As champerty and maintenance legislation regarding the funding of arbitrations and related proceedings relaxes in both Singapore and Hong Kong, Burford Capital has announced it is funding an arbitration, working alongside Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF), thought to be the first Singaporean-seated arbitration funded under the new legislative regime.
Confirming the arrangement, a spokesperson for NRF said Hong Kong-based partner Camille Jojo is lead partner on the matter.
Additionally, Burford has hired James MacKinnon, a registered foreign lawyer in Hong Kong, from Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF). Prior to his three years at HSF, MacKinnon spent five months as a secondee to the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre in the role as counsel in the secretariat. He has also spent time at DLA Piper in the United Arab Emirates, having started his legal career at White & Case in London.
Having participated in the Third-Party Funding for Arbitration sub-committee of the Law Reform Commission in Hong Kong, MacKinnon was instrumental in the committee’s consultation paper it put forward in favour of a law change against the funding of arbitrations in Hong Kong.
