A trio of Ropes & Gray litigators have quietly launched a new litigation boutique catering to the investment management industry.

John Ertman, a longtime partner at Ropes in New York, and Caleb Dulis and Julian Helisek, who were associates, formed Ertman Dulis & Helisek in early February to offer conflict-free counsel to investment managers, their portfolio companies and other entities that are defending against or initiating litigation.

Ertman said such clients have become increasingly willing to assert their rights in court over the past decade. Their potential adversaries run the gamut from a company a fund has invested in, to sellers or others associated with the company, to financial institutions, he said.