Legal Funding Journal

From regulatory debates to market insights, catch up on the latest in #legalfunding in today's newsletter. #litigationfinance #litigationfunding #legalfinance

Community Spotlight: Heather Collins GAICD, Chief Investment Officer, Court House Capital Heather Collins GAICD is Chief Investment Officer at Court House Capital and a member of the Investment Committee and is responsible for assessing and overseeing investment opportunities across Australia and New Zealand, as well as identifying and managing a portfolio of funded claims through to resolution. Heather brings over twenty years’ expertise in legal funding, commercial legal practice and in-house corporate counsel roles. In litigation funding, Heather has underwritten significant disputes. She is a veteran commercial litigator with significant experience advising clients on insolvency, banking and finance, property, construction, Corporations law, trade practices and employment matters. Her client base has spanned industry sectors including property, construction, infrastructure, finance and retail and she has acted for leading consumer brands such as Tiffany & Co, Ralph Lauren, Valentino, Aldi and Sephora. Heather holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Adelaide and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors course (GAICD). Heather is the former President of the Women’s Insolvency Network Association NSW branch (WINA) and a Professional Member of the Australian Restructuring & Insolvency Association (ARITA) and the Turnaround Management Association Australia (TMA). She is recognised in Chambers and Partners Litigation Support (2024) and Lawdragon Global 100 Leaders in Litigation Finance (2021-2024). Company Name and Description: Court House Capital is a leading litigation funder focused on cases in Australia and New Zealand. Court House Capital was established with a mission to provide financial and strategic support to parties seeking capital, risk management and access to justice. Our team is led by industry founders, with Australian based capital, and is renowned for expertise, agility and collaboration. Company Website: courthousecapital.com.au Year Founded: 2019 Headquarters: Sydney Area of Focus: Litigation Finance Member Quote: We offer cost and risk mitigation strategies for commercial clients and ‘a level playing field’ for those who cannot afford to pursue justice themselves. It is an honour to be co-founders of an industry that provides access to justice for so many, and to be the funder of choice for claimants and professional advisers. Our financial resources, industry network and knowledge has helped many claimants achieve successful outcomes. https://lnkd.in/eK93jEHf #litigationfinance #litigationfunding #legalfinance #legalfunding #litfin #thoughtleadership

A Significant Court of Appeal Ruling Will Boost Claims Relating to Undisclosed Motor Finance Commissions The following article was contributed by Tom Webster, Chief Commercial Officer at Sentry Funding. A Court of Appeal ruling last week is a very positive development for the many consumers currently seeking justice after discovering they were charged commissions that they were not properly told about when they took out motor finance. With a large number of such claims being brought in the County Courts, the Court of Appeal heard three cases jointly in order to deal with some key issues that commonly arise. In Johnson v Firstrand Bank Ltd [2024] EWCA Civ 1282, Wrench v Firstrand Bank Ltd and Hopcraft v Close Brothers, the Court of Appeal found in favour of all three claimants, allowing their appeals. See below for the full article. https://lnkd.in/ewkMssNU #litigationfinance #litigationfunding #litfin #legalfinance #legalfunding

Sarama Resources Secures Funding for Burkina Faso Arbitration Claim Sarama Resources Ltd. (“Sarama” or the “Company”) (ASX:SRR)(TSXV:SWA) is pleased to advise that it has entered into a Litigation Funding Agreement (“LFA”) with Locke Capital II LLC, an arm’s length party that specializes in providing funding for dispute resolution (the “Funder”) to commence international arbitration proceedings in relation to its investment dispute (the “Dispute”) with the Government of Burkina Faso (the “Government”). The Dispute pertains to the illegal withdrawal of the Company’s rights to the Tankoro 2 Exploration Permit (the “Permit”) (refer news release 5 September 2023). The Permit covered the Tankoro Deposit which was the focal point of the Company’s Sanutura Project (the “Project”) which featured a multi-million ounce gold resource. Sarama’s President, CEO & MD, Andrew Dinning, commented: “The establishment of a non-recourse funding facility to cover all expenses related to the Company’s arbitration case represents a major step forward in its pursuit of redress for the substantial damages suffered as a result of the Government of Burkina Faso’s illegal actions. Sarama’s legal representatives, Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, are highly experienced and have a very successful track record in international investment disputes, including an arbitration claim brought by Indiana Resources (ASX:IDA) against Tanzania which saw the company recently receive the first tranche of a US$90M settlement. The Company will now proceed with filing a Request for Arbitration and intends to prosecute its case to the fullest extent possible.” https://lnkd.in/e28zUvE4 #litigationfinance #litigationfunding #litfin #legalfinance #legalfunding #arbitration

Think Tank Calls on Parliament to Regulate Funding “on a Level-Playing Field” Litigation funders and claimant law firms regularly highlight the value of legal funding for class action cases, both in widening access to justice and ensuring businesses are held accountable for their wrongdoings. However, organisations and interest groups who advocate for the interests of these companies continue to argue that third-party litigation funding is having an overall negative impact on the UK’s business environment and legal sector. An article in City AM covers the publication of a new report by the Adam Smith Institute, which takes aim at the expansion of class action cases in the UK, claiming that it represents a danger to businesses whilst primarily benefitting litigation funders and law firms. Authored by Sam Bidwell, the report is titled ‘Judge Dread: How Lawfare Undermines Business Confidence in the UK’, not only takes aim at litigation funders, but also calls on the government to “regulate TPLF on a level-playing field, subjecting it to the same rules and regulations as other investment products”. https://lnkd.in/epDJYr4Y #litigationfinance #litigationfunding #litfin #legalfinance #legalfunding

