a secure alternative investment option for accredited investors.

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New Burford Capital Research Reveals Significant Opportunities for Businesses Through Patent Monetization

By Harry Moran |

Burford Capital, the leading global finance and asset management firm focused on law, today releases new research on patent monetization, a means for businesses with significant intellectual property to generate revenue from patent assets through licensing, direct enforcement and corporate divestitures. With high research and development costs, long development timelines and intense IP competition, CFOs and GCs are faced with the challenge of seeking greater value from their companies' patent portfolios without diverting capital from core business operations. Moreover, converting underutilized intellectual property into liquid assets enables companies to fuel ongoing innovation and drive future growth.

Despite substantial investments in securing and maintaining patents, many companies fall short in leveraging their intellectual property—resulting in missed financial opportunities and ongoing costs that could otherwise be offset through monetization. This research shows companies shifting to a more proactive stance toward patent monetization as they face mounting economic pressures, rising costs of maintaining large patent portfolios and headline-generating enforcements and divestitures by major brands that increase acceptance. Nearly 70% of in-house lawyers say their organizations are more likely to monetize patents today than a decade ago, and 73% report that patent monetization revenue has grown over the last 10 years.

"Patent monetization remains a significantly underutilized asset for many businesses," said Christopher Bogart, CEO of Burford Capital. "Companies frequently hold valuable patents that require substantial investment to enforce, incurring significant expense—risk we routinely finance for clients. In today's climate of intensifying global competition and rapidly evolving IP enforcement landscapes, legal finance empowers companies to strengthen their patent monetization strategies and take a more proactive, value-driven approach to IP management."

"Companies have a significant opportunity to unlock value from their intellectual property," said Katharine Wolanyk, Managing Director at Burford Capital and head of its intellectual property and patent litigation finance division. "In conversations with CFOs and general counsel across industries, we frequently hear that patent portfolios are viewed as cost centers rather than assets, and this research substantiates that assertion. Legal finance offers a powerful solution by transforming underutilized IP assets into a source of liquidity that can fuel business priorities and allow companies to continue the essential cycle of innovation."

Key findings from the study include:

  • Companies are missing revenue opportunities: Even as patent monetization is increasing, 79% of in-house lawyers say that more than a quarter of their patent portfolio is underutilized. The costs of maintaining patents without monetization include lost revenue, delayed market entry and reduced market share.
  • Revenue generated by patent monetization is growing: 73% of in-house lawyers report that revenue from patent monetization has increased over the last 10 years and 69% of in-house lawyers say their organizations have become more likely to monetize patents in the past decade.
  • Divestiture is a fast-growing monetization strategy: 71% of in-house lawyers have already divested patents or are actively exploring divestiture options.
  • Clients can de-risk direct enforcement with finance: 72% of law firm lawyers cite the high cost of litigation as a deterrent to clients pursuing meritorious patent claims.
  • Legal finance plays a growing role in patent monetization: 59% of law firm lawyers say clients use legal finance for patent monetization; 51% of in-house lawyers say they are actively planning or exploring the use of legal finance to support patent enforcement and monetization going forward.
  • Global patent monetization is active: The US remains the top market for patent monetization due to strong enforcement mechanisms. The Unified Patent Court (UPC) is driving change in Europe, with 74% of in-house lawyers expecting increased enforcement in the region.

This research, commissioned by Burford and conducted by GLG, captures insights from 300 in-house IP counsel and law firm partners involved in patent litigation in North America, Europe and Asia.

The research report can be downloaded on Burford's website.

About Burford Capital

Burford Capital is the leading global finance and asset management firm focused on law. Its businesses include litigation finance and risk management, asset recovery, and a wide range of legal finance and advisory activities. Burford is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BUR) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: BUR), and works with companies and law firms around the world from its global network of offices.

For more information, please visit www.burfordcapital.com.

This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any ordinary shares or other securities of Burford.

Court House Capital Appoints New CEO as Michelle Silvers Moves into Chairman Role

By Harry Moran |

Court House Capital is pleased to announce the appointment of Matt Hourn as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 14 April 2025. This strategic leadership transition marks an exciting new chapter for the company as Michelle Silvers, who has served as CEO since 2020, steps into the role of Chairman of the Board. 

Michelle Silvers has been instrumental in Court House Capital’s growth, innovation, and performance since its inception. Her move into the Chairman position reflects the company's ongoing commitment to visionary leadership and long-term success. 

"Leading Court House Capital has been an incredible journey, and I am proud of what we've built. I look forward to continuing to support the company's future in a strategic capacity as Chairman." Michelle Silvers, Chairman, Court House Capital 

Incoming CEO Matt Hourn brings over 25 years of experience in commercial litigation and is cofounder of Court House Capital. His strong commercial insight and legal expertise, leadership capabilities, and innovative vision make him well-suited to drive the next phase of growth. 

"I am honoured to step into the role of CEO and build on the strong foundation Michelle has established," Matt Hourn, Chief Executive Officer, Court House Capital. 

This transition underscores the firm’s commitment to continuity and strategic evolution, positioning Court House Capital for sustained success. 

ABOUT COURT HOUSE CAPITAL 

Court House Capital is a leading litigation funder focused on cases in Australia and New Zealand. Led by industry founders, with Australian based capital, the team is renowned for expertise, agility and collaboration. courthousecapital.com.au 

IQuote Limited Strengthens Senior Leadership Team with New Director Appointment

By Harry Moran |

Manchester-based litigation finance firm IQuote Limited has bolstered its senior leadership team with the appointment of a new Director of Campaigns, reinforcing its commitment to expansion and innovation in the sector.

Stepping into the role is Katie Doherty, an experienced litigation finance specialist with a track record of driving growth and operational success. 

She has held senior positions at various law firms prior and has worked alongside IQuote CEO Craig Cornick for over 15 years across multiple roles.

Katie said she was both delighted and grateful for the opportunity and expressed a keen desire to get started as soon as possible. 

“It’s an incredibly exciting time for IQuote as we continue expanding our legal tech partnerships and investing in new opportunities,” Katie said.  “This is a fast-moving industry, and I’m looking forward to leading campaigns that will drive the firm’s next stage of growth.

“I can’t wait to get stuck in. IQuote has evolved massively in respect of its business offerings, the firms we are investing in, and the different campaigns we are now exploring. You have to be constantly thinking on your feet; there’s never a dull moment.”

Originally aspiring to become a solicitor, Doherty began her career in legal administration before transitioning into finance and business strategy.  She first collaborated with Craig in 2010, playing a key role in business operations, asset management, and claims handling. 

Katie thanked her team at IQuote for all their help and support.

“They have all been fantastic, and I have so much admiration for Craig,” she said.

“For him nothing is impossible; if you say, ‘it can’t be done,’ he will immediately tell you that it can and how you can make it happen.”

Craig Cornick, CEO of IQuote Limited, said: “Katie has been instrumental in the success of multiple businesses I’ve led, and her ability to think strategically while keeping operations running smoothly is unmatched.

“She knows how to build and execute campaigns that deliver real results, and that’s exactly what we need as we continue to scale. Her expertise in litigation finance, combined with her hands-on leadership style, makes her a perfect fit for this role.

“She’s got an incredible work ethic also. From the very start, Katie has always been willing to roll up her sleeves and do whatever it takes to get the job done. 

“Whether it was managing complex operations or jumping in to solve unexpected challenges, she’s always been a problem-solver. That kind of determination is what sets her apart and why I’m confident she’ll drive real impact in this position.”