Financial consultants at Novo Advisors have expanded into Philadelphia and added mediation to their service offerings, bringing on Reed Smith bankruptcy and restructuring partner Claudia Springer as a mediator.

Springer concluded an almost 20-year career with the Pittsburgh-founded international law firm at the start of May to help head up Chicago-based Novo Advisors’ Philadelphia office, its fifth geographic location since the company launched 12 years ago. The move comes as litigators turn to alternate dispute resolution as a potentially cheaper, confidential alternative to litigating in court, according to Springer.