Ayse Yazır joined Bench Walk Advisors in 2018 and is Global Head of Origination, based in London.

She has an outstanding reputation in the litigation funding industry, where she originates, underwrites, and monitors funding in various litigation sectors including international and commercial arbitration, insolvency, class actions and global litigation matters as well as law firm and corporate portfolio arrangements and defense funding. Prior to joining Bench Walk Advisors, Ayse worked as a Technical Manager in Arthur J Gallagher’s dispute resolution team where she worked with international law firms and litigation funders around the world to deliver funding and insurance solutions. She has seven years senior technical underwriting experience with a global funder based in London, where she reviewed over 400 cases a year.

Ayse has been instrumental in drafting rules on third-party funding for both UNCITRAL and ICSID and is recognised as a ‘Thought Leader: Third-Party Funding’ by Who’s Who Legal for three consecutive years, and has ranked at Chambers & Partners, Legal500 and Lawdragon as a leading funder. She won ‘Leading Dispute Resolution Expert’ at the Lawyer Monthly Awards 2020, 2021, and 2022, “Litigation Funder-UK” by Finance Monthly Awards 2021 and 2022, and regularly speaks at key industry conferences, including GAR, Legal 500 GC Summit and EFILA Annual Conference. She has been recently named a woman leader (2022) in the legal industry by Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar magazines and chosen as the “Person of the Week” by Green.Org.

With her organisation committee, Ayse founded Istanbul Arbitration Week, and in its first year, 700 guests attended the event. She has published various articles on litigation funding and teaches funding at leading global universities.

Ayse was awarded the Turkish National State Scholarship to study Turkish Law at Başkent University, where she won various academic prizes and graduated third in her year group. She studied English Law at Nottingham Law School where she graduated with distinction and she holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and is a Chartered Insurer.

Practice Areas & Work Department

Litigation Finance

Languages

English

Turkish

Memberships

Member, Women Of Litigation Funding

Board Member, Istanbul Arbitration Week

Disputes Europe & Latin-America, Member

Ambassador to Racial Equality for Arbitration Lawyers (“REAL”)

The UNCITRAL Working Group III Delegate

ArbitralWomen Member

Energy Disputes Arbitration Centre Arbitrator

Energy Disputes Arbitration Centre Consultant

The Corporate Counsel International Arbitration Group (CCIAG) Member

The Society of Construction Law, Events Committee Member