Norton Rose, BLG hoping to box clever
Norton Rose, BLG hoping to box clever" />As Norton Rose puts on its boxing gloves to go the rounds with Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG) in one of the largest third party-funded lawsuits to hit the UK, the legal profession is taking bets on which of the firms will get the KO.
The firms enter the ring because Moore Stephens, a city-based accountancy and advisory firm represented by BLG, has a negligence claim from Norton Rose's client Stone & Rolls, a dissolved UK company, for $173.6m (£90m).
The feeling is that the sides are evenly matched; with Norton Rose partner Sam Eastwood backed by senior associate Richard Blann and BLG partner Julian Randall supported by partner Tim Strong, it is going to be a close call.
Norton Rose has taken a gamble by organising independent litigation funding with specialist financiers Insolvency Management. The firm's willingness to take the gamble has made it the bookies' favourite in what will be one of the most eagerly anticipated cases of the year.
