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Casual Articles - Litigation Funding Is Here To Stay
The Top 3 Advantages Of SEO cated case by case, each case being unique. Bear in mind that the funding company is subordinate to attorney’s fees and costs, statutory liens and prior liens. The risk for an attorney is substantially better than for the funding company that is last in line. Many regulatory authorities from attorneys general to banking commissioners have reviewed the practice and taken no action. It seems clear that non-recourse means non-recourse and that litigation funding is a risky business.Anyone who wants his or her website to gain more traffic and become popular throughout the World Wide Web may want to join the masses of webmasters taking advantage of SEO (search engine optimization) tactics. When it comes to marketing a website, there is no denying the benefits that arrive through SEO. Below you will find the top three advantages one may receive for their search engine optimization efforts:Increased Internet ExposureNo one creates a website with the intentions for it to sit unnoticed, collecting dust. One of the most important advantages that come with SEO is the increase of traffic that occurs. The chances of attracting an increased amount of visitors is rather high when successful SEO places your website within the top 10 or top 20 of the most popular search engine results on the Web. When users search for the information they require, they are most likely to choose from the selections appearing on the first page of results. If your website ranks high (which means it enjoys the most exposure), your site becomes much easier to find, thus increasing traffic.AffordableThere are plenty of approaches that a website owner may take to make their site more visible to the public. They may purchase advertising space on Google AdWords, which charge per click. There are also additional pay-per-click marketing schemes that are quite popular w Draconian Contracts A second widely held concern is the use of contracts with draconian clauses. While the enforceability of such clauses is questionable at best, they still present a formidable nuisance value. Typical objectionable clauses are: • Prior permission of funding company required to change attorneys • High liquidated damages • Waiver of all defenses • Disclosure of non-discoverable information Most reputable companies, including CapTran® have modified their contracts to address these concerns. Ethics George Kuhlman, ethics counsel for the American Bar Association, was quoted in Lawyers Weekly USA as stating: "The problem only comes in when lawyers are acquiring an interest in the subject matter of the litigation, but anybody can buy a piece of someone's judgment. I don't see any lawyer involvement so I don't see any problem. This is a third party becoming involved; making sure people can survive their judgments." With one exception, all Ethics Opinions of which we are aware find litigation funding ethical. Michigan finds contracts with certain clauses to be impermissible. State Bar of Michigan Ethics Committee Opinion RI-321, June 29, 2000 “1. The ultimate control of the litigation may be transferred to the venture capital corporation due to the fact that the lawyer is permanently appointed to the case; 2. The original lawyer cannot be terminated without the venture capital corporation’s consent in light of the fact that on dem 10 Rarely Used Ways To Upgrade Your Ad By now, every personal injury attorney has heard of “litigation funding” - the non-recourse sale of a portion of a plaintiff’s future settlement proceeds in exchange for cash today. In recent years, the availability and use of litigation funding has grown rapidly and most attorneys now recognize the need for plaintiff financial support. A 2001 survey by Lawyers Weekly asked a simple question: Should Litigation Funding Be Permitted? Of the 1,876 votes cast, 82.5% responded yes.1. Tell your potential customers special events your business has sponsored. It could be charities, fund raisers, charity auctions, etc.2. Tell your potential customers about any mergers or joint ventures with other reputable organizations or businesses they would recognize.3. Tell your potential customers some valuable info. This will create rapport with them. It could be tips, a how-to excerpt, etc.4. Tell your potential customers about reviews of special events your business attended. It could be trade shows, seminars or conferences.5. Tell your potential customers stories about your customer service. It could be how you help a new customer, an award you won, etc.6. Tell your potential customers stories about your employees. It could be about why they like to work for you, their personal profile, etc.7. Tell your potential customers about milestones and goals your business has achieved. It could be a sales goal, customers served goal, etc.8. Tell your potential customers about innovations your business has discovered. It could be inventions, new technologies, patents, new products, etc.9. Tell your potential customers the things you have done to improve your product. It could be lighter, faster, heavier, slower, etc.10. Tell your potential customers a little history or past information about yo However, reminiscent of the criticism faced by trial attorneys over contingency fees, litigation funding companies must respond to the same disparagements. Defenders of the status quo seek to brand litigation funding as profiteering by scoundrels taking advantage of the down trodden. They trot out such red herrings as champerty, usury and far flung theories of inherent conflicts to show how vexatious the practice really is. Sound familiar? Despite the criticism, we know the following: plaintiffs love it; defendants hate it; it is here to stay! Equal Protection Requires Equal Access The lynchpin for every privilege contemplated by our founding fathers and codified in our constitution rests in one simple principle – equal protection under the law. Since 