IMF Australia launches Bentham Capital in US

Global Leader in Litigation Funding Enters The World’s Most Active Legal Market

The world’s most experienced commercial litigation funder, IMF Australia, entered the U.S. market today with the launch of Bentham Capital LLC. The announcement represents a significant development in the commercial litigation funding marketplace, since the US is the most active legal market, and IMF is the largest litigation commercial funder in Australia, and one of the largest in the world.

Bentham will operate as a subsidiary of IMF Australia. It will invest in large commercial and patent disputes, as well as international, environmental, qui tam and other complex litigation.

Bentham is run by Ralph Sutton and Charlie Gollow. Sutton, one of the most experienced commercial litigation funders in the US, was previously a co-founder and director of Credit Suisse’s Litigation Risk Strategies group. Gollow is a senior investment manager at IMF and has been with the company since 2003. Bentham is based in New York City.

IMF (Australia) Ltd, the first publicly traded litigation financier, is Australia's most successful funder, with close to $2 billion of case value under management. IMF boasts an outstanding track record, with a 95% success rate for completed cases, and currently invests in Australia, the US, the UK, South Africa and New Zealand.

“IMF’s business model and approach are ideal for the U.S. market,” said Sutton. “The IMF team uses rigorous internal analytics when assessing opportunities, and their track record is outstanding. Entering the US market now is a smart move for them, and a great opportunity for me.”

“We have successfully funded a number of cases in the U.S. over the years,” said Gollow. “We decided it was time to focus our efforts, but we needed expert guidance. With Ralph, we found someone with a deep understanding of the US litigation funding market who also shares our core values. I look forward to working with him to establish Bentham as the experienced US funder of choice.”

Commercial litigation finance is the investment of capital to assist a plaintiff with litigation expenses, or to provide a litigant with risk mitigation, similar to insurance. A litigation finance investment is usually non-recourse, meaning the investor gets no return unless the case resolves favorably.

Bentham Capital LLC is named for Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), the British philosopher and reformer. Bentham advocated for women’s rights, and for the abolition of slavery and the antiquated doctrines of champerty and maintenance.