BillionDollar

Top Legal Eagles Clash for Litigator of the Year as Historic Trials and Billion-Dollar Settlements Mark 2023

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New York, NY — As the legal industry gathers for The American Lawyer’s Industry Awards this Wednesday, anticipation builds around the announcement of the Litigator of the Year. Among the distinguished finalists are attorneys whose recent landmark cases have made significant impacts on corporate governance, antitrust regulations, intellectual property, and more. Jeroen van Kwawegen, a partner at Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann, enjoyed a notably active year. Heading the firm’s corporate governance department, he presided over 45 cases, taking lead roles in significant plaintiff motions and various class action suits. His notable achievements include playing … Read more

Billion-Dollar Battlegrounds: The Rising Tide of Litigation Funding in Mass Tort Cases

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New York — Litigation finance, once a niche aspect of legal industry, has burgeoned into a prominent force as it intersects with mass tort cases, involving numerous plaintiffs and claims of substantial harm caused by defendants. Significant lawsuits, running into billions of dollars, are now increasingly underwritten by third-party financiers, marking a pivotal evolution in how legal battles are fought and funded. This emerging trend has changed the landscape for major litigation, particularly in cases against pharmaceutical giants, manufacturers of toxic chemicals, and other sectors where damages claimed run into the multi-millions. Typically, investors provide … Read more

Court Overturns Jury Verdict Due to Repeated References to ‘Billion-Dollar Company’

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St. Louis, MO — The Missouri Court of Appeals has overturned a jury verdict in a defamation case that originally favored a former employee who sued his company over wrongful termination and defamation claims. The court ordered a new trial, citing the plaintiff’s repeated references to the company as a “billion-dollar” entity could have unfairly influenced the jury by painting the company in a negative and intimidating light. The case, which has captured attention in business and legal circles, centers around Thomas Mitchell, a former manager at the tech firm DataCorp (a pseudonym used for … Read more

Mass Torts Meets Mega Money: The Surge of Billion-Dollar Litigation Financing

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New York — In the competitive world of high-stakes litigation, the marriage between litigation finance and mass torts is transforming the legal landscape, attracting investors with the allure of potentially astronomical returns. Litigation finance, once a niche sector, has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry, offering funding to plaintiffs and law firms engaged in large-scale legal battles over issues like pharmaceutical side effects, environmental disasters, and product liabilities. Traditionally, funding a lawsuit could be financially crippling for plaintiffs and law firms, especially in cases that stretched over years. However, with the advent of litigation finance, … Read more