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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

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Announcements Comercial People Moves

Victory Park Expands Legal Credit Leadership with Maleson Promotion

By John Freund |

Victory Park Capital (VPC), a global alternative asset manager specializing in private credit, has announced that Justin Maleson will expand his role to Managing Director, co-heading the firm’s legal credit investment strategy. The promotion underscores VPC’s ongoing investment in its legal finance capabilities and follows Maleson’s initial appointment in 2024 as Assistant General Counsel.

An announcement from Victory Park Capital details Maleson’s new responsibilities, which include sourcing, analyzing, and managing investments across legal assets, while maintaining oversight of the firm’s legal operations. He joins Chad Clamage in co-leading the strategy, working alongside team members Hugo Lestiboudois and Andrew Pascal, under the continued oversight of VPC CEO and founder Richard Levy.

Maleson brings a strong background in litigation finance and commercial law to the position. Before joining VPC, he served as a director at Longford Capital, where he specialized in originating and managing litigation funding transactions. His earlier tenure as a litigation partner at Jenner & Block further deepened his exposure to complex legal matters, equipping him with the expertise needed to navigate the nuanced legal credit space.

VPC’s legal credit team emphasizes an asset-backed lending model, prioritizing downside protection and predictable income streams. The firm aims to capitalize on inefficiencies within the legal funding market by leveraging its internal expertise and broad network of relationships. With Maleson’s appointment, VPC signals its intent to further scale its legal credit strategy, positioning itself as a key player in the evolving legal finance sector.

Maleson’s elevation comes at a time of increasing sophistication in litigation finance, where experienced legal minds are playing a pivotal role in portfolio construction and risk management. As VPC bolsters its leadership, the move may foreshadow further institutionalization of legal asset investing and heightened competition in a maturing market segment.

Announcements Consumer

Golden Pear Upsizes Corporate Note to $78.7M Amid Growth Plans

By John Freund |

Golden Pear Funding has extended and upsized its investment-grade corporate note to $78.7 million, further bolstering the firm's capacity to serve the expanding litigation finance sector. The New York-based funder, a national leader in both pre-settlement and medical receivables financing, said the proceeds will support working capital and fuel strategic growth initiatives.

A press release from Golden Pear outlines how the capital raise reflects continued investor confidence in the firm’s business model. CEO Gary Amos noted that the infusion is critical as Golden Pear seeks to scale alongside the “rapidly expanding litigation finance market.” CFO Daniel Amsellem added that the new funding aligns with the company’s capital allocation strategy, aimed at optimizing operational efficiency and executing strategic projects.

Brean Capital, LLC acted as the exclusive financial advisor and sole placement agent on the transaction.

Founded in 2008, Golden Pear has funded more than $1.1 billion to over 87,000 clients and remains one of the largest specialty finance companies in the U.S. Its business model spans legal case funding and medical receivables purchasing, with backing from a network of private equity partners that provide institutional support for continued expansion.

Announcements Regulatory Issues

LionFish Updates Model Documents in Response to CJC Report

By John Freund |

LionFish Litigation Finance Ltd has released a new suite of model litigation funding documents, updating its original set from February 2021. The revision comes on the heels of the Civil Justice Council's (CJC) Final Report on Litigation Funding, issued on 2 June 2025, which calls for a regulatory structure informed by best practices, including key principles published by the European Law Institute (ELI) in October 2024.

A LionFish press release details that the updated suite incorporates several of the ELI Principles (notably 4-12) and broader CJC recommendations, except where doing so would require legislative or procedural reform. LionFish's goal, according to Managing Director Tets Ishikawa, is not to dictate market norms but to foster industry-wide standardisation and efficiency. This proactive move is also intended to spark further collaboration between funders, insurers, and legal practitioners to develop trade practices akin to those in mature financial markets, such as those promoted by the Loan Market Association and the International Swaps and Derivatives Association.

The new suite includes three core documents: a litigation funding agreement, a priorities deed to define proceeds distribution, and an assignment deed for insurance benefits. Notably, LionFish has also added documentation for co-investment arrangements, reflecting a growing trend in syndicated funding deals. The funder has already closed seven such transactions.

Managing Director Tanya Lansky emphasised that while litigation funding remains complex, making documentation public enhances transparency and facilitates quicker deal closings—an essential factor for sustaining market growth.

As litigation finance continues to mature, this move by LionFish highlights a shift toward professionalisation and standardisation. With regulators increasingly focused on transparency and fairness, such initiatives may set a de facto benchmark for others in the industry. The question remains: will other funders follow suit, or will regulatory mandates be needed to compel alignment?