1786 when pamphleteer Benjamin Austin called it “a pernicious practice”, contingent legal fees have been criticized non-stop. Yet today, it is the most widely used fee agreement in the United States. Why? Simple – because it works! The contingent fee system helps to achieve the goal of equal protection by facilitating access. It is axiomatic that there can be no equal protection when access to the court system is unaffordable by a significant segment of the citizenry. The entire raison d’etre for contingency fees lays in this basic access issue. So persuasive is this point that, over the years, courts, have systematically removed virtually every barrier preventing access to the court system. From contingency fees to attorney advertising to champerty, laws preventing access, in even the most indirect ways, have bitten the dust. Perhaps Judge Michael A. Musmanno said it best: "If it were not for contingent fees, indigent victims of tortious accidents would be subject to the unbridled, self-willed partisanship of their tortfeasors. The person who has, without fault on his part, been injured and who, because of his injury, is unable to work, and has a large family to support, and has no money to engage a lawyer, would be at the mercy of the person who disabled him because, being in a superior economic position, the injuring person could force on his victim, desperately in need of money to keep the candle of life burning in himself and his dependent ones, a wholly unconscionably meager sum in settlement, or even refuse to pay him anything at all. Any society, and especially a democratic one, worthy of respect in the spectrum of civilization, should never tolerate such a victimization of the weak by the mighty." Richette v. Solomon, 187 A.2d 910, 919 (Pa. 1963). However, affording a lawyer is only one part of a plaintiff’s challenge. A claimant must also have the ability to sustain themselves during the pendancy of their action. After all, what good is retaining an attorney, if you can’t afford the basic necessities of life? How are financially stressed plaintiffs to sustain themselves during the pendancy of their litigation which may be the cause of their financial condition in the first place Litigation Funding One answer is litigation funding. Being able to stay the course is a prerequisite to fair treatment and this simple transaction can help level the playing field with a well-heeled adversary. This fact was recognized by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in the 1997 case of Saladini v. Righellis, (426 Mass. 231, 234) when it noted: "We have long abandoned the view that litigation is suspect, and have recognized that agreements to purchase an interest in an action may actual foster resolution of a dispute." Other superior courts seem to be persuaded by the Massachusetts court including the Supreme Court of South Carolina which relied heavily on Saladini when it abolished champerty in Osprey, Inc. v. Cabana Limited Partnership, 532 S.E.2d 269 (S.C. 2000). In fairness it should be noted that the Supreme Court of Ohio held a different view in Rancman v. Interim Settlement Funding Corp.99 Ohio St.3d 121, 2003-Ohio-2721. However, Ohio is in the minority and the doctrine of champerty may one day meet its final well-deserved death sentence at the US Supreme Court when the applicability of the 14th Amendment is determined. (Bennett v NCAAP 370 S.W. 2nd 79 82 (Ark 1963)) What are the real issues? Aside from 15th Century English Law, what are the real issues today? The perception is there is nothing in it for attorneys, at least not immediately or directly. Providing information to the funding company, administering the execution of the contract and observing the lien are all a nuisance for plaintiff’s counsel. However, despite this, more and more PI attorneys are forging relationships with funding companies because their clients need it, and they have found that reputable experienced companies can prove to be an invaluable resource. Cost The most common criticism is the cost. The average amount paid for bodily injury insurance claims suffered in motor vehicle accidents is small - less than $10,000. Thus, it should not be surprising that the average litigation funding contract is also small. Most contracts are for $1,000 to $5,000. Consumer financial products have relatively fixed transaction costs meaning that smaller deals are nearly as costly as larger ones. It follows that, because of their small size, the average fees on litigation funding contracts will unavoidably be high. That having been said, the very growth of the business will resolve the issue of cost. The marketplace will set prices just as it does with contingent legal fees. Once the there is enough experience for the true risks of these transactions to be widely known, investors will price the risk to a corresponding level. Already, fees have dropped significantly. Only a few years ago it was not uncommon to find fees of 15% per month compounded – with no cap! This is now rare. There are three basic fee methods used by most funding companies: 1. Monthly interest or fees. These can range 3% to as high as 15% per month with no cap. 2. A percentage of the recovery. 