Trending Now
Announcements Consumer

RD Legal Names Amy Hirsch As Portfolio Manager, Expands Data Analytics

January 13, 2019

RD Legal Names Amy Hirsch As Portfolio Manager, Expands Data Analytics

CRESSKILL, N.J., Jan. 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — RD Legal, a leading investment management firm focused on post-settlement litigation finance, said today that it has named Amy B. Hirsch to the additional role of Portfolio Manager for the firm’s strategies.  Ms. Hirsch joined RD Legal in 2016 as Co-Chief Investment Officer and Chief Operating Officer. RD Legal also announced that it is expanding its data analytics and engineering functions under Dr. Joanne Chen, Chief Analytics Officer since joining the firm in 2016. Dr. Chen has designed a proprietary methodology for analyzing litigation data. The moves come as the litigation finance sector sees explosive growth. According to a recent report, litigation finance is now as much as a $100 billion market from its earliest beginnings in the 1990s.  Declining returns in traditional investments and a high level of litigation cases are factors behind this growth. “We are delighted to recognize Amy’s growing role at RD Legal and to continue to invest in our data and market intelligence technology that enhances our ability to acquire known cashflows linked to settled litigation,” said Roni Dersovitz, Founder & CEO. “The growth of RD Legal and of the litigation finance sector comes as institutional investors of all sizes recognize and value the asset class for offering attractive, uncorrelated returns.” Amy Hirsch Named to Portfolio Manager In her expanded role, Ms. Hirsch will have day-to-day oversight on all aspects of the firm’s onshore strategies including asset allocation, new investments and risk management. Ms. Hirsch oversees RD Legal’s operations. Prior to joining full-time, she was an advisor to the firm. Ms. Hirsch also serves as CEO of Paradigm Consulting Services, which provides litigation related expert witness support in the alternative investment space.  Ms. Hirsch has nearly four decades of experience in alternative investments and hedge funds including asset management, due diligence, marketing, and operations. Expanded Data Analytics for RD Legal
 Dr. Chen directs the RD Legal data science group, which is aggressively expanding the analytic and data capabilities of the firm. Dr. Chen has helped create a proprietary methodology for analyzing litigation data. Using technology that has never been applied in this way before, Dr. Chen and her group are able to process the large amount of data that is required to source, screen, and analyze litigation finance opportunities. Ms. Chen is responsible for leading the engineering and data analytics function of the RD Legal companies. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Chen was Vice President of Data Science at Truveris, Inc., a healthcare SaaS company where she was responsible for data science and product development. About RD Legal  RD Legal was born out of the real-world experiences of former litigators. As many practicing plaintiff’s attorneys can relate, one of the hardest problems when managing a case is managing related cashflow needs. RD Legal is based in Bergen County, NJ, and was conceived and founded by Roni Dersovitz, a former personal injury attorney who recognized the challenge attorneys and plaintiffs face with cashflow management. Founded in 1998, RD Legal factors legal receivables and continues to innovate and structure unique opportunities for the legal and investment communities. CONTACT: Matt Yemma 
Peaks Strategies 
909-633-9396 
myemma@PeaksStrategies.com SOURCE RD Legal
Secure Your Funding Below
Secure Your Funding Sidebar

Announcements

View All
Announcements Commercial

Burford’s Q2 Profits Surge on New Capital

By John Freund |

Burford Capital has delivered its strongest quarterly performance in two years, buoyed by a swelling pipeline of high-value disputes and a fresh infusion of investor cash.

A press release in PR Newswire reveals that the New York- and London-listed funder more than doubled revenue and profitability in the three months to 30 June 2025. CEO Christopher Bogart credited “very substantial levels of new business” for the uptick, noting that demand for non-recourse financing remains “as strong as we’ve ever seen.”

