<p>作者：Mike Scarcella</p>
<p>华盛顿，11 月 19 日（路透社）——德克萨斯州的一名法官在诉讼融资公司 Burford Capital（BURF.L）试图收回 3500 万美元投资于破产食品分销商 Harvest Sherwood 提起的反垄断诉讼时遭遇挫折。Burford 的关联公司在 7 月份起诉 Harvest Sherwood，声称他们与该公司在 2022 年达成的资助反垄断索赔协议价值高达 11 亿美元，实际上是作为一笔有担保贷款，并赋予 Burford 对案件收益的优先权。美国达拉斯破产法院首席法官 Stacey Jernigan 在上周的裁决中驳回了这些论点，认为 Burford 的关联公司 Blakemore Investments 和 Milwaukee Investments 未能证明他们所谓的资本提供协议使他们有权在像摩根大通这样的有担保债权人之前获得付款。</p>
<p>Burford 及其律师在周二未立即回应置评请求。Harvest Sherwood 的律师也没有立即发表评论。</p>
<p>位于底特律的 Harvest Sherwood 曾是美国最大的独立批发食品分销商。Harvest Sherwood 于 5 月份申请破产，其指控猪肉、鸡肉和牛肉生产商非法操纵价格的反垄断诉讼是该公司剩余的关键资产之一。</p>
<p>上市公司 Burford 是全球最大的诉讼融资提供商。诉讼融资方向客户提供财务支持，以换取任何和解或判决的一部分。</p>
<p>Burford 在其诉讼中指控 Harvest Sherwood“公然错误描述” 其融资协议为无担保贷款。该协议称，融资方有权获得至少 7000 万美元。</p>
<p>在寻求驳回 Burford 的诉讼时，Harvest Sherwood 的律师表示，融资方试图不当 “提升 Burford 的无担保索赔为某种模糊的高级和优先权益”。</p>
<p>Jernigan 表示，Burford 与 Harvest Sherwood 的融资合同 “不是一项优先权协议”，也没有创建任何信托或留置权。相反，法官裁定，这相当于一项无担保的偿还索赔，使 Burford 与其他普通债权人排队等待。</p>
<p>法官表示，支持 Burford 的胜诉将 “与破产政策相悖”，并损害其他利益相关者。</p>
<p>此案为 Blakemore Investments LLC 等诉 Hamilton Meat 等，案件编号为美国德克萨斯北区破产法院第 25-08008-sgj 号。</p>
<p>Blakemore 的律师：Kevin Lippman 和 Julian Vasek，来自 Munsch Hardt Kopf &amp; Harr</p>
<p>Harvest Sherwood 的律师：Rakhee Patel、Jason Hufendick 和 Stephen Hessler，来自 Sidley Austin</p>
<p>阅读更多：</p>
<p>Burford 深入研究律师事务所战略，与英国顾问达成协议</p>
<p>投资者能否参与大型律师事务所？Burford Capital 对此寄予厚望</p>
<p>诉讼融资方在预算法案戏剧和法庭胜利中获得提振</p>
<p>裁决使诉讼融资方 Burford 在火鸡价格操纵案中保持控制权</p>

<p>德克萨斯州的一名法官裁定，Burford Capital 对破产食品分销商 Harvest Sherwood 提起的 3500 万美元反垄断诉讼投资的索赔无效。法院认为，Burford 的协议并未赋予他们优先于像摩根大通这样的担保债权人的权利，将其归类为无担保索赔。此项裁决影响了 Burford 在破产程序中的地位，使其与其他普通债权人处于同一水平</p>

