Bentham IMF Hires Recognized International Arbitration Expert in Canada

Bentham IMF Hires Recognized International Arbitration Expert in Canada

Dispute financing company Bentham IMF has hired well-known international arbitration expert Annie Lespérance, FCIArb, as Legal Counsel in its Montreal office as it continues to expand both its arbitration bench strength, and its presence in a growing Quebec market. Annie is the eighth lawyer to join the Canadian team, and will assist in assessing commercial litigation and arbitration matters, where clients seek funding to manage the cost or risk of pursuing a claim. Prior to joining Bentham, Annie practised as a lawyer at Cabinet Yves Fortier (2012-2019) and the Permanent Court of Arbitration (2011-2012), where she acted as Secretary to Arbitral Tribunals in international commercial, investor-State and sports arbitration disputes under a wide range of procedural rules (ICC, ICSID, LCIA, UNCITRAL, PCA, ICDR, SIAC, HKIAC, CAS, SDRCC) and governing laws. Annie has been appointed as an arbitrator and is a member of various arbitration rosters, including NAFTA’s Chapter 19 Roster of Panelists and ICDR Canada’s panel of arbitrators. She has also been recognized as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) based in London, UK. Annie’s hire reflects the growth in arbitration funding, as well as the increasing demand for litigation funding across Canada.  Annie will leverage her unique experience acting as arbitral secretary for one of the world’s preeminent arbitrators to conduct due diligence on potential investments, and work with lawyers and clients to manage funded matters. She adds considerable depth to Bentham IMF’s global arbitration team, which also recently welcomed Dana MacGrath, the president of Arbitral Women and a leading international arbitration lawyer who was previously a partner at Sidley Austin in New York. Bentham’s team includes arbitration experts in Canada, the US, the UK, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia. “Litigation funders have become key players in the arbitration and commercial litigation landscape. I am absolutely delighted to join the world’s oldest and most experienced dispute financing company and a team of sophisticated lawyers,” says Annie. Annie adds to a growing team in Montreal that includes Montreal office leader and former McCarthy Tétrault LLP partner Pierre-Jérôme Bouchard, and senior advisor George Hendy, a veteran Montreal litigator who practised for over 45 years at Ogilvy Renault (now Norton Rose Fulbright Canada), Phillips & Vineberg (now Davies, Ward, Philipps and Vineberg LLP) and Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt. “Annie’s arrival truly complements our team in Montreal. She brings a different and unique experience and will be a great asset for claimants not only in the international arbitration space, including both commercial and investor-state disputes, but also in all types of cases,” says Pierre-Jérôme. Annie earned her law degree from Université de Montréal and her LL.M. cum laude, from Leiden University. Annie was called to the Quebec Bar in 2010 and to the Paris Bar in 2011. She is fluent in French, English and Spanish. Bentham IMF is delighted to welcome Annie to the team. She can be reached atalesperance@benthamimf.ca or +1-514-795-8787.
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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.