The stellar quarter follows a lightning-quick, two-day debt offering in July that raised $500 million—capital Burford says will be deployed across a growing roster of commercial litigations, international arbitrations, and asset-recovery campaigns. Management also highlighted significant progress in portfolio rotations, underscoring the firm’s ability to monetise older positions while writing new ones at scale. Investors will get a deeper dive when Burford hosts its earnings call today at 9 a.m. EDT.

Burford’s results arrive amid heightened regulatory chatter in Washington and Westminster, yet the numbers suggest the industry’s largest player is unfazed—for now—by talk of disclosure mandates and tax levies. The firm emphasised that its legal-finance, risk-management and asset-recovery businesses remain uncorrelated to broader markets, a pitch that continues to resonate with pension funds and endowments hunting for alternative yield.

For litigation-finance insiders, Burford’s capital-raising prowess and improving margins could have ripple effects: rival funders may face stiffer competition for marquee cases, while law-firm partners might leverage the firm’s deeper pockets to negotiate richer portfolio deals.

Announcements Commercial

International Legal Finance Association (ILFA) Announces End of Year Gala and Inaugural Legal Finance Awards

By John Freund |

 The International Legal Finance Association is pleased to announce its annual End-of-Year Gala Dinner on November 13, 2025.  The event will take place at The Law Society in London, bringing together leading figures from across the legal finance industry for an evening of celebration and reflection on the year’s achievements.  

The dinner will be accompanied by the inaugural Legal Finance Awards.  The awards are designed to recognize and honor excellence across the legal finance ecosystem. They will spotlight the achievements of funders, law firms, brokers, advisors, and other key contributors to the continued growth and innovation of the industry. Nominations for the awards are now open, with the nomination form available here. 

“The Gala Dinner is a chance for our members and guests to gather in person and celebrate the progress we've made over the year,” said Rupert Cunningham, Global Director of Growth and Membership Engagement at ILFA. “We are especially excited to launch the Legal Finance Awards, which will shine a light on the outstanding work and impact of professionals across our field.”

Tickets for the Gala are on sale now, with discounted pricing available for ILFA members.  More information can be found here.

Announcements Commercial Legal Innovation

Sentry Expands Free Funding Market Search for Litigators

By John Freund |

Sentry Funding’s free tool enabling litigators to instantly search the funding market on behalf of clients has been expanded.

Sentry’s free ‘decision in principle’ feature enables lawyers to evidence to clients that they have conducted a broad market search, even if funding is not ultimately taken out.

Having deployed £125m in funding across a range of case types, Sentry now has access to an even broader funding marketplace, covering 34 global jurisdictions. Finance is provided by 13 funders, five of which are members of the Association of Litigation Funders.

With the recent addition of Sentry’s first US-based funder, the US offering will now be expanding over the next few months. 

A faster process

Sentry has deployed the latest technology to make the search for funding even easier. 

  • The intuitive application process now only asks questions relevant to previous answers, saving lawyers time.
  • The commercial marketplace has been redeveloped with 63 new data points added to the funder criteria matrix - improving the accuracy of case / funder matching
  • Sentry has also begun building out its AI capabilities, starting with an automated auditing tool for live case progression audits. 

Tom Webster, chief executive officer at Sentry Funding, said:

‘By broadening our reach and speeding up the process, we’re making it even easier for lawyers to raise funding. We’re also giving litigators an easy way to show clients they have fully researched the market, rather than just approaching one or two funders. 

‘The service is free to use, so even if clients decide they do not ultimately want funding or if none is available for that case, for the lawyer, it makes sense to use our “decision in principle” feature, so they can put evidence on file that they did check the market.’

Sentry Funding is an SaaS (software as a service) technology provider that gives solicitors access to a diverse marketplace of litigation funders. It works with solicitors, funders and third-party providers to ensure claimants are getting the most efficient service for their funding needs. 

The Sentry Portal also acts as a case management system that runs a transparent digital case file for solicitors, funders, after-the-event insurance providers, barristers, cost lawyers and other relevant third parties.