Litigation Funding - Australia
Band 1
What the Team is Known For
Omni Bridgeway is a well-regarded litigation funder with a global footprint. It funds a range of cases, including commercial litigation, arbitration and class action claims, and also has strong enforcement and collection capabilities.
Strengths
Without a doubt, Omni Bridgeway is the preeminent funding firm in Australia. It is responsive, highly commercial and has a strong understanding of the legal risks in a particular case.
Omni Bridgeway are highly experienced litigation funders well-versed in all areas of litigation and class action funding.
Omni Bridgeway have relationship-driven, intelligent, hard-working staff that understand commercial drivers and outcomes.
Omni Bridgeway provides support from investment managers who themselves have deep class action experience. The depth and breadth of their experience is second to none in the litigation funding sector.
Omni Bridgeway is professional, detailed, approachable and intimidating (to counterparties).
Work Highlights
Omni Bridgeway funded the Robodebt class action appeal versus the Commonwealth of Australia. The case settled in September 2025 with an additional AUD548.5 million compensation package agreed upon.
Notable practitioners
Kristen Smith is a porfolio manager and senior investment manager at Omni Bridgement, and currently leads its investment team. She has particular strength in class actions, commercial disputes and out-of-court dispute resolution.
Kristen always has a strong grasp of the legal and commercial drivers in a case. She is highly responsive and works extremely well with instructing solicitors and the counsel team.
Kristen Smith is an absolute delight as an investment manager. She is really insightful.
She is responsive and highly sophisticated in all aspects of a matter.
Kristen has an uncanny ability to see problems that will occur in the future and find solutions to them well in advance of them arising. Beyond that, she is a delight to work with and demonstrates her commitment to her law firm colleagues and their clients by her thoughtful approach to problem-solving.
Kristen is a reliable and comforting voice in times of pressure.
Niall Watson-Dunne is based in Omni Bridgeway's Sydney office. He is regularly involved in the funding of class actions.
Niall is pretty exceptional. He is all in the detail.
Niall is analytically sharp and brings strong commercial instincts to the matters he manages. He is an effective deal-maker who understands the financial dynamics of complex litigation funding and contributes meaningfully to case strategy.
Niall is an intelligent and savvy litigator, interested in maximising the pressure in his cases to get the best results for clients and group members.