<p>By Mike Scarcella</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>作者：Mike Scarcella</p>
</div><p>WASHINGTON, Nov 19 (Reuters) - A judge in Texas has dealt litigation funder Burford Capital (BURF.L) a setback in its bid to collect on a $35 million investment in antitrust lawsuits brought by bankrupt food distributor Harvest Sherwood Burford affiliates had sued Harvest Sherwood in July, asserting that their 2022 agreement with the company to fund antitrust claims worth as much as $1.1 billion functioned as a secured loan and gave Burford a first-priority right to proceeds from the cases. Chief Judge Stacey Jernigan of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Dallas rejected those arguments in a ruling last week, holding that Burford affiliates Blakemore Investments and Milwaukee Investments had not shown that their so-called capital provision agreement entitled them to payment ahead of secured creditors such as JPMorgan Chase.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>华盛顿，11 月 19 日（路透社）——德克萨斯州的一名法官在诉讼融资公司 Burford Capital（BURF.L）试图收回 3500 万美元投资于破产食品分销商 Harvest Sherwood 提起的反垄断诉讼时遭遇挫折。Burford 的关联公司在 7 月份起诉 Harvest Sherwood，声称他们与该公司在 2022 年达成的资助反垄断索赔协议价值高达 11 亿美元，实际上是作为一笔有担保贷款，并赋予 Burford 对案件收益的优先权。美国达拉斯破产法院首席法官 Stacey Jernigan 在上周的裁决中驳回了这些论点，认为 Burford 的关联公司 Blakemore Investments 和 Milwaukee Investments 未能证明他们所谓的资本提供协议使他们有权在像摩根大通这样的有担保债权人之前获得付款。</p>
</div><p>Burford and its lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. Attorneys for Harvest Sherwood had no immediate comment.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>Burford 及其律师在周二未立即回应置评请求。Harvest Sherwood 的律师也没有立即发表评论。</p>
</div><p>Detroit-based Harvest Sherwood was once the country’s largest independent wholesale food distributor. Harvest Sherwood declared bankruptcy in May, and its antitrust lawsuits accusing pork, chicken and beef producers of illegally fixing prices are among the company’s key remaining assets.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>位于底特律的 Harvest Sherwood 曾是美国最大的独立批发食品分销商。Harvest Sherwood 于 5 月份申请破产，其指控猪肉、鸡肉和牛肉生产商非法操纵价格的反垄断诉讼是该公司剩余的关键资产之一。</p>
</div><p>Publicly-traded Burford is the world’s largest litigation finance provider. Litigation funders provide financial support to clients in exchange for a part of any settlement or judgment.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>上市公司 Burford 是全球最大的诉讼融资提供商。诉讼融资方向客户提供财务支持，以换取任何和解或判决的一部分。</p>
</div><p>Burford in its lawsuit accused Harvest Sherwood of “blatantly mischaracterizing” its funding agreement as an unsecured loan. The agreement said the funders were entitled to at least $70 million.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>Burford 在其诉讼中指控 Harvest Sherwood“公然错误描述” 其融资协议为无担保贷款。该协议称，融资方有权获得至少 7000 万美元。</p>
</div><p>In seeking to dismiss Burford’s lawsuit, which was filed as part of the bankruptcy, Harvest Sherwood’s lawyers said the funders sought improperly to “elevate Burford’s unsecured claim to some amorphous senior and first priority interest.”</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>在寻求驳回 Burford 的诉讼时，Harvest Sherwood 的律师表示，融资方试图不当 “提升 Burford 的无担保索赔为某种模糊的高级和优先权益”。</p>
</div><p>Jernigan said Burford’s funding contract with Harvest Sherwood was “not a subordination agreement” and created no trust or lien. Instead, the judge ruled, it amounted to an unsecured claim for repayment, leaving Burford to wait in line with other general creditors.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>Jernigan 表示，Burford 与 Harvest Sherwood 的融资合同 “不是一项优先权协议”，也没有创建任何信托或留置权。相反，法官裁定，这相当于一项无担保的偿还索赔，使 Burford 与其他普通债权人排队等待。</p>
</div><p>The judge said granting a victory for Burford would “contradict bankruptcy policy” and harm other stakeholders.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>法官表示，支持 Burford 的胜诉将 “与破产政策相悖”，并损害其他利益相关者。</p>
</div><p>The case is Blakemore Investments LLC et al v. Hamilton Meat et al, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, No. 25-08008-sgj.</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>此案为 Blakemore Investments LLC 等诉 Hamilton Meat 等，案件编号为美国德克萨斯北区破产法院第 25-08008-sgj 号。</p>
</div><p>For Blakemore: Kevin Lippman and Julian Vasek of Munsch Hardt Kopf &amp; Harr</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>Blakemore 的律师：Kevin Lippman 和 Julian Vasek，来自 Munsch Hardt Kopf &amp; Harr</p>
</div><p>For Harvest Sherwood: Rakhee Patel, Jason Hufendick and Stephen Hessler of Sidley Austin</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>Harvest Sherwood 的律师：Rakhee Patel、Jason Hufendick 和 Stephen Hessler，来自 Sidley Austin</p>
</div><p>Read more:</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>阅读更多：</p>
</div><p>Burford drills down on law firm strategy with UK advisory deal</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>Burford 深入研究律师事务所战略，与英国顾问达成协议</p>
</div><p>Can investors buy in to Big Law? Burford Capital bets on it</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>投资者能否参与大型律师事务所？Burford Capital 对此寄予厚望</p>
</div><p>Litigation funders get a boost in budget bill drama, court wins</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>诉讼融资方在预算法案戏剧和法庭胜利中获得提振</p>
</div><p>Ruling keeps litigation funder Burford in control of turkey price-fixing case</p>
<div class="lb-trans"><p>裁决使诉讼融资方 Burford 在火鸡价格操纵案中保持控制权</p>
</div>

Burford 对反垄断索赔的 3500 万美元押注在美国破产法院遇到了阻碍