3RD ANNUAL
LF Dealmakers
europe
Where legal capital meets strategy
May 11-13, 2026
RoYAL garden hotel LONDON
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If you’d like to know as soon as more information is available, please join the Dealmakers email list below.
Featured speakers
Court of Appeals of Lisbon PORTUGAL
UK High Court, UK
Unified Patent Court, ESTONIA
Stuttgart Regional Court, GERMANY
Birkway, NETHERLANDS
LCA, ITALY
Gibson Dunn, US
Leigh Day, UK
Redi, SPAIN
Evers Soerjatin, NETHERLANDS
HFW, UK
Edwin Coe, UK
Airbus, FRANCE
Horizon Capital, UK
Signature Litigation, UK
About The Event
For Legal Finance & Law Firm Leaders
LF Dealmakers Europe brings together the senior decision-makers across law firms, funders, and investors who are shaping how legal risk, disputes, and claims are structured, financed, and executed.
At a time when capital is playing an increasingly central role in how cases are built and firms grow, the event focuses on how legal strategy and financial discipline intersect in practice—examining what works, where models break down, and how deals are actually done in today’s market.
What’s Shaping The Agenda in 2026
New closed-door boardrooms: Designed for deeper, candid conversations
Judicial panel:
Perspectives from the bench on complex disputes
35+ international speakers: France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the U.S.
Law firm growth focus: How modern firms are using capital to scale
Dedicated 1:1 meetings platform facilitating new partnership and business opportunities
Senior leaders from litigation funders, claimant law firms, investors, regulators and specialist advisors.
Audience
A curated audience of carefully vetted senior decision-makers made of funders, law firm leaders, investors, regulators and specialist advisors – the people you actually need to meet.
Court of Appeals of Lisbon
Stuttgart Regional Court
UK High Court
92percent
Overall networking was rated very good to excellent
97percent
Program quality was rated very good to excellent
80percent
1:1 Meetings were rated very good to excellent
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
Dealmakers by the numbers
260
Makers
8+
Hours of dedicated networking
45
EXPERT
SPEAKERS
120+
mettings
sponsorship opportunities
Become a sponsor
2026 PRELIMINARY agenda
Get updates and inquire about sponsoring in 2026 below.
Get Updates
If you’d like to know as soon as more information is available, please join the Dealmakers email list below.
Please note: This event will be co-located with the 3rd Annual IP Dealmakers Europe. If you would like to attend sessions at both events, register with an all access ticket.
OPENING DAY: MONDAY, may 11, 2026
DAY ONE: TUESDAY, may 12, 2026 - THE BUSINESS OF GLOBAL CLASS ACTIONS AND DISPUTES
- The economics of complex disputes: funding, cost exposure and proportionality
- AI, technology and evidential complexity in modern litigation
- Expectations in high-stake litigation
Speakers:
- Sir Colin Birss, Chancellor, High Court (UK)
- Judge Kai Härmand, Nordic-Baltic Regional Division, Unified Patent Court (Sweden)
- Judge Alexandre Au-Yong Oliveira, Judge, Court of Appeals of Lisbon (Portugal)
- Judge Fabian Richter Reuschle, Deputy Presiding Judge, Stuttgart Regional Court (Germany)
- The non-negotiables of fundable claims
- Pressure points tested before capital is committed
- Why some claims clear the bar – and others don’t
Speakers:
- Becca Hogan, Partner, Signature Litigation (UK) (moderator)
- Eduardo Ayuela Zurita, Co-Founder & Head of Commercial Law, Corporate Disputes and Arbitration, Ayuela Jiménez (Spain)
- Anthony Maton, Global Co-Chair, Hausfeld (UK)
- Natasha Tardif, Managing Partner, Reed Smith LLP (France)
- Emerging fertile grounds for funded claims
- Case anatomy in emerging vs established markets
- US-UK-EU: Origination, funding and execution of cross-border partnerships
Speakers:
- Gian Paolo Coppola, Partner, LCA Studio Legale (Italy)
- Andoni de la Llosa, Partner, Redi (Spain)
- Porfírio Moreira, Partner, Sousa Ferro & Associados (Portugal)
- Carlijn van Rest, Partner, Scott+Scott (Netherlands)
Interested in joining? To request an invite email:
- Strategies for identification and distribution
- Tools and resources for claimant identification, verification, and onboarding
- Managing gaps and low claimants rates
Speakers:
- Robert Marven KC, Barrister, 4 New Square Chambers (UK) (moderator)
- Karl Hennessee, SVP, Litigation, Investigation and Regulatory Affairs, Airbus (France)
- Shazia Yamin, Partner, Mishcon de Reya (UK)
- To what extent is the industry currently enhancing access to justice?
- Sustainability of current funding, claim sharing, and governance models
- Ensuring long-term viability and attractiveness of the legal financing market
Speakers:
- Andrew Higgins, Professor of Civil Justice Systems, University of Oxford (UK) (moderator)
FOR FUNDING:
- Martyn Day, Senior Partner, Leigh Day (UK)
- Polly O’Brien, Partner, McDermott Will & Schulte (UK)
AGAINST FUNDING:
- Richard Blann, Head of Group Litigation and Conduct Investigations Legal, Lloyds Banking Group (UK)
- Christopher Chorba, Partner, Gibson Dunn (U.S.)
Interested in joining? To request an invite email:
9:30 AM – 5:30 PM:
ONE-TO-ONE MEETINGS
Participants have the option to schedule 30-minute meetings utilising our desktop or mobile app. Registered attendees will receive an invitation to login to the app the week prior to the event.
