Marquez brings extensive class action and employment litigation expertise to the ADR firm

LOS ANGELES, March 24, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Signature Resolution, a leader in alternative dispute resolution, is pleased to announce the addition of Justin F. Marquez to its panel of neutrals. With over 15 years of experience litigating complex class actions and employment disputes, Marquez has built a reputation as a strategic and results-driven attorney, securing landmark victories in wage and hour, consumer protection, and data breach cases.

“I have spent my career litigating complex class actions and employment cases, involving both individuals and businesses in high-stakes disputes,” said Marquez. “I know firsthand the challenges that come with litigation, and I’m excited to bring my experience to Signature Resolution as a mediator. My goal is to help parties find intelligent, strategic, and practical solutions that achieve meaningful results.”

Marquez has successfully litigated cases at the highest levels, including the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the California Court of Appeal, and federal district courts nationwide. Prior to joining Signature Resolution, he was a Senior Partner at Wilshire Law Firm, where he developed and led the firm’s wage and hour class action practice. Under his leadership, the department became one of California’s most formidable class action teams, securing over $75 million in settlements in 2023 alone. His extensive background in complex litigation makes him uniquely equipped to navigate the nuanced factors that drive case valuation and resolution strategies.

“We are thrilled to welcome Justin Marquez to our panel,” said Dario Higuchi, founding partner and managing member at Signature Resolution. “His impressive track record in class action suits within California, his deep understanding of employment law, and his ability to connect with parties will make him an invaluable addition to our team and the clients we aim to serve.”

Marquez holds a Juris Doctorate from Notre Dame Law School and a Bachelor of Arts from UCLA, where he graduated magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and with College Honors. His legal expertise has been widely recognized—he was honored with the California Lawyers Attorney of the Year (CLAY) Award by the Daily Journal in 2024. He has also been recognized among the “Best Lawyers in America” since 2023, designated as a “Super Lawyer” since 2022, and previously honored as a “Super Lawyer Rising Star.”

At Signature Resolution, Marquez will focus on mediating disputes in class actions, PAGA, employment law, consumer protection, wage and hour, privacy violations, and complex litigation. His approach emphasizes practicality, strategic insight, and balanced risk assessment, ensuring that all parties achieve meaningful and effective resolutions.

To learn more about Justin F. Marquez, please visit signatureresolution.com.

About Signature Resolution

Founded in 2017 in the heart of Los Angeles, Signature Resolution comprises a panel of distinguished neutrals hailing from diverse backgrounds, including respected judges and trial attorneys specializing in virtually every civil practice area. The founding partners inaugurated the organization with a vision of providing the highest level of service and convenience for attorneys and their clients. Signature Resolution’s panelists offer unrivaled expertise and commitment to resolve even the most challenging legal matters. In addition to the Los Angeles location, Signature Resolution also has offices in Century City, San Diego, Oakland, and Silicon Valley. For more information about the firm’s mediation, arbitration and other dispute resolution services, visit https://signatureresolution.com.

Media Contact

Media Team, Signature Resolution, 1 9499951459, media@signatureresolution.com, https://signatureresolution.com/

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Investment in team follows Mesirow’s December 2024 acquisition of Bastion Management, now operating as Mesirow Alternative Credit.New hires bring deep expertise in asset-backed specialty finance, deal origination, structuring, strategic partnerships and client relationship management.Mesirow continues to expand its differentiated alternative investment solutions for institutional and high-net-worth investors.

CHICAGO, March 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Mesirow, an independent, employee-owned financial services firm, is pleased to announce the expansion of its Alternative Credit team with three strategic hires. This growth reinforces Mesirow’s commitment to providing institutional and high-net-worth investors with an increasing number of differentiated alternative investment offerings.

The new hires follow Mesirow’s December 2024 acquisition of Bastion Management, a leading asset-backed lender now operating as Mesirow Alternative Credit:

Nicholas Paidas joins as Director, Capital Markets and Sourcing, leading efforts in deal origination, structuring, and strategic partnerships. He brings extensive experience in capital markets, having previously held senior roles at Yieldstreet and Mission Capital Advisors, where he specialized in Private Credit and Specialty Finance structuring, underwriting, and originations.Servia Rindfleish has been appointed Client Portfolio Manager, leveraging 14 years of investment management experience. In this role, she will drive business development efforts, focusing on building and strengthening partnerships with existing and prospective clients, LPs, consultants and other investor classes.Bryce Labonski joins as Associate, Asset Management, bringing expertise in portfolio monitoring and unit economic modeling. 

