Burford Foiled in Bid to Undo Sysco Price-Fixing Settlement

A settlement deal that Sysco Corp. accepted in meat price-fixing lawsuits is enforceable, despite objection by the litigation funder now controlling the company’s claims, according to a federal court.

Sysco legally accepted a global settlement deal with beef, pork and chicken producers, an Illinois federal judge ruled Friday. Although the company didn’t sign the agreement—and later transferred its claims to funder Burford Capital Ltd.—it agreed to the “heart” of the deal in email communications and draft documents.

“That is sufficient objective evidence of an agreement to enforce it,” Judge Thomas M. Durkin wrote.

The ruling muddies a long running dispute ...