Call to regulate third party funding

A campaign group, Justice not Profit, has called for statutory regulation of third party litigation funding in England and Wales.

It said third party litigation funders are now funding celebrity divorces and high-value personal injury claims, broadening their investments and offering “new products such as global judgment enforcement”.

It published the results of a survey, conducted by BritainThinks, of 1,261 people this summer which found more than half feel the civil justice system is becoming increasingly Americanised. One respondent commented that “people are being encouraged to extract money from companies and other people…this all came from the USA”. More than 60% had negative views of third party litigation funders, and disliked the rise in advertising for compensation.