International Legal Finance Association 2024 New York Conference
The International Legal Finance Association (ILFA) is hosting its annual conference on April 15, 2024, at the historic Morgan Library in New York City. This premier event brings together leaders from the legal and finance sectors to discuss best practices in managing the costs and risks associated with commercial litigation and arbitration.
The conference agenda includes sessions on optimizing legal value, innovation driving growth in big law, corporate IP monetization, and the intersection of insurance and legal finance. Attendees will gain insights from industry experts on the evolving landscape of legal finance and strategies for effective litigation management.
Notable speakers include Christopher Bogart, CEO of Burford Capital; Hon. Robert Dow, United States District Judge and Counselor to the Chief Justice; and Kenneth R. Feinberg, a renowned court-appointed mediator. The event also offers networking opportunities, including a cocktail reception in the historic Morgan Library, allowing participants to connect with peers and industry leaders.
This conference is ideal for corporate legal teams, law firm professionals, and legal finance providers seeking to enhance their understanding of commercial legal finance and explore innovative solutions for managing litigation and arbitration costs.
Speakers(27)
Boaz Brickman
Senior Vice President, Legal at IPValue Management Inc.
Boaz Brickman is the Senior Vice President, Legal at IPValue Management Inc., a leading patent licensing company. He leads a team handling legal issues related to IPValue’s extensive patent portfolios, engaging in numerous fact-based assertions worldwide and generating significant royalties. Boaz holds a B.A.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Toronto and a J.D. from UCLA School of Law. He began his career at Kirkland & Ellis in Los Angeles, working on various intellectual property cases.
Charles Schmerler
Senior Managing Director and Head of Litigation Finance at Pretium
Charles D. Schmerler is Senior Managing Director and Head of Litigation Finance at Pretium Partners, a $55 billion alternative asset management firm. He has extensive experience in litigation finance, representing litigants and funders globally. Charles served on the ABA 20/20 Ethics Commission working group on alternative litigation finance and is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. He holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a B.A. from Yale University.
Christopher Bogart
Chief Executive Officer at Burford Capital
Christopher Bogart is the CEO of Burford Capital, the leading global finance and asset management firm focused on law. Under his leadership, Burford has become the world’s largest provider of commercial legal finance. Previously, he held senior executive positions at Time Warner, including Executive Vice President & General Counsel, managing one of the largest legal functions globally. Christopher started his career as a litigator at Cravath, representing companies like IBM, GE, and Time Warner.
Christopher Halmy
Former Chief Financial Officer at Ally Financial Inc.
Christopher Halmy is the former CFO of Ally Financial Inc., where he led the multinational initial public offering and managed a $25 billion investment portfolio. He has held finance, accounting, and treasury roles at JP Morgan, Bank of America, and MBNA. Christopher serves as a non-executive director on the board of Burford Capital and as the non-executive chairman and chair of the audit committee of Mercury® Financial LLC. He holds MBA and undergraduate degrees from Villanova University and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Craig Martin
Willkie, Farr, & Gallagher LLP
Craig Martin serves on the Aspen Institute board of trustees and its Executive Committee, and chairs its Audit & Risk Committee. He is involved in various civic and philanthropic organizations, including the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the University of Chicago Law School Advisory Council. Craig teaches Advanced Trial Advocacy at Harvard Law School and Crisis Management at the Stanford Directors College.
Dai Wai Chin Feman
Managing Director—Commercial Litigation at Parabellum
Dai Wai leads Parabellum’s commercial litigation vertical, having closed numerous investments with aggregate capital commitments exceeding $600 million. Recognized as a Band 1 individual by Chambers for litigation funding, he frequently speaks and writes on legal finance issues. Prior to joining Parabellum, Dai Wai was a litigation partner at Dorsey & Whitney LLP. He holds an A.B. from Georgetown University and a J.D. from New York University School of Law.
Dom Spinelli
Head of Contingent & Litigation Risk for North America at VALE Insurance Partners
Dom Spinelli is the Head of Contingent & Litigation Risk for North America at VALE Insurance Partners. Prior to joining VALE, he was Head of Contingent Legal Risk Insurance for the Americas at Liberty GTS. Dom is a former litigator with experience in complex commercial disputes and has represented insurers in numerous complex insurance claims. He holds a J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law and a B.A. from Providence College.
