Burford Capital, the world’s largest provider of commercial legal finance, has announced the launch of phase three of its award-winning Equity Project.
Building on ongoing efforts to address the underrepresentation of diverse leaders in commercial arbitration and litigation, Burford aims to commit an additional $150 million in funding to commercial disputes led by female and racially diverse lawyers.
This brings to more than $300 million Burford’s commitment to The Equity Project since its 2018 launch with an original goal of committing $50 million to support cases led by female lawyers. In 2021, Burford aimed to commit an additional $100 million, extending funding to include racially diverse legal leaders. Burford also committed to share a portion of profits from successfully resolved Equity Project matters to organizations promoting diversity in the legal profession.
Phase three continues to build on these foundations, with plans to fund significant matters led by female and racially diverse lawyers, while also providing economic incentives to encourage firms and businesses to prioritize diverse representation.
Since its inception, The Equity Project has financed 19 complex matters, including arbitration cases, with an average funding of $8.9 million per case, demonstrating the scale and impact of its investments.
Aviva Will, President of Burford Capital and leader of the Equity Project, emphasized the dual benefits of this initiative: “The Equity Project reflects our commitment to closing the diversity gap in commercial disputes while delivering tangible value to clients. It’s about creating opportunities for talented lawyers from diverse backgrounds to take on leadership roles and driving meaningful change in the business of law.”
Submitted by ArbitralWomen member and Senior Vice President at Burford Capital, Phillipa Rogers-Nash