2023 speakers

Ed is the Founder and CEO of Bridge Legal. Launched in 2018, Bridge Legal stands as the leading platform for high-volume litigation firms and funders offering comprehensive solutions for capital deployment, client acquisition, and case maturation. Bridge’s software platform, Bridgify, provides predictive analytics to manage risk and improve ROI for funders and firms.

Prior to Bridge, Ed founded and was CEO of Total Attorneys. Since its inception in 2002, Total Attorneys was a pioneer in legal technology and digital marketing, inventing the legal lead generation industry and growing to serve thousands of law firms across the United States until its sale to Internet Brands in 2014.

In 2021, Ed launched the specialty finance company Ute Capital, which provides capital to firms building mass tort portfolios. In 2022, Ute raised a $50MM institutional facility to fund its strategies.

Ed was inducted into the Chicagoland Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame, was listed in Crain’s Chicago Business 40 under 40, named Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization’s Young CEO of the Year, and was a Midwest Finalist for the Ernest and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He has been featured in multiple publications, including the New York Times, Business Week, Inc., Smart Money, Crain’s Chicago Business, and the Chicago Tribune.