DAY TWO: WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2026 - THE BUSINESS OF LAW FIRMS AND LEGAL FUNDING
- Where new money is coming from – and how LP expectations are reshaping deployment
- How capital is diversifying across the US, UK and Europe
- From cases to portfolios to firms: the models and risk profiles attracting global capital
Speakers:
- Louise Trayhurn, Founder & Director, Crescient Ltd (UK) (moderator)
- David Greene, Senior Partner, Commercial Disputes and Class Actions, Edwin Coe (UK), & Co-President, The Collective Redress Lawyers Association – CORLA (CORLA) (UK)
- Simon Hitchcock, Managing Partner, Horizon Capital (UK)
- Nicholas Moore, Head of Office, CAC Specialty (UK)
- Budgeting for duration, capital strain, and downside
- Pricing and negotiation dynamics with funders in a tighter market
- When firms retain risk, share risk or transfer risk entirely
Speakers:
- John Hyde, Deputy News Editor, The Law Society Gazette (UK) (moderator)
- Mike Giles, Chief Financial Officer, HFW (UK)
- Jennifer Whitley, Chief Financial Officer, Bracewell (U.S.)
- Strong firm-funder partnerships which work
- Ethical duties, professional obligations and regulatory expectations
- Structural considerations that affect control and accountability
Speakers:
- Mark Friston, Barrister, Hailsham Chambers (UK) (moderator)
- Quirijn Bongaerts, Partner, Birkway (Netherlands)
- Genevieve Quierin, Partner, Stephenson Harwood (UK)
- Susan Dunn, Chair, Association of Litigation Funders of England & Wales (ALF) (UK)
- Misjudging timelines, courts, and jurisdictional nuance
- Backing claims without backing leadership
- Where diligence breaks down – and how to fix it
Speakers:
- Teresa Rodriguez de las Heras Ballell, President, European Law Institute (ELI) (Spain) (moderator) TBC
- Andrew Leitch, Partner, Hogan Lovells (UK)
- Jessica de Rooij, Partner, Evers Soerjatin (Netherlands)
- Julia Suderow, Partner, Suderow Fernández Abogadas (Spain)
9:30 AM – 2:30 PM:
ONE-TO-ONE MEETINGS
Participants have the option to schedule 30-minute meetings utilising our desktop or mobile app. Registered attendees will receive an invitation to login to the app the week prior to the event.
2026 SPEAKERS
The 2026 program is in development. Get updates and Enquire about speaking in 2026 below.
Get Updates
If you’d like to know as soon as more information is available, please join the Dealmakers email list below.
2026 FEAUTRED SPEAKERS
Sir Colin Birss
Chancellor
UK High Court
UK
Sir Colin Birss
CHANCELLOR, UK HIGH COURT
Sir Colin Birss was sworn in as Chancellor of the High Court in November 2025. He was called to the English Bar in 1990 and practiced in intellectual property law, taking silk in 2008. In 2010, Colin Birss went on the bench, first as judge of the Patents County Court (now IPEC) and then, in 2013, to the High Court. In 2019, he became Judge in Charge of the Patents Court. Colin was sworn in as a Lord Justice of the Court of Appeal in 2021 and took up a senior leadership role as the Deputy Head of Civil Justice until November 2025.
Judge Kai Härmand
Nordic-Baltic Regional Division
Unified Patent Court
ESTONIA
Judge Kai Härmand
JUDGE, UNIFIED PATENT COURT
Ms Härmand was appointed to the Estonian judiciary in 1999 and worked at the court of first instance as a civil judge, specialising on intellectual property rights and obligation law. Since February 2024 she is the Head of the Civil Department of the Harju County Court.
As a judge she has been a member of the drafting committee of Estonian Copyright Act and Civil Procedure Act. She has been a lecturer on civil procedural law, intellectual property law, data protection law and legal drafting at Tartu University and Public Service Academy of Estonia for more than two decades. She is judicial trainer and frequent lecturer of civil procedure and judicial skills for practitioners from various fields – patent attorneys, lawyers, court experts and judiciary. She supervises students participating in EU Moot Court competitions. She is also a member of the Judicial Training Committee of Estonia.
She was seconded to the Estonian Ministry of Justice to work as the Deputy Secretary General and Head of the Legal Policy Department 2012-2020. In the MoJ she conducted the work of Estonian Data Protection Authority and Estonian Patent Office, coordinated drafting of private and public law including intellectual property, competition law, data protection, fundamental rights etc. She was the Program Manager of the MoJ during Estonian Presidency of the EU in 2017.
She returned to the judiciary in 2020 and since 1. of June 2023 she is also a judge in the Unified Patent Court, Nordic-Baltic Division.
Judge Alexandre Au-Yong Oliveira
Court of Appeals of Lisbon
PORTUGAL
Judge Alexandre Au-Yong Oliveira
JUDGE, COURT OF APPEALS OF LISBON
Sir Alexandre Au-Yong Oliveira is a Judge at the Lisbon Court of Appeal, sitting in the Section for Intellectual Property, Competition, Regulation and Supervision. He has served in the Portuguese judiciary since 1999, including at first instance in civil, criminal and intellectual property jurisdictions. Between 2016 and 2023, he was a full-time lecturer at the Portuguese National School for the Judiciary (CEJ). He is currently pursuing a PhD in Law at the University of Lisbon, where his research focuses on legal theory. He lectures on postgraduate programmes at Portuguese universities, speaks regularly at national and international conferences, and has published in several areas of law.
