Comparative Notes on the use of Commercial Litigation Funding in Insolvency: Australia and South Africa

This article explores the application of third-party litigation funding (TPLF), also referred to as commercial litigation funding, in insolvency litigation by way of a comparison of the legal position in Australia and South Africa. It proposes that TPLF could offer significant benefits by enabling...

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Main Authors: Sulette Lombard, Andre Boraine
Format: Article
Language:Afrikaans
Published: North-West University 2023-11-01
Series:Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://perjournal.co.za/article/view/15975
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author Sulette Lombard
Andre Boraine
author_facet Sulette Lombard
Andre Boraine
author_sort Sulette Lombard
collection DOAJ
description This article explores the application of third-party litigation funding (TPLF), also referred to as commercial litigation funding, in insolvency litigation by way of a comparison of the legal position in Australia and South Africa. It proposes that TPLF could offer significant benefits by enabling liquidators of insolvent estates to pursue and enforce claims through civil proceedings with the aim of swelling the assets of the insolvent estate, ultimately to the advantage of the creditors. Since both jurisdictions share elements of English law, both were confronted with the English law doctrines of champerty and maintenance initially being regarded as impediments to the development and/or use of TPLF. Currently, and mainly due to developments in terms of case law, the concept of TPLF has in principle been accepted in both jurisdictions. However, in Australia the development originally transpired in the field of insolvency litigation. In South Africa the context was more in the confines of general litigation. It is submitted that the South African system could benefit by considering various aspects of the Australian system regarding the use of TPLF in insolvency litigation. It remains a question whether or not the respective systems would benefit by adopting comprehensive regulatory measures to regulate TPLF.  
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spelling doaj.art-934a673a3f3e4cc9bc1e1e293dda53aa2023-11-23T06:41:33ZafrNorth-West UniversityPotchefstroom Electronic Law Journal1727-37812023-11-012610.17159/1727-3781/2023/v26i0a15975Comparative Notes on the use of Commercial Litigation Funding in Insolvency: Australia and South AfricaSulette Lombard0Andre Boraine1Associate Professor in LawProfessor in Law This article explores the application of third-party litigation funding (TPLF), also referred to as commercial litigation funding, in insolvency litigation by way of a comparison of the legal position in Australia and South Africa. It proposes that TPLF could offer significant benefits by enabling liquidators of insolvent estates to pursue and enforce claims through civil proceedings with the aim of swelling the assets of the insolvent estate, ultimately to the advantage of the creditors. Since both jurisdictions share elements of English law, both were confronted with the English law doctrines of champerty and maintenance initially being regarded as impediments to the development and/or use of TPLF. Currently, and mainly due to developments in terms of case law, the concept of TPLF has in principle been accepted in both jurisdictions. However, in Australia the development originally transpired in the field of insolvency litigation. In South Africa the context was more in the confines of general litigation. It is submitted that the South African system could benefit by considering various aspects of the Australian system regarding the use of TPLF in insolvency litigation. It remains a question whether or not the respective systems would benefit by adopting comprehensive regulatory measures to regulate TPLF.   https://perjournal.co.za/article/view/15975Litigation fundingcommercial litigation fundingthird-party litigation fundinginsolvency litigation
spellingShingle Sulette Lombard
Andre Boraine
Comparative Notes on the use of Commercial Litigation Funding in Insolvency: Australia and South Africa
Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal
Litigation funding
commercial litigation funding
third-party litigation funding
insolvency litigation
title Comparative Notes on the use of Commercial Litigation Funding in Insolvency: Australia and South Africa
title_full Comparative Notes on the use of Commercial Litigation Funding in Insolvency: Australia and South Africa
title_fullStr Comparative Notes on the use of Commercial Litigation Funding in Insolvency: Australia and South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Comparative Notes on the use of Commercial Litigation Funding in Insolvency: Australia and South Africa
title_short Comparative Notes on the use of Commercial Litigation Funding in Insolvency: Australia and South Africa
title_sort comparative notes on the use of commercial litigation funding in insolvency australia and south africa
topic Litigation funding
commercial litigation funding
third-party litigation funding
insolvency litigation
url https://perjournal.co.za/article/view/15975
work_keys_str_mv AT sulettelombard comparativenotesontheuseofcommerciallitigationfundingininsolvencyaustraliaandsouthafrica
AT andreboraine comparativenotesontheuseofcommerciallitigationfundingininsolvencyaustraliaandsouthafrica