litigation funding News

Australia Weighs Capping Fees for Litigation Funders, Lawyers as Class Actions Surge

SYDNEY – Australia is considering capping fees for litigation funders and lawyers, and guaranteeing a minimum rate of return for plaintiffs, in its latest clamp down on the industry following a surge in costly class action lawsuits. Australia’s government last …

Court Deals Blow to Litigation Funders With False Claims Act Suits

A federal appellate court dealt a blow against litigation funding companies by ruling that the U.S. Justice Department can dismiss any False Claims Act lawsuits that it deems meritless without first proving that dismissal is justified. The 7th Circuit Court …

Tesla Says Hedge Fund Is Behind Ex-Employee’s Lawsuit

Tesla Inc. says hedge fund Cable Car Capital LLC, which is shorting the company’s stock, is funding a former employee’s allegations that the company smeared him by accusing him of sabotage and stealing sensitive information. The carmaker said in a …

Australia Clamps Down on Litigation Funders Following Surge in Class Action Lawsuits

The Australian government is tightening regulatory scrutiny of wealthy litigation funders, clamping down on the industry following a surge in costly class action lawsuits. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on Friday that litigation funders will be required to hold an Australian …

Bills in Congress, States Seek to Curb Litigation Funding

Lawmakers in three states and in Congress have introduced bills to impose more controls on litigation funding companies, which insurers contend are one of the factors leading to an increase in “nuclear verdicts” that have pushed up claims costs and …

Directors and Officers Face Significantly Higher Range of Risks: Allianz Report

The range of risks facing company executives, or directors and officers (D&Os), has increased significantly in recent years along with resulting insurance claims, according to a report published by Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS). Titled “Directors and Officers Insurance …

London Litigation Funder Burford Alleges Share Manipulation in Attack on Its Accounts

London-listed litigation funder Burford Capital said it has found evidence of suspect trading patterns in its shares around the time short-seller Muddy Waters issued a report challenging the company’s accounts last week. Burford said an investigation by the fund and …

Harvard University Invests in Litigation Finance Fund

Harvard University is committing more capital to a strategy that backs plaintiffs in commercial disputes, delivering robust uncorrelated returns. The strategy is run by IMF Bentham Ltd., a publicly traded company which last week finished raising $500 million for a …

Litigation Financing Emerges as Alternative Asset Class for Wealthy Investors

When shares of AMP Ltd. plunged earlier this year after the firm was engulfed in a fee-for-no-service scandal, the Australian wealth manager was hit within weeks by the first of five separate class action lawsuits. It wasn’t just the seriousness …

Soros Sees Mighty Big Gains in Investment Portfolios Made Out of Lawsuits

The billionaire George Soros has found a new way to make money from personal-injury lawsuits. Soros Fund Management is pushing into a branch of litigation finance that few hedge funds have entered. His family office is bankrolling a company that’s …