Judge Fabian Richter Reuschle
Deputy Presiding Judge
Stuttgart Regional Court
GERMANY
Judge Fabian Ritcher Reuschke
JUDGE, STUTTGART REGIONAL COURT
Dr. Fabian Reuschle is judge of the 3rd Chamber of the Stuttgart Regional Court (Landgericht), a post
he has held since April 2007. From 2016 until the beginning of 2020 he was as presiding judge responsible for investors’claims against Porsche Automobil Holding SE concerning the diesel emission scandal. In 2020 and 2024 he advised the German Bundestag as an expert in the handling of mass lawsuits and the reform of the Capital Markets Model Case Act (KapMuG). Earlier in his career (2001-2005), Dr. Reuschle led the development of the „KapMuG“ while on secondment to the German Federal Ministry of Justice. The Act establishes
a lead case procedure for the collective handling of individual capital market-related actions,
similar to the US class action system.
Dr. Reuschle annotated the Capital Markets Model Case Act in the Civil Procedure Commentary
Wieczorek/Schütze; he is also co-editor of the Kölner Kommentar of the KapMuG. In 2025 Dr. Reuschle annotated as co-editor the Consumer Rights Enforcement Act.
2026 SPEAKERS
Richard Blann
Head of Group Litigation and Conduct Investigations Legal
Lloyds Banking Group
UK
Quirijn Bongaerts
HEAD OF GROUP LITIGATION & CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS LEGAL, LLOYDS BANKING GROUP
Richard Blann is Head of Legal, Disputes & Operations for Lloyds Banking Group where he advises senior management on litigation strategy and conduct issues. He manages a broad portfolio of high value/high profile litigation, including mass claimant and collective actions, in various jurisdictions, supports significant internal investigations, and advises on economic crime and sanctions.
Quirijn Bongaerts
Founding Partner
Birkway
NETHERLANDS
Quirijn Bongaerts
FOUNDING PARTNER, BIRKWAY
Quirijn Bongaerts is one of the founding partners of Birkway, an Amsterdam-based litigation boutique with a strong focus on mass claims and collective redress. Quirijn litigates on behalf of representative groups in relation to the diesel emissions scandal, business to business claims against power supplier Vattenfall, and against listed entities in relation to shareholder claims. Some of these cases have led to landmark judgments, including the first ever appointment of a lead claimant in a collective damages claim in the Netherlands and a ground-breaking court decision binding all class members to the contingency fee owed to the lead claimant. He has also acted as counsel to shareholder representative groups in well-known securities litigation situations, such as Fortis and, Steinhoff, matters which led to ground-breaking settlements.
Gian Paolo Coppola
Equity Partner
LCA
ITALY
Gian Paolo Coppola
EQUITY PARTNER, LCA
Gian Paolo Coppola is a partner at LCA in Milan and has extensive experience in international litigation and arbitration. He is qualified in Italy and, as a Solicitor, in England and Wales. He is a member of the ICC Italy Commission on Arbitration and ADR and an international delegate to the Global Commission. Gian Paolo assists clients across various industries, covering sectors like construction, sports, tech, luxury, and AI.
Christopher Chorba
Partner
Gibson Dunn
US
Christopher Chorba
PARTNER, GIBSON DUNN
Chris Chorba is co-chair of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Class Actions Practice Group. He specializes in defending class actions and complex litigation, and he has been recognized in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and in The Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation. Law360 also named Mr. Chorba a “Class Action MVP,” which profiles attorneys who have “distinguished themselves from their peers by securing hard-earned successes in high-stakes litigation, complex global matters and record-breaking deals.” The National Law Journal also recognized him as a “Trailblazer” for his work defending consumer class actions. Mr. Chorba has had substantial experience litigating a broad range of complex commercial matters at the trial and appellate level in California and throughout the country, and in multi-district litigation (MDLs). His litigation and counseling experience includes work for companies in every industry, including automotive, beauty/cosmetic, consumer products, education, entertainment, financial services, food and beverage, health care, insurance, life sciences, retail, social media, sports and gaming, and tech.
Martyn Day
Senior Partner
Leigh Day
UK
Martyn Day
SENIOR PARTNER, LEIGH DAY
Martyn Day is the Senior Partner of Leigh Day, a firm of solicitors based in the City of London and Manchester, specialising in representing individuals both in the UK and abroad. Martyn is part of the International Claims Team, which brings legal actions on behalf of people, primarily in the developing world, against multi-national corporations as well as the British Government.
His cases have included successful claims on behalf of 30,000 Ivorians against Trafigura Limited, following the dumping of toxic waste in the Ivory Coast; successfully representing the family of Baha Mousa an Iraqi tortured and murdered by British soldiers, as well as hundreds of other Iraqis; suing Shell on behalf of some 15,000 Nigerians following two very large oil spills in 2008; and he successfully represented over 2,000 Zambians who brought a claim for damage to their land from pollution against the British multi National, Vedanta – a case that went to the Supreme Court in 2020/21.
Since 2021 Martyn has been heavily involved in bringing cases against much of the car manufacturing industry in this country following the dieselgate crisis acting on behalf of hundreds of thousands of Claimants.
Martyn was a former Chair of Greenpeace in the UK and Chem Trust and is now a Trustee of The Greenpeace Environmental Trust. He regularly writes and speaks around the world to try and encourage a greater use of the law to hold multi-nationals to account.
Martyn was also proud to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Warwick in July 2014 in recognition of his work over many years in the field of human rights and the law. This was a rare award by the Department of Law at the University, where Martyn graduated in 1978.
Andoni De La Llosa
Partner
Redi
SPAIN
Andoni De La Llosa
PARTNER, REDI
Partner at Redi Abogados and EU Law professor at University of Deusto.
Always working on the claimant side, mostly in antitrust litigation and currently in some new areas like GDPR claims.
Advocating for public entities to claim damages for any law infringement.
¿Podcaster? You may listen ‘True Cartel’ on any audio platform and Judge for yourself (only in Spanish yet).
Jessica de Rooij
Partner
Evers Soerjatin
NETHERLANDS
Jessica de Rooij
PARTNER, EVERS SOERJATIN
Jessica is partner at Evers Soerjatin, a boutique corporate and commercial litigation firm in the Netherlands. She specialises in complex commercial, financial and corporate disputes. Jessica has particular expertise in class action litigation, mass claim settlements and follow-on civil litigation, both on claimant and defence side, and regularly publishes and lectures on this topic. Jessica is a member of the Dutch Association of Mass Damages and Collective Action.
Susan Dunn
Chair
Association of Litigation Funders of England & Wales (ALF)
UK
Susan Dunn
CHAIR, ASSOCIATION OF LITIGATION FUNDERS OF ENGLAND & WALES (ALF)
Susan is one of the most experienced and well-known professionals in the litigation funding sector.
A pioneer of litigation funding in the UK, Susan has been sourcing and investing for over 15 years’ and during this time has provided significant input to the development of public policy.
Susan was a founding member of the industry’s self-regulating body, the Association of Litigation Funders, and was appointed Chair in September 2019. Susan also sits on the board of the International Legal Finance Association, which launched in September 2020.
Mark Friston
Barrister
Hailsham Chambers
UK
Mark Friston
BARRISTER, HAILSHAM CHAMBERS
Mark Friston is the editor of Friston on Costs, the leading textbook on costs published by Oxford University Press. He is a barrister who has practiced almost exclusively in the law of cost for nearly 30 years; his practice is entirely advisory and now relates almost exclusively to litigation financing. He has particular expertise in cross-border funding and funding in the context of group litigation. He is a Deputy Costs Judge in the Senior Courts Costs Office, a former chair of the Remuneration Committee of the Bar Council, a former member of the Civil Justice Council’s Consultation Group on Litigation Funding, and a former member of the Executive Committee of the Association of Costs Lawyers. He is also a qualified physician and a trustee of Behçet’s UK (a medical charity).
Mike Giles
Chief Financial Officer
HFW
UK
DAVID GREENE
Senior Partner, Commercial Disputes & Class Actions
Edwin Coe
UK
David Greene
SENIOR PARTNER, COMMERCIAL DISPUTES & CLASS ACTIONS
David Greene was a pioneer of class actions and funding in the UK in mass tort 30 years ago and financial claims more recently. His practice in the CAT goes back 20 years to its foundation. He is a former President of the Law Society, also of the London Solicitors Litigation Association and is currently co-President of the Collective Redress Lawyers Association. He has also served on the Rules Committee and the Civil Justice Council.
Karl Hennessee
Senior Vice-President, Litigation, Investigations, and Regulatory Affairs
Airbus
FRANCE
Karl Hennessee
SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT, LITIGATION, INVESTIGATIONS, AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS, AIRBUS
Karl Hennessee, FRAeS, is SVP Litigation & Investigations at Airbus, where he leads the Group’s global activities in these areas. Separately, he lectures at various Universities and occasionally sits as arbitrator and serves on the board of directors of companies and nonprofits. He previously served as Chairman of the Governing Body of the ICC Court of International Arbitration and is now a member of the HKIAC Council as well as its Appointments and Rules Committees. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the International Council of Commercial Arbitration, the IBA Mediation Committee, the Advisory Council for the School of International Arbitration at Queen Mary University of London and on the Board of the Toulouse Capitole Law School.
John Hyde
Deputy News Editor
The Law Society Gazette
UK
Andrew Higgins
Professor of Civil Justice Systems
University of Oxford
UK
Simon Hitchcock
Managing Partner
Horizon Capital
UK
Simon Hitchcock
MANAGING PARTNER, HORIZON CAPITAL
As Managing Partner of Horizon Capital, I am responsible for the overall strategy and management of the firm whilst being actively involved in new investments and our portfolio.
Alongside my fellow partners, I set up Horizon Capital with a clear vision to be a sector specialist in technology and services businesses using buy and build in every investment we make. I started my career in the Corporate Finance team at PwC, having graduated from the University of Bath with a BSc in Business Administration. I moved into an investing role early in my career as I wanted to work with management teams beyond just the transaction.
I now have over two decades of investing experience and have had the privilege of working with some exceptionally talented teams in building market leading businesses.
BECCA HOGAN
Partner
Signature Litigation
UK
BECCA HOGAN
Partner, Signature Litigation
Becca is a Partner at Signature’s London office specialising in commercial litigation, with a focus on group action litigation, banking and financial markets disputes.
With over 15 years’ experience in complex commercial litigation, Becca represents institutions, corporates and C-suite individuals in the High Court. Her practice encompasses group claims, banking and finance disputes, securities claims under sections 90 and 90A of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, and civil fraud. She also advises on regulatory matters, including FCA investigations.
Becca has handled some of the largest group claims in the High Court, including the RBS Rights Issue Litigation, Allianz and Ors v Barclays, and the Pan-NOx Group Litigation.
Recognised as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ in The Legal 500 UK 2026 Guide for banking litigation and Recommended for commercial litigation, Becca is described as “exceptional” with an “excellent grasp of the detail” and a “calm, composed and confidence-inspiring presence”.
