Finance for Dispute Resolution Locke invests in the legal and professional services sectors. We work with law firms, insolvency practitioners, accountants, corporates and individuals to enable the resolution of high-value litigation, arbitration and recovery projects.

ABOUT

Locke was founded in 2021 with a commitment to providing innovative and responsive funding solutions for dispute resolution.

We have a deep understanding of the asset class.

  • We are well-capitalised with investors that have a long and successful track record in legal services.
  • We understand the law firm and professional services business model and legal asset class.
  • We have advised litigation funds and worked on high-value funded litigation whilst in private practice.

We are committed to building long term relationships.

  • We aim to truly understand the needs of our borrowers so that our capital solutions are responsive and empathic.
  • We are closely aligned with our investors and investment committee so that we can communicate quickly, clearly and decisively with our borrowers.
  • We work with our borrowers to assist in evaluating new ventures, changing capital requirements and other case developments, as they arise.

We are a small but experienced team.

  • Our relationships and investment diligence are led by a close-knit team with significant experience who have worked together in both private practice and litigation funding.
  • We draw on our broad experience and expertise to engineer flexible and creative capital solutions.
  • We are committed to efficient and collaborative origination, diligence and investment management.

LOCKE CAPITAL TEAM

Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson

Founder and CEO

Nick founded Locke in 2021. He is also the founder and CEO of Armadillo Litigation Funding, a litigation fund based in Houston, Texas, and the owner of Johnson Law Group, a firm with offices in the US and the UK, which is a market leader in mass tort litigation and has recovered over $1b for its clients.

Nick is admitted to the State Bar of Texas and licensed to practice in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. He holds a BA in Political Science from Duke University and a JD from the University of Houston.

Nick Pontt

Nick Pontt

Managing Director

Nick leads Locke's growth, drawing on a career combining extensive experience in domestic and cross-border dispute resolution and funding. Prior to moving from private practice, Nick was the Head of Financial Services Litigation at Browne Jacobson LLP, where his work included acting for the Trustee of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC and the estate of Bernard L. Madoff.

Nick holds an LLB and BA from Flinders University, and an MBA from the University of Oxford where he was a Said Foundation Scholar.

Nick Sulman

Nick Sulman

Chief Investment Officer

Nick manages Locke's investment diligence and pricing. He has extensive litigation and arbitration experience, particularly in the areas of fraud and asset recovery, insolvency, financial services and regulatory enforcement. Nick has acted for a range of individuals, companies and insolvency professionals, often in high-value disputes with a cross-border dimension.

He holds a LLB and a BA from Monash University and is admitted as a solicitor in both Australia and England and Wales.

Dave Drew

Dave Drew

General Counsel (Corporate)

Dave manages Locke's legal and corporate affairs and assists on investment diligence. He specialises in complex litigation, cross-border investigations and asset recovery as well as corporate, regulatory and commercial matters. Dave has extensive experience in government and legislative affairs, having worked for both the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and the Shadow Attorney General.

Dave holds an MA in Politics from Nottingham University, a LLM from UCL and is admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales.

Cole Johnson

Cole Johnson

Portfolio Manager

Cole refines and implements Locke's investment strategy across the portfolio. He has a background in finance, primarily based in venture capital and litigation funding. Cole has worked on and helped structure projects in Asia, North America, and Europe.

He holds a BA in Political Science from Duke University.

Sarah Hamilton

Sarah Hamilton

Associate Counsel

Sarah sits across Locke's investment diligence and corporate affairs. She has experience in a broad range of litigation and corporate matters, including commercial litigation, asset recovery and insolvency. Sarah has acted for a range of clients, from start-ups through to large national organisations, from both the public and private sectors.

Sarah has a LLB from the University of Derby and studied the LPC at Nottingham Law School. She is admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales.

Hannah Turner

Hannah Turner

Investment Associate

Hannah works on Locke's pricing and also assists with investment diligence. She is responsible for many of the pricing innovations that underpin Locke's funding solutions.

Hannah holds a BSc(Hons) in Finance, Investment and Risk from The London Institute of Banking and Finance.

INVESTMENTS

Locke invests in experienced teams with successful track records. We look for organised and budgeted case plans with credible resolution strategies. Our investment parameters are flexible and we are empowered by our investors to be creative and to work with our borrowers to provide a funding solution that is aligned with their broader strategic objectives..

CONTACT

Enquiries can be directed to our London office.

Office Address

35-41, Folgate St, London E1 6BX