AxiaFunder Returns 94% to Investors Through Second Commercial Litigation Case Win

AxiaFunder Returns 94% to Investors Through Second Commercial Litigation Case Win

LONDONApril 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — AxiaFunder, the UK’s first for-profit litigation funding platform, today announces its second case win, returning 93.75% to investors in just 15 months.

The breach of contract case, which was funded in February 2019, raised £12,000 to enforce an adjudication award against a property developer. The case was favourably settled following a three-party mediation.

It comes after AxiaFunder’s first case win produced a 43.00% return in only eight months with no losses to date.

Cormac Leech, CEO and Founder of AxiaFunder, said: “We are pleased to announce our second case win, which has produced solid returns to our investors through an Innovative Finance ISA eligible bond which was 83% principal protected via insurance. Despite market volatility in the wake of COVID-19, litigation funding offers retail and institutional investors an opportunity to diversify their investment portfolio. Unlike equities, litigation funding is uncorrelated to financial markets and the economy, continuing to generate healthy returns to investors while many other assets classes are underperforming in the current economic climate.”

AxiaFunder has a strong pipeline of vetted cases that will be launched over the coming weeks. The first of which is the relaunch of a pre-vetted case backing a ‘Francovich’ claim – an action seeking damages against a Member State for breaching EU law. The VAT dispute claim is being relaunched to reflect a recent unexpected strike-out application during the funding process. AxiaFunder expects a net 5.5x multiple on investor capital if the case wins at trial, which is expected in around 18 months. Risk Warning: Capital at risk and returns not guaranteed.

Despite COVID-19 and the resulting economic headwinds, AxiaFunder’s latest investment opportunity – a portfolio of three commercial litigation cases – was fully funded less than 24 hours after the launch of its marketing campaign.

Leech added: “The litigation funding market is expected to grow as COVID-19 increases insolvency litigation. As the UK’s first for-profit litigation funding platform, AxiaFunder is well placed to provide access to capital for many of Britain’s SMEs, who would otherwise struggle to afford the cost of litigation.

“AxiaFunder takes a stringent approach to vetting cases and only invests in those that have an estimated probability of a favourable outcome for investors of at least 70%. The vast majority of cases settle before trial with AxiaFunder’s investors typically getting paid before the claimant which improves returns.”

AxiaFunder itself recently closed an equity round raising over £250,000 of working capital, some of which was raised through Seedrs, the equity crowdfunding platform.

To date AxiaFunder has in total raised £775,000 of litigation funding for 6 commercial cases.

About AxiaFunder

Launched in November 2018, AxiaFunder (an appointed representative Share In Ltd) which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 603332) enables both retail and institutional investors to provide funding to claimants who cannot afford to pay for their legal disputes. Investors receive a return on their capital if the case wins, however should note that Capital is at risk and returns are not guaranteed.

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New North Litigation Capital Launches, Backed by £50 Million in Senior Secured Financing from Pollen Street Capital

By John Freund |

Pollen Street Capital ("Pollen Street") today announces a new senior secured credit facility of up to £50 million to New North Litigation Capital (“New North”). New North is a commercial litigation finance company and a direct subsidiary of Capital Law, a Cardiff based law firm founded in 2006.

Capital Law has a strong track record in commercial litigation, having closed over 400 claimant cases since 2001 with a 95% win rate. Drawing on its senior leadership and experienced disputes team, Capital Law launched New North to address the underserved small to mid-market segment of commercial litigation market. 

New North will be the only litigation financier in the UK owned and operated by practicing lawyers, bringing their day to day lived experience of handling mid-market litigation into pricing the risk and the funding investment decisions.

Christopher Nott, Founder and CEO of New North commented: “We are pleased to work with Pollen Street on this financing to launch New North Litigation Capital. The funding supports us to bridge a critical gap by funding claims that are often deemed too small by other players in the market. We are excited to work with the Pollen Street team as we create this new kind of litigation funding.”

Connor Marshall-Mckie, Investment Director at Pollen Street, commented:New North addresses an important gap in the litigation funding space, focusing on smaller mid-market commercial litigation. With the significant opportunity available and the deep experience of the leadership team from Capital Law we are excited to partner with the team to support their growth.”

About Pollen Street

Pollen Street is a fast-growing and high-performing private capital asset manager. Established in 2013, the firm has built deep capability across the real estate, financial and business services sectors aligned with mega-trends shaping the future of the industry. Pollen Street manages over €7bn AUM across private equity and credit strategies on behalf of investors including leading public and corporate pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and foundations, asset managers, banks, and family offices from around the world. Pollen Street has a team of over 95 professionals.

Burford’s Q2 Profits Surge on New Capital

By John Freund |

Burford Capital has delivered its strongest quarterly performance in two years, buoyed by a swelling pipeline of high-value disputes and a fresh infusion of investor cash.

A press release in PR Newswire reveals that the New York- and London-listed funder more than doubled revenue and profitability in the three months to 30 June 2025. CEO Christopher Bogart credited “very substantial levels of new business” for the uptick, noting that demand for non-recourse financing remains “as strong as we’ve ever seen.”

The stellar quarter follows a lightning-quick, two-day debt offering in July that raised $500 million—capital Burford says will be deployed across a growing roster of commercial litigations, international arbitrations, and asset-recovery campaigns. Management also highlighted significant progress in portfolio rotations, underscoring the firm’s ability to monetise older positions while writing new ones at scale. Investors will get a deeper dive when Burford hosts its earnings call today at 9 a.m. EDT.

Burford’s results arrive amid heightened regulatory chatter in Washington and Westminster, yet the numbers suggest the industry’s largest player is unfazed—for now—by talk of disclosure mandates and tax levies. The firm emphasised that its legal-finance, risk-management and asset-recovery businesses remain uncorrelated to broader markets, a pitch that continues to resonate with pension funds and endowments hunting for alternative yield.

For litigation-finance insiders, Burford’s capital-raising prowess and improving margins could have ripple effects: rival funders may face stiffer competition for marquee cases, while law-firm partners might leverage the firm’s deeper pockets to negotiate richer portfolio deals.

International Legal Finance Association (ILFA) Announces End of Year Gala and Inaugural Legal Finance Awards

By John Freund |

 The International Legal Finance Association is pleased to announce its annual End-of-Year Gala Dinner on November 13, 2025.  The event will take place at The Law Society in London, bringing together leading figures from across the legal finance industry for an evening of celebration and reflection on the year’s achievements.  

The dinner will be accompanied by the inaugural Legal Finance Awards.  The awards are designed to recognize and honor excellence across the legal finance ecosystem. They will spotlight the achievements of funders, law firms, brokers, advisors, and other key contributors to the continued growth and innovation of the industry. Nominations for the awards are now open, with the nomination form available here

“The Gala Dinner is a chance for our members and guests to gather in person and celebrate the progress we've made over the year,” said Rupert Cunningham, Global Director of Growth and Membership Engagement at ILFA. “We are especially excited to launch the Legal Finance Awards, which will shine a light on the outstanding work and impact of professionals across our field.”

Tickets for the Gala are on sale now, with discounted pricing available for ILFA members.  More information can be found here.