Co-President Martyn Day comments on the news that the Ministry of Justice has announced new legislation to reverse last year’s PACCAR Supreme Court ruling, and a full review of the litigation funding sector as a whole.
“This is a very sensible and welcome development from government and follows calls from funders, lawyers and claimants, including former sub-postmaster Alan Bates, who have used third party funding agreements to access justice in the past. It will ensure that groups of claimants seeking redress resulting from wrongdoing by large corporations and other bodies will be able to focus on bringing claims without those corporations tying up court time and money in trying to unpick the funding agreements that make the claims possible. Today’s announcement will bring much needed clarity to claimants, the courts and those funding claims.
“Any reform of the collective redress sector must build on today’s welcome announcement and not undermine it. Collective redress is a vital legal mechanism by which ordinary people can seek justice when wrong is done to them by mighty corporations and other bodies. We will work closely with government on any reform that gives clarity, certainty and fairness to claimants and those who support them in bringing their claims.”
Martyn’s comments were published in The Law Society Gazette, Law.com, CDR Magazine and The Global Legal Post, 4 March 2024.
Published on March 4, 2024 by CORLA