Funder Notches Victory Against Co-Founder: Litigation Finance

Happy Friday! A litigation funder notched a win in a battle with one of its co-founders.

Archetype Capital Partners secured a key victory in its trade secrets case, winning an injunction barring its co-founder from using the firm’s proprietary systems for mass tort cases while the lawsuit proceeds, my colleague Annelise Levy reports.

In September, Archetype sued Andrew Schneider and his new firm, Bullock Legal Group LLC, accusing them of stealing its “innovative methods” for funding mass tort litigation and pilfering millions of dollars’ worth of business.

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Judge Gloria M. Navarro of the US District Court for the District of Nevada ruled the court lacks personal jurisdiction over Bullock Legal, and dismissed the firm as a party. However, she barred the firm from distributing its and Schneider’s share of a $5.6 billion settlement of a video game addiction case, citing evidence the deal was structured on Archetype’s proprietary systems.

What I’m Reading

• The Foundation for American Innovation, a technology-focused think tank, wrote that Chinese companies are using the International Trade Commission to advance their interests. It advocates for mandated disclosure of foreign litigation funding.
• The Alliance Defending Freedom CEO Alan Sears wrote in the Washington Examiner that two litigation finance bills — Rep. Darrell Issa’s (R-Calif.) Litigation Transparency Act and Rep. Ben Cline’s (R-Va.) Protecting Our Courts from Foreign Manipulation Act — threaten donor anonymity and expose contributors to harassment and retaliation.
• The Paris Court of Appeal annulled a final award it had granted to Sulu claimants in their arbitration against Malaysia, according to The Edge Malaysia. The group, backed by litigation funder Therium Capital Management, sued the country for breach of a contract dating back to the early 1800s.

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Bloomberg Law is accepting nominations for the 2026 class of They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40, our sixth edition. Click here to apply through March 18.

Commentary & Opinion

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Bloomberg Law honors nine law firms that go above and beyond in delivering pro bono legal services, impacting matters ranging from disability rights to affordable housing to environmental improvement.

For the fourth edition of our annual Pro Bono Innovators, the honorees combined legal acuity and innovation with a strong mission. They also coordinated with co-counsel inside and outside of their organizations, across practice areas, and in some instances, around the globe to score victories. See who made the list.