3. Flat fees that are capped and may or may not have a discount for early payment. (Attorneys must beware of large fees at closing that serve to raise the true cost significantly) A valid concern is that, with monthly fees rising with no cap, clients might be tempted to take a settlement just to stop the fee increases. This not only injures the client’s chances of a fair recovery but also limits the attorney’s fees. Fortunately, capped fees are always available in the market. While the marketplace place will continue to drive price levels toward equilibrium, it should be comforting for those with no faith in market forces to remember that, in the final analysis, the court has the final say and can set aside abusive fees. Schlesinger v Teitelbaum, 475 F2nd 137, 141 (3rd Cir), cert. denied, 414 U.S. 1111 (1973) On this issue Saladini is very much on point: “This means that if an agreement to finance a lawsuit is challenged, we will consider whether the fees charged are excessive or whether any recovery by a prevailing party is vitiated because of some impermissible overreaching by the financier.” Is it really a loan in disguise? Litigation funding contracts are almost universally non-recourse. The definition of a loan is blackletter law. If any part of the principal or interest is contingent on an event that is “more than a mere colorable hazard”, the contract is not a loan. A challenge on the grounds that the requisite degree of hazard is not present would have to be adjudicated case by case, each case being unique. Bear in mind that the funding company is subordinate to attorney’s fees and costs, statutory liens and prior liens. The risk for an attorney is substantially better than for the funding company that is last in line. Many regulatory authorities from attorneys general to banking commissioners have reviewed the practice and taken no action. It seems clear that non-recourse means non-recourse and that litigation funding is a risky business. Draconian Contracts A second widely held concern is the use of contracts with draconian clauses. While the enforceability of such clauses is questionable at best, they still present a formidable nuisance value. Typical objectionable clauses are: • Prior permission of funding company required to change attorneys • High liquidated damages • Waiver of all defenses • Disclosure of non-discoverable information Most reputable companies, including CapTran® have modified their contracts to address these concerns. Ethics George Kuhlman, ethics counsel for the American Bar Association, was quoted in Lawyers Weekly USA as stating: "The problem only comes in when lawyers are acquiring an interest in the subject matter of the litigation, but anybody can buy a piece of someone's judgment. I don't see any lawyer involvement so I don't see any problem. This is a third party becoming involved; making sure people can survive their judgments." With one exception, all Ethics Opinions of which we are aware find litigation funding ethical. Michigan finds contracts with certain clauses to be impermissible. State Bar of Michigan Ethics Committee Opinion RI-321, June 29, 2000 “1. The ultimate control of the litigation may be transferred to the venture capital corporation due to the fact that the lawyer is permanently appointed to the case; 2. The original lawyer cannot be terminated without the venture capital corporation’s consent in light of the fact that on dema 5 Easy Steps To Get Started Packaging Your Product , laws preventing access, in even the most indirect ways, have bitten the dust.Feeling overwhelmed while trying to develop a package for your product? I'm not surprised. Packaging is the third largest industry in the country. In fact, there are more than 10,000 packaging manufactures in the US alone. The proliferation of material choices and vendors is extensive. To begin you will have to narrow the resource and material universe before you package anything. That is your first step because you can't have a product without a package.Which vendor is right for you? What is your packaging material of choice? Do you understand the differences between each material and what value each will bring to marketing your product? How do you sift through the mounds of information and resources to set started packaging your product?Here are 5 easy rules to get you started.1. Do Your Homework. Before you decide how you want to package your product you need to see and understand what is already available in the marketplace. Even if your product is the greatest new invention out there, you will still have competition of some sort. Start by checking that out first. Visit outlets that carry similar products or products in the same category. For example, if you have a houseware product you should check out places that market housewares. Don't just pick one outlet. Go to a variety of stores. You don't want to develop a great new packaging concept Perhaps Judge Michael A. Musmanno said it best: "If it were not for contingent fees, indigent victims of tortious accidents would be subject to the unbridled, self-willed partisanship of their tortfeasors. The person who has, without fault on his part, been injured and who, because of his injury, is unable to work, and has a large family to support, and has no money to engage a lawyer, would be at the mercy of the person who disabled him because, being in a superior economic position, the injuring person could force on his victim, desperately in need of money to keep the candle of life burning in himself and his dependent ones, a wholly unconscionably meager sum in settlement, or even refuse to pay him anything at all. Any society, and especially a democratic one, worthy of respect in the spectrum of civilization, should never tolerate such a victimization of the weak by the mighty." Richette v. Solomon, 187 A.2d 910, 919 (Pa. 1963). However, affording a lawyer is only one part of a plaintiff’s challenge. A claimant must also have the ability to sustain themselves during the pendancy of their action. After all, what good is retaining an attorney, if you can’t afford the basic necessities of life? How are financially stressed plaintiffs to sustain themselves during the pendancy of their litigation which may be the cause of their financial condition in the first place Litigation Funding One answer is litigation funding. Being able to stay the course is a prerequisite to fair treatment and this simple transaction can help level the playing field with a well-heeled adversary. This fact was recognized by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in the 1997 case of Saladini v. Righellis, (426 Mass. 231, 234) when it noted: "We have long abandoned the view that litigation is suspect, and have recognized that agreements to purchase an interest in an action may actual foster resolution