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Contact
One Eagle Place
London, SW1Y 6AF
Bar Admissions
- England and Wales
Education
- Nottingham Law School, Legal Practice Course
- Nottingham Law School, Graduate Diploma in Law
- University of Cambridge, MA
Paula-Marie (Polly) O'Brien
Partner
Member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. Focuses 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.
She 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 multidisciplinary, cross-border litigation finance team.
- “Interest Rate Hikes a Mixed Blessing for Litigation Funders,” Law360, 21 Feb. 2023 (quoted)
- “EU Regs Could Spur Litigation Funding's Secondary Market,” Law360, 8 Feb. 2023 (quoted)
- “Voss Report: Recommendations to the Commission on Responsible Private Funding of Litigation,” ThoughtLeaders4 Disputes Magazine, December 2022
- “Private Funds Market Trends Report,” Schulte Publication, June 2021
- “LIBOR Transition Update: New York State Legislature Passes LIBOR Transition Bill,” Schulte Alert, 26 March 2021
- “FCA Announces Dates LIBOR Settings Will Cease to Be Provided or Be Representative; ISDA Declares Index Cessation Event and Fixing of Spread Adjustment,” Schulte Alert, 8 March 2021
- “Private Funds ̶ Market Trends Report,” Schulte Publication, October 2020
- “Commission Payments to Intermediaries: Where Are We After Johnson v FirstRand Bank and What Happens Next” Schulte Roundtable, January 2025
- “The Latest in Legal: PACCAR, Key Labour Bill, CJC Review, and More” The 3rd Annual International Litigation Finance Forum, October 2024
- “Fund Finance Current Market Practices and Trends” AIMA Alternative Credit Council Global Summit, October 2024
- “Sources of Leverage in 2024,” Schulte London Investment Management Hot Topics, May 2024
- “Operational Issues,” Schulte London Investment Management Hot Topics, May 2023
- “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,” Schulte Webinar, February 2021
- “Finance Strategies and Structures,” Schulte 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,” Schulte Webinar, October 2020
- Jones Day
- Louis Dreyfus Commodities
- Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
- Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
- “Interest Rate Hikes a Mixed Blessing for Litigation Funders,” Law360, 21 Feb. 2023 (quoted)
- “EU Regs Could Spur Litigation Funding's Secondary Market,” Law360, 8 Feb. 2023 (quoted)
- “Voss Report: Recommendations to the Commission on Responsible Private Funding of Litigation,” ThoughtLeaders4 Disputes Magazine, December 2022
- “Private Funds Market Trends Report,” Schulte Publication, June 2021
- “LIBOR Transition Update: New York State Legislature Passes LIBOR Transition Bill,” Schulte Alert, 26 March 2021
- “FCA Announces Dates LIBOR Settings Will Cease to Be Provided or Be Representative; ISDA Declares Index Cessation Event and Fixing of Spread Adjustment,” Schulte Alert, 8 March 2021
- “Private Funds ̶ Market Trends Report,” Schulte Publication, October 2020
- “Commission Payments to Intermediaries: Where Are We After Johnson v FirstRand Bank and What Happens Next” Schulte Roundtable, January 2025
- “The Latest in Legal: PACCAR, Key Labour Bill, CJC Review, and More” The 3rd Annual International Litigation Finance Forum, October 2024
- “Fund Finance Current Market Practices and Trends” AIMA Alternative Credit Council Global Summit, October 2024
- “Sources of Leverage in 2024,” Schulte London Investment Management Hot Topics, May 2024
- “Operational Issues,” Schulte London Investment Management Hot Topics, May 2023
- “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,” Schulte Webinar, February 2021
- “Finance Strategies and Structures,” Schulte 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,” Schulte Webinar, October 2020
- Jones Day
- Louis Dreyfus Commodities
- Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
- Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
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Paula-Marie (Polly) O'Brien
Partner

Contact
One Eagle Place
London, SW1Y 6AF
Member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. Focuses 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.
She 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 multidisciplinary, cross-border litigation finance team.

Contact
One Eagle Place
London, SW1Y 6AF
Bar Admissions
- England and Wales
Education
- Nottingham Law School, Legal Practice Course
- Nottingham Law School, Graduate Diploma in Law
- University of Cambridge, MA
- “Interest Rate Hikes a Mixed Blessing for Litigation Funders,” Law360, 21 Feb. 2023 (quoted)
- “EU Regs Could Spur Litigation Funding's Secondary Market,” Law360, 8 Feb. 2023 (quoted)
- “Voss Report: Recommendations to the Commission on Responsible Private Funding of Litigation,” ThoughtLeaders4 Disputes Magazine, December 2022
- “Private Funds Market Trends Report,” Schulte Publication, June 2021
- “LIBOR Transition Update: New York State Legislature Passes LIBOR Transition Bill,” Schulte Alert, 26 March 2021
- “FCA Announces Dates LIBOR Settings Will Cease to Be Provided or Be Representative; ISDA Declares Index Cessation Event and Fixing of Spread Adjustment,” Schulte Alert, 8 March 2021
- “Private Funds ̶ Market Trends Report,” Schulte Publication, October 2020
- “Commission Payments to Intermediaries: Where Are We After Johnson v FirstRand Bank and What Happens Next” Schulte Roundtable, January 2025
- “The Latest in Legal: PACCAR, Key Labour Bill, CJC Review, and More” The 3rd Annual International Litigation Finance Forum, October 2024
- “Fund Finance Current Market Practices and Trends” AIMA Alternative Credit Council Global Summit, October 2024
- “Sources of Leverage in 2024,” Schulte London Investment Management Hot Topics, May 2024
- “Operational Issues,” Schulte London Investment Management Hot Topics, May 2023
- “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,” Schulte Webinar, February 2021
- “Finance Strategies and Structures,” Schulte 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,” Schulte Webinar, October 2020
- Jones Day
- Louis Dreyfus Commodities
- Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
- Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
- “Interest Rate Hikes a Mixed Blessing for Litigation Funders,” Law360, 21 Feb. 2023 (quoted)
- “EU Regs Could Spur Litigation Funding's Secondary Market,” Law360, 8 Feb. 2023 (quoted)
- “Voss Report: Recommendations to the Commission on Responsible Private Funding of Litigation,” ThoughtLeaders4 Disputes Magazine, December 2022
- “Private Funds Market Trends Report,” Schulte Publication, June 2021
- “LIBOR Transition Update: New York State Legislature Passes LIBOR Transition Bill,” Schulte Alert, 26 March 2021
- “FCA Announces Dates LIBOR Settings Will Cease to Be Provided or Be Representative; ISDA Declares Index Cessation Event and Fixing of Spread Adjustment,” Schulte Alert, 8 March 2021
- “Private Funds ̶ Market Trends Report,” Schulte Publication, October 2020
- “Commission Payments to Intermediaries: Where Are We After Johnson v FirstRand Bank and What Happens Next” Schulte Roundtable, January 2025
- “The Latest in Legal: PACCAR, Key Labour Bill, CJC Review, and More” The 3rd Annual International Litigation Finance Forum, October 2024
- “Fund Finance Current Market Practices and Trends” AIMA Alternative Credit Council Global Summit, October 2024
- “Sources of Leverage in 2024,” Schulte London Investment Management Hot Topics, May 2024
- “Operational Issues,” Schulte London Investment Management Hot Topics, May 2023
- “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,” Schulte Webinar, February 2021
- “Finance Strategies and Structures,” Schulte 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,” Schulte Webinar, October 2020
- Jones Day
- Louis Dreyfus Commodities
- Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
- Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer