The 166th seminar from the Current Issues in Business Private Law (Aktuelle Probleme des irtschaftsprivatrechts) series took place on 8 January 2024. It offered deep insights into the field of commercial litigation funding. Talks were delivered by Prof Dr Tanja Domej (University of Zürich) and Thomas Kohlmeier (former Co-CEO of Nivalion AG).
Prof Dr Domej's lecture provided a comprehensive introduction to third-party litigation funding. She elucidated the areas where this practice is presently in use and those where it is emerging. Her discourse was particularly noteworthy for its detailed examination of the existing regulatory landscape and evolving regulatory trends across various jurisdictions in the third-party litigation funding market. Thomas Kohlmeier then gave a presentation on regulatory trends, from a financier's perspective. His focus was on strategic litigation, the risks of financiers influencing proceedings and the need for further industry regulation. Centered around a case study, Kohlmeier's argument offered a unique and practical insight into the complexities and potential of litigation financing.
The event, organised by Univ-Prof Dr Susanne Augenhofer, Univ-Prof Dr Alexander Schopper and Univ-Prof Dr Julia Told, successfully created a dialogue on a topic of increasing significance in the legal realm.