“We are pleased to welcome Nicholas, Servia and Bryce to the team,” said Jay Braden, CEO and Co-Chief Investment Officer of Mesirow Alternative Credit. “We look forward to their contributions as we continue to offer clients strong return potential and top-tier client service.”

Since its inception in 2013, the Alternative Credit team has successfully closed over 50 transactions, committing more than $2 billion to both traditional consumer lending platforms and emerging fintech companies. Under the leadership of Jay Braden; Tim Joyce, Co-Chief Investment Officer; and Tim Reimink, Head of Asset Management, the Alternative Credit team will continue to provide creative solutions to small and mid-sized businesses in the alternative finance space across North America and the UK.

Beyond Alternative Credit, Mesirow remains focused on its established Private Capital and Currency platform, which includes Mesirow Currency Management, Mesirow Private Equity and Mesirow Institutional Real Estate Direct Investments. Additionally, the firm continues to grow its wealth management, fiduciary services, and capital markets/investment banking offerings.

As of December 31, 2024, Mesirow had $306.2B in total assets under supervision.1

About Mesirow
Mesirow is an independent, employee-owned financial services firm founded in 1937. Headquartered in Chicago, with offices around the world, we serve clients through a personal, custom approach to reaching financial goals and acting as a force for social good. With capabilities spanning Global Investment Management, Capital Markets & Investment Banking, and Advisory Services, we invest in what matters: our clients, our communities and our culture. To learn more, visit mesirow.com, follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to Spark, our quarterly newsletter.

Mesirow has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business multiple times and is one of Barron’s Top 100 RIA firms.

Media
mediainquiries@mesirow.com
Michael Herley | 203.308.1409

Mesirow refers to Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. and its divisions, subsidiaries and affiliates. The Mesirow name and logo are registered service marks of Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc., © 2025, Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved. Investment management services provided through Mesirow Financial Investment Management, Inc., Mesirow Institutional Investment Management, Inc. and Mesirow Financial Private Equity Advisors, Inc., all SEC-registered investment advisor, a CFTC registered commodity trading advisors and member of the NFA, or Mesirow Financial International UK, Ltd. (“MFIUK”), authorized and regulated by the FCA, depending on the jurisdiction.

As of 12.31.2024 unless otherwise noted. | 1. “Assets under supervision” includes regulatory assets under management; assets under advisement; and non-securities currency assets under management. For these purposes: (1) regulatory assets under management (“RAUM”) is calculated in accordance with Instruction 5A of Form ADV and includes all assets of securities portfolios (both discretionary and non-discretionary). (2) Some assets under advisement (“AUA”) are on a 45-to-90-day lag due to time needed to confirm away assets. (3) Currency assets under management includes AUM associated with (i) active and passive currency risk management products $175.23 billion, (ii) non-fx overlay strategies such as equitization and beta overlays $885.03 million, and (iii) alpha strategies $1.57 billion. In all such cases, AUM is calculated based on notional value of currency investments. Additionally, AUM for alpha strategies is adjusted because clients can select a volatility target (generally between 2% and 12% annualized), which is normalized to 2% in order to create a consistent depiction of alpha strategy AUM. This results in a “scaled” AUM, which is higher than the actual aggregate notional value of all alpha strategy portfolios if clients have selected a volatility target higher than 2%. As of 12.31.2024, the “unscaled” AUM for alpha strategies was $365.38 million.

