Longtime readers will not be surprised to hear me say that I have been fascinated from afar by the criminal trial of Tom Girardi, which resulted in his conviction on four counts of wire fraud last week. 

In my former role covering litigation for Law.com’s California affiliate The Recorder, I had a front-row seat to some of the cases that foreshadowed Girardi’s fall: about half a decade ago, litigation funders started suing Girardi, his law firm Girardi Keese and his estranged wife Erika on past-due loans.