Prior to joining Signature Litigation in 2015, Becca trained at Clyde & Co and gained experience at the FSA’s enforcement division and Goldman Sachs’ Compliance Division.
Andrew Leitch
Partner
Hogan Lovells
UK
ANDREW LEITCH
PARTNER, HOGAN LOVELLS, UK
Andrew specialises in competition litigation, having acted for both claimants and defendants in disputes arising out of price fixing cartels, in addition to advising on litigation concerning abuse of dominant positions in marketplaces. Andrew has experience of litigating disputes in various courts in the U.K., including the High Court of Justice, the Competition Appeal Tribunal and the Court of Appeal. He has advised clients in a range of regulated and non-regulated industry sectors, including industrial manufacturers, financial institutions and technology companies. Andrew also has experience in commercial litigation, including disputes involving complex financial products.
Andrew is ranked as “Leading Partner: Competition Litigation” in Legal 500 2026, “Up and Coming: Competition Law: Private Enforcement: Claimant” in Chambers UK 2026 and a “Future Leader” in Lexology Index 2025.
Rosie Ioannou
Managing Director
Fortress Investment Group
UK
Rosie Ioannou
MANAGING DIRECTOR, FORTRESS INVESTMENT GROUP
Rosie Ioannou is a Managing Director at Fortress Investment Group. In this role she provides bespoke funding solutions for high value commercial litigation and portfolio financing solutions for law firms and their clients. Rosie has experience in private practice and as a funder in a wide range of disputes in the UK and internationally. A solicitor of the Courts of England and Wales, she has expertise in funding large complex matters, including group claims and competition related disputes.
Prior to joining Fortress, Rosie worked at Vannin Capital as well as in Allen & Overy’s litigation department where she trained and qualified.
Robert Marvin KC
Barrister
4 New Square Chambers
UK
Robert Marvin KC
BARRISTER, 4 NEW SQUARE CHAMBERS
Robert Marven KC is widely known as one of the leading specialists in all aspects of the law relating to costs and litigation funding, including associated professional negligence claims. He has been instructed in many of the most important cases in these areas.
Robert is also a recognised expert in the areas of group litigation and collective proceedings, the regulation of solicitors, barristers and claims managers, and in civil procedure. Recently Robert has appeared in leading cases in the Competition Appeal Tribunal dealing with the Tribunal’s jurisdiction to order payments to funders, insurers and other stakeholders prior to distribution to the class. Robert is often brought into major commercial litigation as well as many of the largest group claims and collective proceedings, to advise and make submissions on costs issues.
Anthony Maton
Global Co-Chair
Hausfeld
UK
Anthony Maton
GLOBAL CO-CHAIR, HAUSFELD
Anthony Maton has more than 30 years’ experience of litigating claims in the UK, Europe and across the globe. In 2009, Anthony co-founded Hausfeld & Co LLP in London. As one of the pioneers of the private enforcement of competition law damages in Europe, he has been at the centre of its development ever since. He managed some of the most high-profile competition damages actions of the last decade. He also established the firm as one of the go-to litigation practices for actions against large institutions and corporates. Anthony is a skilled negotiator with a renowned ability to formulate innovative settlement strategies and personally oversaw settlements on behalf of over 100 claimant groups as part of the Air Cargo litigation during a 6-month mediation process. During 2025, he has been an ambassador for collective redress and litigation funding in an increasingly contested policy environment. He has been instrumental in protecting the integrity of collective redress itself and defending its role in our society.
Porfirio Moreira
Partner
Sousa Ferro
PORTUGAL
Porfirio Moreira
PARTNER, SOUSA FERRO
Porfírio is a Partner at Sousa Ferro & Associados, where he specializes in EU Law and Competition, with a particular focus on private enforcement, litigation and arbitration, and employment law.
He represents claimants in high-profile, opt-out collective actions in Portugal and is recognized for his expertise in complex, cross-border legal matters.
Porfírio is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences and a published author in the field of European Union law. He was admitted to the Portuguese Bar in 2006. He is fluent in English and French.
Nick Moore
Head of Office
CAC Specialty
UK
Polly O’Brian
Partner
McDermott Will & Schulte LLP
UK
Polly O'Brian
PARTNER, MCDERMOTT WILL & SCHULTE LLP
Polly O’Brien is a partner within the Transactions Group at McDermott Will & Schulte, specialising in bespoke financing transactions, with particular emphasis on specialty finance, litigation finance and fund finance. Polly has extensive experience acting for hedge funds, private equity funds, litigation funders, credit funds and investment banks in a wide range of opportunistic financings spanning the spectrum of debt and equity.
She works closely with the firm’s Investment Management team on liquidity solutions for investment funds and their managers and is a member of the firm’s multidisciplinary, cross-border litigation finance team.
Genevieve Quierin
Partner
Stephenson Harwood
UK
Genevieve Quierin
PARTNER, STEPHENSON HARWOOD
Genevieve Quierin leads Stephenson Harwood’s Group Actions and Competition Team. With over 20 years of commercial disputes expertise, she represents many hundreds of corporate clients in interchange claims against Visa (having settled their claims against Mastercard in 2024) as well as 7 of the 10 biggest supermarkets in the UK in claims against Norwegian salmon producers for cartelised behavior. In addition to major competition litigation in the Competition Appeal Tribunal, Genevieve has a breadth of experience in advising clients in relation to corporate disputes including unfair prejudice petitions, claims for breach of directors’ duties, breach of warranty claims and advising on material adverse change disputes.