Gary Barnett
Executive Director and General Counsel at International Legal Finance Association (ILFA)
Gary Barnett serves as the Executive Director and General Counsel of ILFA, representing the global commercial legal finance community. He has held senior government positions, including Senior Counselor to the U.S. Attorney General at the Department of Justice and Staff Director and Chief Counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law. Gary holds a J.D. from Georgetown University and a B.S. in Economics and History from Boston University.
Joshua D. Schmidt
Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at InterDigital
Joshua D. Schmidt is InterDigital’s Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, managing the company’s legal functions. He joined InterDigital in 2015 and previously served as Vice President, Deputy General Counsel. Before joining InterDigital, Joshua was an associate at Dechert LLP, focusing on M&A, securities offerings, and venture capital transactions. He holds a J.D. from Duke University School of Law and a B.S. in Finance from the University of Pittsburgh.
Judge Robert Dow
United States District Judge, Counselor to the Chief Justice
Robert M. Dow, Jr. has served as a United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois since December 2007. In December 2022, he assumed duties as Counselor to Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., serving as the Supreme Court’s chief operating officer and assisting in administrative responsibilities. Judge Dow has served on the Judicial Conference’s Advisory Committee on Civil Rules and teaches complex litigation as an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.
Judge Shira A. Scheindlin
Retired U.S. District Judge at Southern District of New York
Shira A. Scheindlin served for 22 years as a U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York. She currently serves as a mediator and arbitrator with various organizations and is a member of the College of Commercial Arbitrators. Judge Scheindlin has presided over complex and high-profile cases, including Floyd v. City of New York, which ended New York’s unconstitutional stop-and-frisk practice. She is a frequent speaker on ADR practice, racial justice, and gender equality.
Katharine Wolanyk
Managing Director at Burford Capital
Katharine Wolanyk is a Managing Director at Burford Capital, leading the global intellectual property litigation finance business. She is an industry leader in legal finance and frequently writes and speaks on intellectual property issues. Prior to joining Burford, Katharine held various roles, including President of Soverain Software and General Counsel of a managed hosting provider. She holds a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and a B.S. in engineering from Michigan State University.
Kenneth Feinberg
Founder at The Law Offices of Kenneth R. Feinberg, PC
Kenneth R. Feinberg is a renowned mediator and arbitrator, having been appointed in thousands of complex disputes over the past 40 years. He has administered numerous high-profile compensation programs, including the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund and the BP Deepwater Horizon Disaster Victim Compensation Fund. Kenneth is recognized for his expertise in alternative dispute resolution and has served as a lecturer at various law schools.
Kim S. Magyar
General Counsel, Retail Division at McLane Company, Inc.
Kim S. Magyar is the General Counsel for McLane Company, Inc.’s Retail division, providing strategic legal advice on transactional, litigation, and operational matters. She focuses on reducing legal, regulatory, and compliance risk while fostering innovative business arrangements. Kim earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and her law degree from Marquette University.
Liz Hoffman
Business and Finance Editor at Semafor
Liz Hoffman is the business and finance editor at Semafor, a global news organization launched in 2022. Previously, she spent nine years at The Wall Street Journal, covering financial markets, corporate dealmaking, and Wall Street. Liz authored "Crash Landing: The Inside Story of How the World’s Biggest Companies Survived an Economy on the Brink," published in 2023 by Penguin Random House.
Michael Bowe
Partner and Co-Chair, Litigation & Arbitration Practice Group at Brown Rudnick
Michael Bowe is a partner and co-chair of Brown Rudnick’s Litigation & Arbitration Practice Group, with nearly thirty years of experience litigating high-stakes business and personal cases on both plaintiff and defense sides, at trial and appellate levels. He has successfully navigated companies and high-net-worth individuals through serious criminal and regulatory challenges and provides crisis management advice during periods of substantial duress. Michael is known for turning complex disputes into compelling stories in trials and arbitrations.
Michael E. Lackey
Partner at Mayer Brown
Michael E. Lackey serves on Mayer Brown’s global Management Committee and previously led the global Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice. He practices civil and criminal litigation, focusing on complex antitrust, cartel, government contracts, and competition cases. Michael serves on the Global Advisory Board of the Women in Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) and teaches Advanced Trial Advocacy at Harvard Law School.
Neil Purslow
Chief Investment Officer at Therium Capital Management
Neil Purslow is the Chief Investment Officer of Therium Capital Management, overseeing the firm’s global investment activities. He has extensive experience in litigation funding and frequently speaks at conferences and is quoted in the media on industry issues. Neil holds an MA in Jurisprudence from the University of Oxford and has been recognized as a Tier 1 individual in litigation finance by Chambers and Partners.
Philip Iovieno
Co-Chair, Antitrust Litigation Group at Cadwalader
Philip Iovieno is the co-chair of Cadwalader’s Antitrust Litigation Group, focusing on representing plaintiffs and defendants in antitrust and complex commercial litigation. He has extensive experience in federal and state courts, including leading multiple jury trials to verdict. Philip has recovered over $1 billion for corporate victims of price-fixing cartels and other antitrust violations.
Raymond van Hulst
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Omni Bridgeway
Raymond van Hulst is an industry veteran with over 20 years of experience in structuring solutions for complex dispute funding and legal enforcement matters globally. He has established multiple institutionally backed funds aimed at funding legal disputes and enforcement matters. Raymond played a significant role in the 2019 merger with IMF Bentham Limited and the 2017 acquisition of Roland ProzessFinanz, positioning Omni Bridgeway as a leading provider of legal finance.
Rob Addy
BartlitBeck LLP
Rob Addy has represented plaintiffs and defendants in numerous multi-million and billion-dollar cases across the country, with significant trial and pretrial experience in complex cases, particularly in patent and antitrust work. He has litigated before multiple federal district and appeals courts, as well as state courts and the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. A former journalist who contributed to Emmy-award winning documentaries for PBS, Rob focuses on creatively conveying complex stories to judges and juries.
Ryan Phair
Co-Chair, Antitrust and Competition Practice at Paul Hastings
Ryan Phair is Co-Chair of the Antitrust and Competition practice at Paul Hastings, focusing on complex civil, criminal, and international litigation and arbitrations. He has represented clients in a broad spectrum of cases, including antitrust, securities, RICO, and class actions, recovering over $1 billion for plaintiffs. Ryan holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a B.A. from the University of Virginia.
Sam Sheldon
Partner at Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP
Sam Sheldon is a partner at Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP, focusing on securities fraud and complex civil litigation. He served over five years as a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Southern District of Texas, writing opinions in various areas of law. Sam has tried 25 cases as a federal prosecutor and civil litigator, receiving numerous awards for his successful prosecutions. He holds a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin.
Travis Lenkner
Founder & CEO at Larkspur Partners
Travis Lenkner is the Founder and CEO of Larkspur Partners, investing in and advising law- and technology-related ventures. He has been a global leader in litigation finance, co-founding Gerchen Keller Capital and serving as Managing Director at Burford Capital. Travis co-founded and was Managing Partner of Keller Lenkner LLC. He clerked for Justice Anthony M. Kennedy at the U.S. Supreme Court and holds a J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law.
Ursula Ungaro
Partner at Boies Schiller Flexner LLP
Retired Judge Ursula Ungaro joined Boies Schiller Flexner LLP as a partner in June 2021 after retiring from the federal bench of the Southern District of Florida. Appointed in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush, she presided over numerous major civil and criminal cases. Ursula served on national, regional, and local committees responsible for court administration and holds a J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law.
William Farrell
Co-Founder, Managing Director, and General Counsel at Longford Capital
William P. Farrell, Jr. is a founder, Managing Director, and General Counsel of Longford Capital, responsible for investment sourcing, underwriting, and monitoring. Recognized as a leader in commercial litigation and litigation finance, he has been awarded the highest rating by the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating System. Bill is an adjunct professor of law at Baylor Law School, teaching litigation finance. He has over 20 years of litigation and trial experience as both a government prosecutor and a partner in national law firms.
William R. LaFontaine, Jr.
Senior Advisor, Intellectual Property at IBM Corporation
William LaFontaine is a recognized leader in technology licensing, partnerships, and intellectual property. He retired from IBM as General Manager of Intellectual Property, where he led efforts to accelerate market introduction of new technologies, including AI, Quantum Computing, and Semiconductors. William is currently a Senior Advisor to Columbia Technology Ventures and an Executive in Residence. He holds a D. Phil. in International Relations from the University of Oxford and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Event Details
- Date
- May 15-16, 2024
- 2 days
- Location
- 🇺🇸 New York, United States
- Morgan Library
- Audience
- Corporate legal teams, law firm professionals, legal finance providers