Woodsford Litigation Funding today announced that Fidelma Macken SC, a retired judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland and a former judge of the Court of Justice of the European Union, has joined the company’s non-executive Investment Advisory Panel.
Judge Macken has been called to the Irish Bar and to the Bar of England and Wales, and is a door tenant at Brick Court Chambers in London. Following her appointment as a judge of the High Court of Ireland, in 1999 Judge Macken became the first woman judge to be appointed to the Court of Justice of the European Union. In 2004 she returned to the High Court of Ireland, and in 2005 was appointed to the Irish Supreme Court, from which she retired in 2012.
During her time in judicial office Judge Macken presided over or was a member of the formation in many seminal cases involving a wide range of legal issue, at European and national level, including in the areas of the environment (waste, water, special areas of conservation), free movement, intellectual property, regulatory control, telecommunications, privacy and data protection, the European Arrest Warrant, and in a broad range of constitutional and EU Treaty matters.
Judge Macken’s appointment adds to an already very high calibre Investment Advisory Panel at Woodsford Litigation Funding. Other members of the panel include Sir Roger Buckley, who spent 15 years as a High Court judge in the Queen’s Bench Division, John Beechey, a past President of the International Court of Arbitration of the ICC, and John Potts, formerly head of the dispute resolution team at Clifford Chance.
Judge Macken said:
“Woodsford Litigation Funding is an exciting and enterprising business in a growing industry. As a lawyer and as a judge, I have had the privilege of experiencing different perspectives on the administration of justice. My work with Woodsford will afford me yet another interesting perspective, one that combines legal and commercial considerations in the pursuit of justice.”
Woodsford’s Chairman Yves Bonavero said:
“Woodsford Litigation Funding is committed to access to justice, funding meritorious claims that might otherwise be thwarted by the costs and risks involved in high value litigation and arbitration. Our Investment Advisory Panel plays a crucial role in ensuring that we invest only in good cases. I am delighted that Judge Macken has agreed to join the panel. She is a brilliant jurist, whose legal and commercial judgment will add significantly to our business.”
Woodsford’s Chief Investment Officer Steven Friel said:
“Our existing portfolio of cases includes intellectual property litigation, investment treaty arbitrations, and class actions. We have a global client base, and we work with lawyers in a number of jurisdictions around the world. Judge Macken’s appointment will help the Investment Advisory Panel monitor our existing portfolio, and help ensure that our future investments are sound. It will be a great privilege to work with her.”
Founded in 2010, Woodsford Litigation Funding soon developed a reputation as a leading litigation funding team. The business was recently included on The Leap 100 2016 – a list of the 100 most exciting, fast-growth companies in the UK, launched by Mishcon de Reya and City AM.
Woodsford Litigation Funding is a founder member of the Association of Litigation Funders of England and Wales, the body dedicated to promoting best practice in the litigation funding industry and campaigning to improve the uses and applications of litigation funding.
Contact:
Steven Friel
+44 (0) 20 7313 8071
