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17 June 2026
Issue: 8166 / Categories: Legal News , Litigation funding , Competition , Collective action , Costs
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Merricks funder loses settlement challenge

Litigation funder Innsworth Capital has lost its case over its share of the £200m settlement in former financial ombudsman Walter Merricks’ lengthy opt-out collective action against Mastercard

Merricks’ claim, launched in 2016, was initially valued at about £14bn but eventually settled for £200m. Innsworth argued for equal division, giving potential claimants £4.50 with the unclaimed amount (in practice, all of it) going to the funder.

However, the High Court held the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) was correct to allocate about £68m to Innsworth, representing its costs in the case plus a profit of about £22m, in R (on the application of Innsworth Capital) v CAT [2026] EWHC 1393 (Admin).

Merricks hailed the result ‘a complete vindication’. 

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Gateley Legal—Jack Kelly

Gateley Legal—Jack Kelly

Gateley Legal expands Midlands residential development team

Gibson Dunn—Richard Surtees

Gibson Dunn—Richard Surtees

Gibson Dunn adds employee benefits and executive compensation practice in London with partner Richard Surtees

Laytons ETL—Alec Cameron

Laytons ETL—Alec Cameron

Laytons ETL appoints new partner and head of intellectual property disputes

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The legal profession is undergoing a fundamental shift from selling services to creating technology-enabled products, according to Professor Luke Mason, Head of School of Law at Regent's University London
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