Funded disputes, or litigation funding, have become a prominent feature of the litigation landscape. Recently, Shepherd and Wedderburn announced that it has secured an innovative portfolio-based litigation finance arrangement from Burford Capital. The funded disputes portfolio is the first of its kind to be offered by a top 100 UK law firm and major funder.
This multi-million-pound undertaking provides flexible capital that Shepherd and Wedderburn can use to expand its ability to offer alternative fee arrangements to clients and grow the firm’s reach in commercial litigation and arbitration. Similar portfolio arrangements have proved increasingly attractive to US law firms, including those practicing in the UK. They enable clients to reduce their risk exposure or bring disputes where they might not otherwise have had the cash flow to do so, effectively turning litigation into an asset. This provides a competitive advantage in attracting new business and Shepherd and Wedderburn now leads the way for UK law firms in embracing the advantages of litigation funding.