Highlights from IMN’s 3rd Annual International Litigation Finance Forum Earlier this week, Legal Funding Journal attended Information Management Network (IMN)’s 3rd Annual International Litigation Finance Forum in London, which brought together senior executives and thought leaders from across the legal sector to discuss the industry’s most pressing issues and developments. The one-day conference featured a wide array of discussions covering everything from the broader state of the funding market and external attitudes towards it, to nuances around the evolving relationships between funders, insurers, law firms and claimants. Once again Information Management Network (IMN) succeeded in delivering a full day of informative and engaging discussions, whilst providing the opportunity for key stakeholders to network and exchange ideas as they continue to try and shape the best path forward for the industry. See below for our full recap. https://lnkd.in/eV4HWBF2 #litigationfinance #litigationfunding #litfin #legalfinance #legalfunding #events #thoughtleadership

Unleashing the Potential of Outsourcing The following article was contributed by Richard Culberson, CEO of Moneypenny & VoiceNation, North America. Every leader knows the importance of maximizing the potential of their people, clients, and business. It’s about recognizing the value of your resources and optimizing their efficiency. This can be achieved by streamlining, leveraging technology, and investing in people, however, one solution that is gaining momentum in the legal world is outsourcing.   Traditionally, businesses used outsourcing to save money by obtaining help with non-essential administrative tasks, thereby avoiding the costs of hiring and training employees and purchasing equipment and it’s been proven to be an effective way to control expenses. However, today, Outsourcing 2.0 is more than just a cost-saving measure. It is about collaborating to grow, thrive and maximize value. See below for the full article. https://lnkd.in/eQmQ88eE #litigation #outsourcing #thoughtleadership #legaloutsourcing

Community Spotlight: Ronit Cohen, Founder and Managing Director, Arcadia Finance A long-time litigation funding professional and former trial lawyer, Ronit Cohen is considered among the most experienced legal finance underwriting counsel in the U.S. After working as a litigator at Simpson Thacher and O’Melveny and Myers, she joined the burgeoning funding industry in 2012, first at Bentham IMF, now Omni Bridgeway, where she helped launch their first office, and then at Validity Finance, where in addition to serving as a member of the Risk Monitoring Team, she headed up a pro bono effort to provide capital to wrongfully accused individuals during the pendency of their civil actions. She co-founded Arcadia Finance in June of 2024, and serves as Managing Director along with co-founders David Kerstein and Joshua Libling. Company Name and Description: At Arcadia Finance , we go beyond traditional litigation finance to provide frictionless funding, empowering clients and partners to achieve their legal goals through customized financial solutions and unparalleled support. Our seamless collaboration, clear deal terms, and broad mandate empower clients to navigate challenges, make informed decisions, and secure capital – fast. Led by industry veterans with over $400 million invested across 80+ deals, Arcadia Finance offers adaptable solutions for all–from litigation boutiques to AmLaw firms and corporations. Arcadia Finance’s mission is to invest in meritorious litigation, and with backing from multiple and flexible capital providers, we find new ways to help clients and law firms finance, monetize, and share risk on their legal assets. Our solutions include everything from traditional single-case funding and law firms portfolios, to purchasing companies or patent portfolios whose primary value is litigation. At every stage from pre-litigation to appeal and enforcement, Arcadia has the experience, flexibility, and capital to assist. Company Website: arcadiafin.com Year Founded: 2024 Headquarters: New York, New York Area of Focus: With a focus on U.S.-based commercial and patent litigation and domestic and international arbitration, Arcadia Finance is open to the full spectrum of litigation-based assets, from mass torts to law firm lending to patent acquisition, including cross-border and offshore matters. We consider cases in all federal and state courts, as well domestic and international arbitrations.    Member Quote: “I believe litigation funding is essential for a balanced legal system. It empowers clients with valid claims to seek justice, even when facing well-resourced opponents.” https://lnkd.in/eND2U8_j #litigationfinance #litigationfunding #litfin #legalfinance #legalfunding

Moneypenny and VoiceNation Launch Intake Services to support new business drives for US legal firms Moneypenny and VoiceNation have an excellent service offering to help legal clients drive new business by responding quickly to new inquiries on their behalf. The service means that VoiceNation’s team of professional US-based call handlers will help improve the conversion rate of new inquiries, by responding to them quickly on the phone, and qualifying them by asking a series of screening questions provided by, and tailored to, the client. As a result, legal firms’ own teams can focus on converting qualified leads, saving their teams time and effort. Eric Schurke, VP of Moneypenny and VoiceNation said: ‘This service enables legal companies to respond to new leads before their competitors do. We’re doing the heavy lifting of sifting through new opportunities, efficiently and cost-effectively, by qualifying new leads, so in-house sales teams can then convert hot leads faster. Our clients should see benefits of the new service really quickly, achieving faster new business growth.’ https://lnkd.in/eM2RJ4bb #litigation #legalservices #legaltech

Legal Funding Journal is on site at Information Management Network (IMN)'s 3rd Annual International Litigation Forum and looking forward to a great day of networking with our London community and terrific content, starting with the opening panel - State of the European Market: What is Happening in Litigation Finance, featuring Max Doyle of Consumer Attorney Marketing Group, Inc. (CAMG), Harshiv Thakerar of Asertis Ltd, Rosie Ioannou of Fortress Investment Group, Paul de Servigny of IVO Capital Partners and Iain C. McKenny of Profile Investment. https://lnkd.in/e6nyN5uM #litigationfinance #litigationfunding #litfin #legalfinance #legalfunding #events #thoughtleadership