MA Financial injects $200m into divorce lending platform

Yasmine Raso

Senior Journalist

15 July 2025

Australian private credit provider, MA Financial, has committed $200 million in funding to JustFund, a dedicated lender supporting Australians with the legal costs associated with divorce and separation.

The funding facility has provided JustFund with the means to grow its operations and open up its services to a wider range of clients.

The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)-listed alternative asset manager cited JustFund’s “one-of-a-kind” funding model as one of the reasons behind the investment, as the platform offers financing based on the individual’s expected settlement amount instead of their credit score, income or employment status.

This enables JustFund’s mission to provide “fair and affordable legal support” especially for lower income earners and other Australians ineligible to access Legal Aid but also without the necessary finances to fund legal fees.

“We were attracted to JustFund’s operating model, disciplined underwriting, and consistently strong credit performance – particularly given its substantial loan portfolio growth over the past two years,” Guy Kaufman, Executive Director (Global Credit Solutions) at MA Financial Group, said.

“The bespoke asset-backed lending facility we designed for its specialised funding platform highlights private capital’s ability to develop tailored funding solutions.

“We view this partnership as an opportunity for MA Financial to support JustFund’s next stage of growth and goal of delivering real-world impact, while also providing a strong credit investment opportunity for our clients.”

JustFund was first founded in 2022 by lawyers Jack O’Donnell and Andy O’Connor after partnering with fintech professional, Craig Carroll, who later also became Executive Chairman.

In three years, the financing platform has built a partnership network of over 900 national family law firms, seen a 40 per cent increase in applications year-on-year, and assisted with the division of more than $1.3 billion in relationship property assets.

“This facility is more than just capital — it’s a clear vote of confidence in the JustFund model, and recognition of the urgent social need we are solving,” Carroll said.

“This marks a pivotal new chapter for our company and the people we support.

“Divorce doesn’t discriminate. Separation affects Australians from all walks of life — including those who appear financially comfortable on paper, but whose assets are tied up in property or frozen by virtue of the legal process.

“Even people who have worked hard and built wealth can find themselves unable to afford legal representation when it matters most.

“We were fortunate to be in the position to choose our partner, and MA Financial stood out as the right fit. Their deep experience in legal finance and their commitment to innovation meant they understood both our market and our mission.

“Access to justice shouldn’t depend on wealth. This new funding allows us to support more Australians through one of life’s most stressful and vulnerable experiences — and to do it with compassion, fairness, and dignity.”

According to the lender, 70 per cent of its client base are women, 74 per cent are primary caregivers and 64 per cent have experienced domestic violence or financial abuse at the hands of a partner.