Counsel Financial Expands Underwriting Team and Adds Strategic Partnerships Role

The expanded team and new role aim to accelerate growth in the litigation finance market.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Counsel Financial, a leading provider of litigation finance solutions, has announced the addition of two new Directors of Legal Underwriting, Jason Frank and Jaclyn Tayabji, as well as the promotion of Melissa Ruggiero to Director of Strategic Partnerships. These changes are intended to enhance the company's capacity to deliver timely credit decisions, broaden support for law firms and capital provider clients, and create new channels for firms to access capital solutions.

Why it matters

The expansion of Counsel Financial's underwriting team and the creation of the strategic partnerships role reflect the company's commitment to disciplined underwriting, deep legal expertise, and strategic growth in the rapidly evolving litigation finance market. These moves position Counsel Financial to better support law firms and capital partners navigating the complexities of the litigation landscape and capitalize on emerging opportunities.

The details

The addition of Jason Frank and Jaclyn Tayabji as Directors of Legal Underwriting expands Counsel Financial's underwriting capacity and in-house team of attorneys. This will enable faster credit decisions and help the company's capital provider clients expand their bandwidth to serve law firms with complex litigation portfolios nationwide. Melissa Ruggiero's promotion to Director of Strategic Partnerships will deepen Counsel Financial's relationships with service providers across the legal ecosystem, creating new channels for law firms to access capital solutions.

  • Counsel Financial announced the changes on February 11, 2026.

The players

Counsel Financial

A leading provider of litigation finance solutions with more than 25 years of experience and over $2 billion deployed.

Jason Frank

The new Director of Legal Underwriting at Counsel Financial, responsible for evaluating complex litigation investments by assessing case strength, risk, and financial viability. He has prior experience litigating mass tort cases and managing litigation support teams.

Jaclyn Tayabji

The new Director of Legal Underwriting at Counsel Financial, responsible for analyzing and monitoring a diverse portfolio of complex litigation matters. She has prior experience at a class action and whistleblower plaintiffs' firm.

Melissa Ruggiero

The newly promoted Director of Strategic Partnerships at Counsel Financial, responsible for building and managing collaborative relationships with service providers across the legal ecosystem to help extend the company's reach and create new channels for firms to access capital solutions.

Nick D'Aquilla

The President of Counsel Financial, who commented on the changes as reflecting the company's continued commitment to disciplined underwriting, deep legal expertise, and strategic growth.

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What they’re saying

“These appointments reflect our continued commitment to disciplined underwriting, deep legal expertise, and strategic growth.”

— Nick D'Aquilla, President of Counsel Financial (digitalmedianet.com)

The takeaway

Counsel Financial's expansion of its underwriting team and the creation of a strategic partnerships role demonstrate the company's focus on enhancing its capacity to support law firms and capital partners in the evolving litigation finance market. These changes position Counsel Financial to deliver faster credit decisions, deepen relationships with service providers, and create new channels for firms to access the capital solutions they need.