Mesirow refers to Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. and its divisions, subsidiaries and affiliates. The Mesirow name and logo are registered service marks of Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. © 2025. All rights reserved. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable but is not necessarily complete and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Any opinions expressed are subject to change without notice. It should not be assumed that any recommendations incorporated herein will be profitable or will equal past performance. Any targeted returns mentioned herein will not necessarily be achieved and materially different returns may be achieved. Nothing contained herein constitutes an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy an interest in any Mesirow investment vehicle. Any offer can only be made to qualified, institutional, eligible contract participant, or accredited investors through the appropriate Offering Memorandum which contains important information concerning risk factors and other material aspects of the investment and should be read carefully before an investment decision is made. Mesirow does not provide legal or tax advice. Securities offered by Mesirow Financial, Inc. member FINRA and SIPC. Mesirow Financial International UK, Ltd., authorized and regulated by the FCA, depending on the jurisdiction. Investment advisory services offered through Mesirow Financial Investment Management, Inc., Mesirow Institutional Investment Management, Inc., Mesirow Financial Private Equity Advisors, Inc., and Mesirow RE- IA, Inc., all SEC-registered investment advisers. If you are not the intended recipient, you are strictly prohibited from disclosing, copying, distributing or using any of this information. If you received this communication in error, please contact the sender immediately and destroy the material in its entirety, whether electronic or hard copy. Confidential, proprietary or time-sensitive communications should not be transmitted via the Internet, as there can be no assurance of actual or timely delivery, receipt and/or confidentiality.

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Multi-Unit Deals Drive Franchise Growth as Brand Demonstrates International Appeal for Premier Battery Retailor

HARTLAND, Wis., March 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Batteries Plus, the world’s leading consumer and business specialty battery franchise, is set to take on the 2025 Multi-Unit Franchising Convention (MUFC) in Las Vegas March 25 – 28, 2025. The event comes on the heels of remarkable multi-unit growth for the brand, with 80-85% of all signings in 2024 being multi-unit deals, and five out of six signings so far in 2025 following the same trend.

Multi-Unit Success
Batteries Plus continues to attract experienced multi-unit operators across diverse markets. A prime example is the multi-unit developments in Phoenix, where Tony Lutfi, a seasoned franchisee, acquired 11 operating stores and signed a multi-unit deal to bring an additional seven locations to the area. During last year’s MUFC, Lufti was part of a panel that shared strategic approaches to vetting emerging brands and industries, how to understand the criteria to anticipate their success, and explore actionable steps to seamlessly add new brands to your expanding enterprise.

In addition to the Phoenix expansion, Batteries Plus is proud to highlight its recent multi-unit deal with Power Fortune, Inc. in the Boston area, further demonstrating the brand’s appeal to experienced multi-unit operators throughout the country. The first Boston-area location is expected to open in spring of 2025, with additional locations planned for Dedham, Quincy/Braintree, and Brockton.

Established as a premier gathering for multi-unit franchise owners and operators, MUFC has evolved into a dynamic platform for sharing insights, fostering collaboration, and exploring the latest trends in the franchising space. Over the years, the conference has served as a catalyst for innovation, providing attendees with valuable networking opportunities, expert-led sessions, and inspirational keynotes. As the go-to event for multi-unit franchise professionals, the conference continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the franchising industry.

Growing Brand Awareness Globally
Leading up to MUFC this past Friday, Batteries Plus hosted 58 members of the Brazilian Franchise Association at franchisee Jimmy Lipp’s store in Miami Lakes, Florida. The immersive experience provided a firsthand look at Batteries Plus store operations, growing brand awareness with international investors looking to learn more about franchise opportunities in the United States. Victor Daher and Brandon Mangual, the brand’s Vice Presidents of Franchise Development, were also present to educate attendees on the franchise opportunity.

“This was a special opportunity to showcase the Batteries Plus franchise opportunity to our esteemed guests from the Brazilian Franchise Association,” said Daher. “The event not only demonstrates the global appeal of our brand but also underscores our commitment to fostering entrepreneurship across diverse markets.”

To learn more about franchising with Batteries Plus, please visit batteriesplusfranchise.com.

ABOUT BATTERIES PLUS:
Batteries Plus, founded in 1988 and headquartered in Hartland, Wis., is a leading omnichannel retailer of batteries, specialty light bulbs and phone repair services for the direct-to-consumer and commercial channels. The retailer also offers key programming, replacement and cutting services. Through a nationwide network of stores, the company offers a differentiated value proposition of unrivaled product selection, in-stock availability and customer service. Batteries Plus is owned by Freeman Spogli, a private equity firm based in Los Angeles and New York City. To learn more about one of Forbes®’ Best Franchises to Buy in America, visit https://www.batteriesplusfranchise.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Cole Koretos, Fishman Public Relations, ckoretos@fishmanpr.com or (847) 331-1190

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