Many of Genevieve’s claims are third party litigation funded and she is familiar with both third party funding and ATE insurance arrangements.
Carlijn van Rest
Partner
Scott+Scott
NETHERLANDS
Carlijn van Rest
PARTNER, SCOTT+SCOTT
Carlijn van Rest is a partner at Scott+Scott in Amsterdam and focuses on collective actions and other complex commercial litigation. She is a litigator at heart and has extensive experience in resolving cross border disputes.
Julia Suderow
Partner
Suderow Fernández Abogadas
SPAIN
Julia Suderow
PARTNER, SUDEROW FERNÁNDEZ ABOGADAS
Julia is a lawyer specializing in Competition Law, M&A, International Arbitration and Private International Law and provides superior legal support in German or English. In addition, she has extensive experience in legal advice abroad and for foreign companies in Spain.
Before creating her own firm, she developed her professional career as an associate at two major law firms in Madrid, providing advice on competition law, commercial law, international arbitration and private international law.
She is an Associate Professor at the University of Deusto and cooperates with several universities in Spain and other European Member States.
PhD in Competition Law and Private International Law from the Carlos III University of Madrid. Law degree from the University of Hannover and Master LLM from the Universities of Hanover and Louvain.
She is the author of numerous publications in English, German and Spanish and is a regular contributor to the media. She is a member of the Bar Associations of Madrid and Celle, Germany and participates actively among others in the following professional associations: European Law Institute, Ligue Internationale de Droit de la Concurrence, AEDC, RADC and DSJV.
Natasha Tardif
Managing Partner
ReedSmith
FRANCE
Natasha Tardif
MANAGING PARTNER, REEDSMITH
Natasha is Managing Partner of Reed Smith’s Paris office and co-leads its EU, Competition and Regulatory department, she is also a former member of the firm’s global board. A dual British and French national, she studied law in both countries and has practiced in New York, London, and Paris. Her work combines strategic advisory and high-stakes litigation and investigations.
Natasha represents international clients before EU and French courts and authorities. She has developed specific expertise in litigation related to competition private enforcement, unfair competition, unfair trading rules, and more generally, commercial litigation particularly with regard to distribution agreements.
She gives interview, contributes articles and lectures at leading universities, including Sorbonne, Queen Mary, INSEAD and Seton Hall Law. She is regularly recognized as one of the leading practitioners in her field and received the International Bar Association’s Outstanding International Woman Lawyer Award.
Louise Trayhurn
Co-Founder & Director
Crescient
UK
Louise Trayhurn
CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, CRESCIENT
Originally trained at Allen & Overy in London and Paris, Louise is an experienced legal finance professional with nearly 20 years’ combined litigation and litigation finance experience.
Following wide-ranging litigation, mediation and arbitration experience gaining perspectives from both defence and claimant side firms, as well as the GC and regulator perspectives, she assisted in the development of the litigation funding arm of Orchard Global Asset Management LLP, and then went on to help co-found Bench Walk Advisors in 2017 and later became a partner in Legis Finance, which manages a $104m litigation risk backed credit line. She is a regular speaker on the conference circuit with recognised expertise on litigation funding and now provides independent advisory services on all aspects of the litigation funding ecosphere.
Louise also sits on the Development Committee of Classics for All which supports teaching provision of under privileged children. She has two children of her own and a puppy and can often be found chasing after one or more of them through the Surrey Hills.
Jennifer Whitley
Chief Financial Officer
Bracewell
US
Shazia Yamin
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, BRACEWELL
Jennifer Whitley is an accomplished finance executive with more than two decades of leadership across global energy, legal professional services, and nonprofit sectors. She currently serves as Chief Financial Officer at Bracewell, where she oversees financial strategy and business operations in support of optimizing client service and firm profitability, including pricing, billing and collections, treasury, tax, financial reporting, and budgeting and forecasting.
Jennifer has held multiple CFO roles in public and private companies, leading restructuring, international expansion, capital markets activity, and operational transformation. She raised approximately $195 million in equity and debt as CFO of Far East Energy Corporation and previously guided an LSE:AIM-listed company through IFRS conversion and international growth in South America.
She brings deep governance experience, serving on the board of ZEEP Incorporated, where she chairs the Audit Committee, and has served as longtime nonprofit board chair of the Youth Development Center. Jennifer is a Texas CPA.
Shazia Yamin
Partner
Mishcon de Reya
UK
Shazia Yamin
PARTNER, MISHCON DE REYA
Shazia Yamin is a Partner in the Dispute Resolution department at Mishcon de Reya, specialising in large-scale product liability litigation. She has extensive experience leading complex consumer group actions, advising clients from the earliest stages of case development through to resolution. Notably, Shazia served as lead lawyer in the Volkswagen NOx Emissions Group Litigation, representing over 90,000 vehicle owners and securing a £193 million settlement in May 2022. She is ranked as Up and Coming in Chambers and Partners for claimant group litigation, which notes that she “has a fantastic eye for detail and is meticulously organised,” and is recognised as a Next Generation Partner in Legal 500, described as “highly able and very effective at winning cases.”
Boris Ziser
Global Head of Structured Finance, CLOs & Alternative Assets
McDermott Will & Schulte LLP
US
Boris Ziser
GLOBAL HEAD OF STRUCTURED FINANCE, CLOS & ALTERNATIVE ASSETS
MCDERMOTT WILL & SCHULTE LLP
Boris advises on asset-backed lending and securitization, warehouse facilities, secured financings, specialty finance lending and esoteric finance transactions across a diverse array of asset classes.
