Marianne Talbot, an experienced business development professional and former lawyer with a background in public interest litigation, to lead Bentham’s business development initiatives in U.S.

Adding another major piece to its U.S. business development efforts, Bentham IMF, the U.S. arm of the world’s most successful litigation funding firm, Bentham IMF Limited, announced that it has named its first U.S. chief marketing manager.

Marianne Merritt Talbot, a lawyer who practiced complex commercial litigation for more than a decade and operated a business development consultancy, has joined Bentham’s New York office to oversee marketing and business development initiatives.

“We’re extremely pleased to have Marianne join to lead our marketing and new business initiatives, and to take advantage of our growing name recognition in the U.S. legal marketplace,” said Ralph Sutton, Bentham’s Chief Investment Officer.

“Marianne’s skills as an experienced litigator and marketer make her an ideal fit at Bentham, and she also brings a serious public service background that aligns with our goals for using funding to advance socially worthy litigation,” Mr. Sutton added.  “Marianne is extremely creative and energetic – and an excellent advocate for the firm as we continue building bridges with the country’s top law firms, corporate law departments and businesses in need of dispute funding.”

An attorney licensed to practice in New York, Virginia and the District of Columbia, Ms. Talbot’s legal career includes nearly 12 years of practice at Hirschkop & Associates, P.C., a Washington litigation boutique founded by legendary civil rights attorney Philip J. Hirschkop, who won the landmark 1967 U.S. Supreme Court case, Loving v. Virginia, which struck down state laws prohibiting interracial marriage.

Ms. Talbot worked on numerous high-profile cases at Hirschkop & Associates, including: Elahi v. Islamic Republic of Iran, a suit against the Republic of Iran for its assassination of a political dissident, resulting in judgment of $311 million; Peterson v. Fairfax Hospital, a suit against a hospital and its attorneys for fraud and conspiracy after a baby was mistakenly administered adult strength insulin and the parents of the child were affirmatively misled as to the cause of grievous injury; and PETA v. Doughney, a landmark cyber-squatting case that went to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

After retiring from the active practice of law, Ms. Talbot spent five years as an independent business and professional development consultant. She advised attorneys and other executives on marketing, relationship management, fundraising, and brand creation and management.

“I am excited to have joined Bentham to help further expand its U.S. presence. The firm comes from a very strong place, with a tremendous track record and rate of recovery as a commercial litigation funder,” Ms. Talbot said.  “I look forward to helping Bentham continue its success in the United States.”

Ms. Talbot has written and lectured on numerous topics, including ethics, business development, and legal marketing.  She served on the faculty on a national Continuing Legal Education program that trained attorneys on the fundamentals of business development. She has also led a number of pro bono workshops for New York City nonprofits.

Ms. Talbot served as an adjunct faculty member at the George Washington University Law School and the American University, Washington College of Law. She received her J.D., cum laude, from the American University, Washington College of Law, and a B.A., magna cum laude, from the State University of New York at Albany.