Burford’s Payday Shows Litigation Finance Not Just About Lawyers

Burford Capital has spent more than a decade pitching its investments as a way for Big Law firms to bridge the gap with clients reluctant to pay the steep costs of pursuing legal claims in the U.S.

Litigation funders have slowly won over lawyers in a conservative industry. Burford’s first half financial results released on Thursday highlight how another side of legal finance—referred to as “claims monetization"— has grown without the uphill battle of convincing attorneys giving up a share of their juicy contingency returns.

Investors are more frequently buying direct stakes in judgments or legal claims from the clients ...