KRD Kirsten. Risk & Disputes

Founder & Principal: Dr. Stefan Kirsten

Number of lawyers qualified in Germany: 1

Number of lawyers qualified in other jurisdictions: 1

Office: Düsseldorf

Firm Overview

The Best of Both Worlds: Dispute Resolution & Legal Finance Advisory

KRD Kirsten. Risk & Disputes is an award-winning boutique law firm founded by Dr. Stefan Kirsten. Celebrated as "truly a genius in the area", “one of the best funders” and “a real stand-out name” who is actively “pushing boundaries in the field”, Stefan is widely recognised as a global thought leader in legal finance.

Having practiced in one of the world’s foremost litigation and arbitration groups for many years, he was among the first seasoned counsel to advise on third-party funding of disputes in continental Europe. He then continued to build from scratch the German and Nordic operations of a now top-ranked litigation funder and subsequently headed its global origination activities before returning to private practice.

At KRD, Stefan and his team now blend their passions for high-end dispute resolution and legal finance advisory – to offer their clients the best of both worlds.

Main Areas of Practice

Dispute Resolution

As seasoned experts for the resolution of highly complex commercial disputes, KRD represents corporates, executives and investors before German courts, international arbitral tribunals, as well as in alternative dispute settlement proceedings. Due to its extensive and multi-faceted network, KRD regularly teams up with leading international law firms to act as co-counsel in large cross-border disputes.

Legal Finance Advisory

Even before their final resolution, disputes can be turned into assets by the use of legal finance. KRD offers its clients comprehensive advice to best manage the costs, risks and chances of their disputes:

Dispute Funding and Hedging Solutions for Claimants and Defendants

KRD helps parties to litigation, arbitration or enforcement proceedings

• Explore the potential of a dispute for third-party funding
• Identify the need for hedging a dispute’s inherent downside risks
• Strike the ideal balance between internal and external resources
• Prepare single cases and case portfolios for their optimal presentation to risk carriers
• Introduce disputes to suitable risk carriers from KRD’s vast international network
• Structure financing arrangements and negotiate terms with risk carriers
• Monitor the progress of the legal finance transaction and provide continuous support until the final resolution of the dispute

Strategic Advice to Litigation Funders, Litigation Risk Insurers and Other Risk Carriers

KRD helps risk carriers

• Underwrite opportunities in civil law jurisdictions
• Manage continental European case portfolios

Law Firm Finance

KRD helps law firms expand their business by using legal finance tools in line with applicable professional standards.

Investor Advice

KRD helps investors with an interest in legal finance as an asset class to structure their investments from a legal perspective.

International Work

Dispute Resolution

• Defence of the former managing directors of an international chemical group against liability claims of insolvency administrators
• Representation of a Northern European financial investor in liability actions in Germany and Luxembourg after the aborted closing of an M&A transaction
• Defence of an international glass producer against cartel damages claims by a customer
• Representation of shareholders in various litigation proceedings

Legal Finance Advisory

• Successful solution for the funding of cartel damages proceedings in Southern Europe
• Successful solution for the funding of litigation proceedings in Western Europe following the sale of medical equipment to state entities
• Successful solution for the underwriting of litigation risk insurance in Germany
• Successful solution for a defence funding in Germany

Office

KRD Kirsten. Risk & Disputes

Königsallee 19

40212 Düsseldorf

T +49 211 960821-0

F +49 211 960821-99

[email protected]