Kristen Smith
MelbourneInvestment Management Team Co-Lead
Kristen Smith is the Investment Management Team Co-Lead, overseeing the due diligence and investment activities for single party and portfolio investments of the Australian Investment Management team.
Kristen is also responsible for the due diligence and management of a broad range of funded cases including class action matters, single party claims, and portfolios of claims.
Kristen joined Omni Bridgeway in 2015 and has led numerous successfully resolved disputes, including the class actions against Bellamy’s Australia Limited and companies in the Murray Goulburn group, which have generated tens of millions of dollars of recoveries for claimants. She has also developed novel financing products to assist law firms achieve their growth strategies.
Prior to joining Omni Bridgeway, Kristen worked in Slater and Gordon’s Commercial and Project Litigation team from 2008. In legal practice, Kristen worked on a range of insolvency matters, commercial disputes, class action matters and several large scale out-of-court dispute resolution schemes with major financial institutions.
Kristen has also worked for Dundas & Wilson (now CMS) in Scotland and as an Associate to the Supreme Court of Victoria’s Associate Justice Efthim. In 2004 she was awarded the Victoria Law Foundation Chief Justice’s Medal for Excellence and Community Service. Kristen serves as the Vice President on the board of MESS Ltd, a not-for-profit arts organisation.
Kristen holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne. Kristen also holds also holds a Certificate of Attainment (ASIC specialist knowledge in RG146 Managed Investments) from the Financial Education Professionals.
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- Co-Author. Litigation: Six steps to success – Law Institute of Victoria Journal – 1 Oct 2020
- Co-Author. Costs budgeting: controlling the costs of litigation. The Australian Corporate Lawyer, Volume 29, Issue 1 – Autumn 2019
- Contributor. IMF Bentham’s Response to the Australian Law Reform Commission’s inquiry into class action proceedings and third-party litigation funders. August 2018.
- Author. What your small to medium sized business needs to know about litigation funding. IMF Bentham Blog. 3 October 2017.
- Author. The benefits of sharing your business litigation risk. IMF Bentham Blog. 3 February 2017.
- Author. At what stage should you involve a litigation funder? IMF Bentham Blog. 15 December 2016.
- New-to-In-House Round Table – Legal Counsel or Counsellor. Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC). 29 November 2021.
- Demystifying Dispute Financing - Litigation as an Asset. Presentation. CPA Australia. 22 September 2021. Webinar
- Putting a price on privacy: The evolving legal landscape in Australia & beyond. Panel. Omni Bridgeway. 25 March 2021. Webinar
- Issues for In-House Counsel. Holding Redlich. Panel. 11 November 2020. Webinar.
- PFAS Contamination in Gippsland. Community Presentation. 4 October 2018. Gippsland, VIC.
- Corporate Funding Hypothetical. Minter Ellison. 9 March 2018. Melbourne, VIC.
- Litigation Funding for Insolvency Claims. KordaMentha. 6 October 2016. Melbourne, VIC.
- Litigation Funding for Insolvency Professionals. S.V. Partners. 30 June 2016. Melbourne, VIC.
- Litigation Funding for Insolvency and Commercial Claims. PCI Partners. 9 June 2016. Melbourne, VIC.
- Litigation Funding for Insolvency Professionals. Ferrier Hodgson. 27 April 2016. Melbourne, VIC.
- Litigation Funding for Insolvency and Commercial Claims. Cornwall Stoddart. 13 April 2016. Melbourne, VIC.
- Insolvency Litigation Funding. McGrath Nichol. 26 February 2016. Melbourne, VIC.