With more than 30 years of experience, Boris works on a variety of asset classes, including life settlements, litigation funding, equipment leases, structured settlements, lottery receivables, timeshare loans, merchant cash advances and cell towers, in addition to other esoteric asset classes such as intellectual property, various insurance-related cash flows and other cash flow producing assets.
He also represents investors, lenders, hedge funds, private equity funds and finance companies in acquisitions and dispositions of portfolios of assets and financings secured by those portfolios. Recognized as a leading lawyer in the industry, Boris is ranked in Chambers Global, Chambers USA and The Legal 500 US for his work in structured finance.
He serves as outside general counsel to the Institutional Longevity Markets Association (ILMA) and is a member of the Structured Finance Committee of the New York City Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association and the Esoteric Assets Committee and Risk Retention Task Force of the Structured Finance Association.
Boris has been interviewed for the article “Attorneys Must Tread Carefully in Litigation Funding’s Next Stage,” published in Law360, and the articles “SRZ’s Leading Litigation Finance Practice: Holistic Expertise for a Booming Asset Class” and “Life Settlements and Longevity Swaps: Opportunities for Investors, Individuals, Insurers and Pension Funds,” both published in The Hedge Fund Journal.
Boris has also been featured on Bloomberg’s “Wall Street Week” and Nasdaq’s “TradeTalks.”
Eduardo Ayuela Zurita
Co-Founder & Head of Commercial Law, Corporate Disputes and Arbitration
Ayuela Jiménez
SPAIN
EDUARDO AYUELA ZURITA
CO-FOUNDER & HEAD OF COMMERCIAL LAW, CORPORATE DISPUTES & ARBITRATION, AYUELA JIMÉNEZ
Partner in charge of the Arbitration practice at the law firm with extensive experience
in domestic and international arbitration, both as arbitrator and counsel, in proceedings
administered by the ICC and CIAM-CIAR, as well as major Spanish arbitral centers (CEA,
CAM, and CIMA).
Specializes in civil and commercial disputes involving contract law, joint ventures, and
post-M&A, particularly in the energy, hospitality, and mining sectors. Experience
representing claimants and defendants in emergency, expedited, and ordinary
proceedings. Served as sole arbitrator and co-arbitrator.
Associate professor at prestigious institutions, including IE University (Advocacy in
Arbitration).
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CAC Group is a leading insurance broker and advisor that provides expertise and placement capabilities across the spectrum of insurance and capital markets. The entity comprises CAC Specialty, CAC Agency, and CAC Capital. Collectively, CAC Group serves large corporations, small-to-medium enterprises as well as individuals. It is an employee-owned company and ranked in the top 40 of all U.S. brokerage firms.
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Winward provides dispute resolution finance and works with claimants, intermediaries and lawyers to assess risk. Winward will ensure that its decisions are made robustly and swiftly and it will be prepared to earn the trust of those that do business with it. Winward is financed by a substantial US asset manager and led by Jeremy Marshall, formerly the CIO of Innsworth Advisors and a Senior Investment Manager with Omni Bridgeway.
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Insight. Access. Commercial Outcomes.
LF Dealmakers Europe is where legal finance moves from discussion to execution. Bringing together law firms, funders, investors, and corporates, the event focuses on how legal risk is actually structured, financed, and delivered in today’s market.
At a time when capital is more selective and models are under pressure, we go beyond theory to examine what works, where deals break down, and how successful partnerships are built in practice.
Our value lies in convening the full ecosystem in one place—connecting those originating claims, structuring opportunities, and deploying capital. The result is a highly focused environment for meaningful conversations, strategic alignment, and dealmaking.
How do we do this:
Pre-arranged 1:1 meetings with the counterparties you actually want to meet
A highly curated audience of senior decision-makers across law firms, funders, investors, corporates, insurers, and advisors
8+ hours of dedicated networking time designed for commercial conversations—not surface-level interactions
11 focused sessions tackling capital deployment, risk, governance, and real deal dynamics
Why Should you Attend as:
Law Firms
Secure capital, scale your cases, and compete more effectively in a capital-driven disputes market.
- Secure funding partnerships to originate, scale, and de-risk cases and portfolios
- Understand how funders assess risk, structure deals, and price opportunities in a more selective market
- Benchmark your funding and growth strategy against leading claimant firms across Europe
- Explore alternative fee arrangements, portfolio models, and firm-level financing strategies
- Access investors and advisors to support expansion, case development, and balance sheet management
- Stay ahead of how capital is reshaping litigation strategy, firm economics, and competitive positioning
Litigation Funders
Access high-quality opportunities, refine your deployment strategy, and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive capital market.
- Source high-quality opportunities across jurisdictions, sectors, and claim types
- Benchmark your underwriting, portfolio construction, and deployment strategies against leading funders
- Understand how law firms are structuring, packaging, and presenting opportunities in today’s market
- Access origination partners, co-investment opportunities, and new distribution channels
- Explore emerging asset classes, including ESG, securities, and cross-border collective actions
- Stay ahead of regulatory developments, capital flows, and structural shifts impacting returns
Investors
Understand the legal finance asset class, access deployment opportunities, and connect with those structuring and managing risk.
- Understand how legal finance is evolving across cases, portfolios, and firm-level strategies
- Access funders, law firms, and platforms originating and managing opportunities
- Evaluate risk, return profiles, and structuring approaches across jurisdictions and asset types
- Explore entry points into legal finance, including co-investment, private credit, and secondary markets
- Benchmark allocation strategies against other institutional investors
- Stay ahead of how capital is flowing into and shaping the legal finance market
Insurers
Position your capital within the evolving legal finance ecosystem and access opportunities in structured risk and claims portfolios.
- Understand how litigation funding and insurance are converging across complex disputes
- Explore opportunities to partner with funders and law firms on risk transfer and capital solutions
- Benchmark underwriting approaches, pricing models, and emerging insurance products
- Access key stakeholders originating and structuring large-scale claims and portfolios
- Explore how insurance can enhance capital efficiency, mitigate downside, and support deal structures
- Stay ahead of trends in claims, portfolios, and structured risk across jurisdictions
Claimants & Corporations
Unlock claims, manage risk, and access the capital and partners needed to pursue high-value disputes.
- Understand how legal finance can unlock claims while managing cost and balance sheet exposure
- Explore strategies for pursuing complex, cross-border, and high-value disputes
- Access funders, law firms, and advisors to structure and execute claims effectively
- Benchmark your approach against leading corporates and claimant groups across Europe
- Understand how funding impacts control, governance, and outcomes
- Stay ahead of how disputes are being originated, financed, and executed in today’s market
Secure Your Seat
VENUE & Accommodations
Royal garden hotel
The 3rd LF Dealmakers Europe will be hosted at the Royal Garden Hotel, a five-star landmark set directly on Kensington Gardens in one of London’s most prestigious neighbourhoods. With its sweeping views, refined interiors, and unbeatable access to Kensington’s cultural hubs, the Royal Garden Hotel provides the perfect backdrop for high-level discussions, strategic connections, and dealmaking.
To enhance the attendee experience, Dealmakers has secured a limited block of discounted rooms at an exclusive rate of £295 (Inclusive of VAT) per night. Rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are expected to sell out quickly. Reservation details will be shared with confirmed registrants.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
GENERAL FAQs
The 3rd Annual LF Dealmakers Europe will be held on May 11 – 13, 2026 at The Royal Garden Hotel London. It will be co-located with the 3rd Annual IP Dealmakers Europe. You may find additional information regarding the venue and accommodations on our Venue page.
You may register for the event using our online registration system. Please note that all registrations need to be approved.
All registered attendees will have access to the following:
- Admission to main conference
- Networking functions including breaks, lunches, and receptions
- Online event platform and mobile app to schedule 1:1 meetings and direct messaging
- Recorded sessions after the event to view on-demand
The LF Dealmakers Forum brings together a select group of leaders in the business community to address critical issues impacting the litigation finance and broader legal landscape. In order to ensure the event has balanced representation from market leaders and to maintain an optimal networking dynamic, we have instituted an approval process for all registrations.
We actively seek thought leaders and senior executives with experience and decision-making power within their respective organizations. We review individual registrations based on organizational profile, level of seniority as represented by job title, biographical information, and referral source.
We consider the type of organization, aiming to achieve a balanced representation of corporate IP owners, licensing company executives, law firm executives, investors, advisors, and other key stakeholders.
Additionally, we look to include perspectives from those that have not previously attended the event, as well as historically underrepresented groups.
Once you have completed your online registration, you will receive an email notification regarding the status of your application within 48 business hours.
Due to capacity limits at our event venue, along with our aim to achieve optimal dynamics for discussion and networking, we must be selective with registration approvals. If your registration was declined, we may have reached venue capacity, or it’s possible that you did not meet the criteria for attendance. We encourage you to reapply the following year.
Alternatively, you may be offered a place on the waiting list if we’ve reached our maximum capacity for your organization type (e.g., law firm, advisor, licensing company, etc.) Additionally, we limit the number of attendees per non-sponsoring organization to two individuals, so you may be offered a place on the waiting list if your organization has already registered two individuals.
Once you submit your registration, a hold will be placed on your card provided during registration. If your registration is approved, your payment will be processed using the credit card information you provide below.
If your registration is declined or you are waitlisted, your credit card will not be charged.
We welcome sponsorship inquiries and discussions regarding how to get involved in the event. Please contact us directly at info(at)dealmakersforums.com to request our prospectus which includes detailed information regarding sponsorship packages and opportunities to get involved in the event. We look forward to hearing from you.
We welcome speaking proposals from industry thought leaders and senior executives. Feel free to submit your proposal via this form. Please include as much detail as possible regarding your interest and relevant experience. Please note that we do not accept sales pitches or allow them at our events.
Leveraging our experience examining complex markets, we engage in a rigorous market-based research process to develop our program content, including identification of session topics, discussion points, and speakers. We rely on the expertise and valuable insights of our community, including industry advisors, sponsors, and partners in this process.
Registered participants will be invited to the 1:1 meetings platform via email approximately 1-2 weeks prior to the event start date, at which time all participants may begin scheduling their meetings.
Our 1-to-1 meetings feature is available to all registered attendees. You may request meetings with anyone attending the event, however, meetings are only confirmed and assigned a meeting location once the invited party accepts the request.
Cancellations received before 30 days prior to the event start date will receive a full refund minus processing fees. Cancellations received after this time will receive a credit with Dealmakers Forums that can be used toward a future event. No-shows will not be issued a refund or a credit.
To cancel your registration, contact us at registration(at)dealmakersforums.com with your request.
Substitutions are allowed at any time prior to the start of the event, but the substituting individual must be approved for attendance. If the individual is not approved, the registration will be considered a cancellation subject to the cancellation policy above.
Contact us at registration(at)dealmakersforums.com with your substitution request.
You may reach out to us at info(at)dealmakersforums.com or +1.914.365.7732. We look forward to hearing from you!