Bentham IMF's 2014 Year in Review

It has been a monumental year for Bentham IMF.  From great returns on investments to the addition of a new investment manager to the launch of a trusted advisory panel, Bentham’s third full year of operation kept its U.S. team on its toes to say the least.  In 2014, Bentham attained extraordinary results including:

     -     Ten American deals funded in 2014, with additional commitments expected to fund early in the new year.  Cases backed include major contract disputes, a patent infringement jury trial for a prominent technology company, partnership disputes, and five law firm case portfolios

     -     Client recoveries of nearly $100 million resulting from jury verdicts and settlements.

     -     Gross returns of more than $31 million for the year, with a net profit of $17 million.

     -     Clients’ and outside counsel returns of 69% of the recoveries, with Bentham drawing the remaining 31%.

     -     Four U.S. investments resolved in 2014 – including three that commenced in the same year.

     -     Nearly 200 total matters were reviewed for possible funding in the U.S., from a pipeline of major law firms, corporate counsel, businesses and individual claimants.

On top of these great results, Bentham continued its expansion in the U.S. with the addition of David Kerstein, a former trial lawyer from the top-tier firm, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.  In his newest role as an investment manager, Kerstein brings with him an extensive background handling complex commercial disputes.  His substantial courtroom experience includes recovering large financial sums and injunctive relief for plaintiffs, as well as scoring major defense wins.  

In addition, Bentham brought together a group of nationally recognized litigators as well as a noted ethicist to comprise its U.S. advisory panel.  The advisory panel will assist Bentham with its strong commitment to transparency, accountability, and responsibility in the U.S. litigation funding industry.  The U.S. advisory panel consists of:  Stephen Susman of Susman Godfrey; Reed Oslan of Kirkland & Ellis; Roman Silberfeld of Robins Kaplan; Peter Ostroff of Sidley Austin; Peter Gillon of Pillsbury Winthrop; and noted legal ethicist W. Bradley Wendel of Cornell Law School.

In 2015, Bentham remains committed to assist in the continued growth of the commercial litigation finance market in the U.S. as well as to achieve great results on behalf of its clients.  Cheers to a remarkable 2014 and to a bright year ahead!