Litigation Lending - What is it and Practical Tips for Lawyers

Speakers

• Alex Wieck, Investments & Partnerships Analyst, Lexshares
• Ken Philp, Consultant, Macpherson Kelley
• Moderator Cheryl Burbach, Partner, Hovey Williams LLP

SUMMARY

Third-Party Litigation funding used to be a dirty word, but it’s advancement in countries such as Australia have shown the world what a successful litigation funding regime can provide to clients and lawyers alike.

Join Alex Wieck and Ken Philp as they:

• Provide insight into the development of Australia's advanced litigation funding model;
• Discuss the ethical pitfalls of the litigation funding model; and
• Provide practical tips for lawyers to address such pitfalls when serving clients backed by litigation funders.

BIOGRAPHIES

LexShares is a leading litigation finance firm, with an innovative approach to originating and financing high-value commercial legal claims. LexShares funds litigation-related matters through both its online marketplace and dedicated litigation finance fund. Founded in 2014, the company is privately owned with principal offices in Boston and New York City. Alex Wieck is LexShares’ Investments & Partnerships Analyst, responsible for driving the firm’s origination efforts, and developing relationships with key legal partners.

Ken Philp's legal career spans almost four decades. In January 1979 he started as an articled clerk (an “apprentice lawyer” in our Australian system) with one of Queensland’s oldest law firms after completing Batchelor of Arts and Batchelor of Laws degrees at Queensland University. He was admitted as a solicitor in February 1981 after completing the mandatory two years clerkship / postgrad training.

Ken's clients vary widely from SME's to multi-nationals. He has successfully litigated numerous high profile IP and trade practices cases in the Federal Court at first instance and then on appeal in the Full Federal Court (both before the standard 3 Judge and the 5 Judge
benches used for high profile cases and on appeal again at the High Court, with important decisions that resulted in major precedents in Australian intellectual property law being set.

His extensive experience includes providing advice on copyright, trade marks, design and patent issues, brand protection, confidential information and their protection, as well as litigation to protect IP rights tor defend against IP infringement claims. He has also litigated major cases in various Australian State Supreme Courts, and on appeals from his home state Supreme Court to its Court of Appeal and then into the High Court. Ken litigated one of the earliest major Australian precedent cases on the legality of litigation lending agreements, winning both at trial for the lender and his client, the Plaintiff in a funded case, and then on appeal to the Queensland Court of Appeal.