third-party funding

Mt. Rushmore of Healthcare Corporate Venture

Lee Drucker

Lake Whillans is excited to be part of the solution for healthcare’s next great companies. We learned that there are some big issues in the corporate VC-startup relationship. But it was exciting to see some funds have consistently earned entrepreneurs’ trust. We reviewed our research on digital health and life sciences investors again, and are excited to present four corporate funds with the most overall positive feedback from medical innovators. According to our surveys, these are the top healthcare corporate VCs.

Litigation Finance: a Symposium at NYU

Lee Drucker

On November 20th, the Center on Civil Justice at NYU School of Law will be hosting an all-day conference, Litigation Funding: The Basics and Beyond.

To my knowledge, this is the first law school to host an in-depth conference dedicated to the subject of litigation finance, and it is a great opportunity for those interested in the topic to learn more and interact with some of the people that are currently shaping the industry.

Litigation Finance: Ethics Q & A

Boaz Weinstein

I recently had the pleasure of participating in a panel discussion on litigation finance hosted by the Association of Business Trial Lawyers in Ojai, California. The audience was engaged and asked a variety of questions, including many on ethical considerations related to litigation finance. Since this topic seems to be top of mind for lawyers when it comes to litigation finance, we offer the following sample Q&A:

Litigation Finance Tier 1: Lake Whillans & GKC

Lee Drucker

Above The Law recently published its survey of client experiences with litigation finance firms, and we are happy to be one of only two firms considered ‘top tier’ among the litigation finance companies included in the survey. It is great to learn that ~80% of the companies that we have supported would unreservedly choose to work with us again. It is a solid starting point for our young company, but it is a number we will seek to improve upon as we grow.

Welcome to Our Newest Team Member

Lee Drucker

We recently hired our first full-time employee, Marla Decker, and we could not be more excited to have her as part of the team. Without further introduction, here is Marla, on how she came to join Lake Whillans, her views on litigation finance and the legal industry.

Pick the Right Lawyer for a Royalty Contract

Lee Drucker

Role play with me for a moment. Imagine you’re going in for surgery and you can choose between two surgeons: a doctor who performs that surgery twice a year, or one that does it twice a month?

It’s a no brainer. The same should apply to lawyers – particularly when it comes to the mission-critical task of negotiating royalty contracts. These key agreements will make or break a company. Plus, if things go bad between your company and other parties, these documents will be what separates losing millions (and sometimes more) and remaining intact.

Here are some ways to vet your attorneys to see which ones know enough about royalty agreements.

Litigation Finance Interview for MedCity News

Lee Drucker

I was recently interviewed by MedCity News in anticipation of a panel that I will be speaking on at the Converge Conference (Philadelphia September 1 – 2).

“I would speculate that in some situations, the relationship turns into a numbers game. They plug in a number: “What happens if we build out this technology on our own, and what happens if we partner with the entrepreneurial company and own 30 percent?” If they determine it’s more profitable to build the technology on their own, then they disregard the contract and the law.”

Litigation Finance in Context of WJP Rankings

Lee Drucker

Interesting article from The Hill discussing litigation finance in the context of the World Justice Project placing the U.S. 65th in its ranking of affordability and accessibility to its legal system.

Litigation Finance for Boutique Law Firms

Lee Drucker

Several months ago I described how litigation finance can be used by entrepreneurial litigators at large law firms to build sustainable high-end litigation practices outside the traditional route of cultivating relationships with the largest corporations and their general counsel.

Many of the same challenges that I discussed facing young partners at large law firms manifest more acutely at emerging law firms trying to sustain and grow a business as they attract new clients, build brand awareness, manage salaries, and generally maintain operations.

Is Litigation Finance Right for Your Client?

Lee Drucker

Litigation can get expensive, fast. Litigation finance is a funding tool many companies are considering to help cover the fees and expenses related to major legal claims. We at Lake Whillans Litigation Finance have compiled a list of questions to help you determine if your client is a candidate for litigation finance. Is litigation finance…

Contact Us

The best way for companies and their counsel to determine if litigation finance is an attractive option is to discuss it with us.

Lee Drucker drucker@lakewhillans.com