Paula-Marie (Polly) O’Brien focuses her practice on bespoke financing transactions, with particular emphasis on specialty finance, litigation finance and fund finance. Polly has experience acting for hedge funds, private equity funds, litigation funders, specialty finance companies and investment banks in a wide range of opportunistic financings spanning the spectrum of debt and equity. Polly works closely with the firm’s Investment Management team on liquidity solutions for investment funds and their managers and is a member of the firm’s multi-disciplinary, cross-border litigation finance team. Polly is co-chair of the firm’s Women’s Affinity Group Steering Committee and a member of the firm’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.

Publications

“Private Funds Market Trends Report,” SRZ Publication, June 2021

“LIBOR Transition Update: New York State Legislature Passes LIBOR Transition Bill,” SRZ Alert, March 26, 2021

“FCA Announces Dates LIBOR Settings Will Cease to Be Provided or Be Representative; ISDA Declares Index Cessation Event and Fixing of Spread Adjustment,” SRZ Alert, 8 March, 2021

“Private Funds — Market Trends Report,” SRZ Publication, October 2020

Speaking Engagements

“Access to Justice: Trends, Developments and the Outlook for the Future of Litigation Funding in Europe,” International Litigation Finance Forum, October 2022 

“The Fund Finance Toolbox: Liquidity, Creativity and Preserving Value,” AIMA Next Generation Manager Forum, March 2021

“Litigation Finance in International Markets,” IMN Litigation Finance Virtual Series, February 2021

“Litigation Funding: Market Roundtable,” SRZ Webinar, February 2021

“Finance Strategies and Structures,” SRZ 30th Annual Private Investment Funds Seminar, January 2021

“To What Extent Is ESG Leading Investment Decisions in Private Debt?” Private Equity International Women in Private Markets Summit, November 2020

“Fund Finance and Structured Finance,” SRZ Webinar, October 2020

Prior Experience

  • Jones Day
  • Louis Dreyfus Commodities
  • Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
  • Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer