Litigation funder continues advance in Asia, recruits heavy-hitter in HK

An international litigation funder has boosted its focus on Asia, recruiting a former Latham & Watkins leader.

Woodsford Litigation Funding has added Simon Powell to its investment advisory panel (IAP), reflecting the region’s increasing importance to the firm, it said. Powell joins John Beechey as the second Asia-based IAP member of the company.

Now an independent arbitrator in the region, Powell was a partner at Latham & Watkins in Hong Kong from 2010, when he joined the firm from Jones Day, where he was also a partner. He established and headed Latham & Watkins’ litigation and dispute-resolution practices in Asia and also served in leadership roles, including managing partner of the Hong Kong office.

“As various countries across Asia have liberalised their funding regimes, we have seen a significant increase in the number of requests for funding. We expect this growth to continue apace, and the need for a dedicated Asian arbitration expert on our IAP has become increasingly apparent. We are delighted to have somebody of Simon’s calibre on board,” said Charlie Morris, Woodsford’s chief investment officer for the EMEA and APAC regions.

Woodsford operates internationally out of offices in London, Philadelphia, and Singapore.

“With Hong Kong permitting arbitration funding from February 1st and a continuing increase in interest in funding for Singapore-based arbitrations, I look forward to playing my part in establishing Woodsford as the leading funder in the region,” Powell said.

The funder is also currently looking to add a business development manager in Singapore.

Simon Powell