of a dispute." Other superior courts seem to be persuaded by the Massachusetts court including the Supreme Court of South Carolina which relied heavily on Saladini when it abolished champerty in Osprey, Inc. v. Cabana Limited Partnership, 532 S.E.2d 269 (S.C. 2000). In fairness it should be noted that the Supreme Court of Ohio held a different view in Rancman v. Interim Settlement Funding Corp.99 Ohio St.3d 121, 2003-Ohio-2721. However, Ohio is in the minority and the doctrine of champerty may one day meet its final well-deserved death sentence at the US Supreme Court when the applicability of the 14th Amendment is determined. (Bennett v NCAAP 370 S.W. 2nd 79 82 (Ark 1963)) What are the real issues? Aside from 15th Century English Law, what are the real issues today? The perception is there is nothing in it for attorneys, at least not immediately or directly. Providing information to the funding company, administering the execution of the contract and observing the lien are all a nuisance for plaintiff’s counsel. However, despite this, more and more PI attorneys are forging relationships with funding companies because their clients need it, and they have found that reputable experienced companies can prove to be an invaluable resource. Cost The most common criticism is the cost. The average amount paid for bodily injury insurance claims suffered in motor vehicle accidents is small - less than $10,000. Thus, it should not be surprising that the average litigation funding contract is also small. Most contracts are for $1,000 to $5,000. Consumer financial products have relatively fixed transaction costs meaning that smaller deals are nearly as costly as larger ones. It follows that, because of their small size, the average fees on litigation funding contracts will unavoidably be high. That having been said, the very growth of the business will resolve the issue of cost. The marketplace will set prices just as it does with contingent legal fees. Once the there is enough experience for the true risks of these transactions to be widely known, investors will price the risk to a corresponding level. Already, fees have dropped significantly. Only a few years ago it was not uncommon to find fees of 15% per month compounded – with no cap! This is now rare. There are three basic fee methods used by most funding companies: 1. Monthly interest or fees. These can range 3% to as high as 15% per month with no cap. 2. A percentage of the recovery. 3. Flat fees that are capped and may or may not have a discount for early payment. (Attorneys must beware of large fees at closing that serve to raise the true cost significantly) A valid concern is that, with monthly fees rising with no cap, clients might be tempted to take a settlement just to stop the fee increases. This not only injures the client’s chances of a fair recovery but also limits the attorney’s fees. Fortunately, capped fees are always available in the market. While the marketplace place will continue to drive price levels toward equilibrium, it should be comforting for those with no faith in market forces to remember that, in the final analysis, the court has the final say and can set aside abusive fees. Schlesinger v Teitelbaum, 475 F2nd 137, 141 (3rd Cir), cert. denied, 414 U.S. 1111 (1973) On this issue Saladini is very much on point: “This means that if an agreement to finance a lawsuit is challenged, we will consider whether the fees charged are excessive or whether any recovery by a prevailing party is vitiated because of some impermissible overreaching by the financier.” Is it really a loan in disguise? Litigation funding contracts are almost universally non-recourse. The definition of a loan is blackletter law. If any part of the principal or interest is contingent on an event that is “more than a mere colorable hazard”, the contract is not a loan. A challenge on the grounds that the requisite degree of hazard is not present would have to be adjudicated case by case, each case being unique. Bear in mind that the funding company is subordinate to attorney’s fees and costs, statutory liens and prior liens. The risk for an attorney is substantially better than for the funding company that is last in line. Many regulatory authorities from attorneys general to banking commissioners have reviewed the practice and taken no action. It seems clear that non-recourse means non-recourse and that litigation funding is a risky business. Draconian Contracts A second widely held concern is the use of contracts with draconian clauses. While the enforceability of such clauses is questionable at best, they still present a formidable nuisance value. Typical objectionable clauses are: • Prior permission of funding company required to change attorneys • High liquidated damages • Waiver of all defenses • Disclosure of non-discoverable information Most reputable companies, including CapTran® have modified their contracts to address these concerns. Ethics George Kuhlman, ethics counsel for the American Bar Association, was quoted in Lawyers Weekly USA as stating: "The problem only comes in when lawyers are acquiring an interest in the subject matter of the litigation, but anybody can buy a piece of someone's judgment. I don't see any lawyer involvement so I don't see any problem. This is a third party becoming involved; making sure people can survive their judgments." With one exception, all Ethics Opinions of which we are aware find litigation funding ethical. Michigan finds contracts with certain clauses to be impermissible. State Bar of Michigan Ethics Committee Opinion RI-321, June 29, 2000 “1. The ultimate control of the litigation may be transferred to the venture capital corporation due to the fact that the lawyer is permanently appointed to the case; 2. The original lawyer cannot be terminated without the venture capital corporation’s consent in light of the fact that on dem Data Collection and Negotiations dispute."
Other superior courts seem to be persuaded by the Massachusetts court including the Supreme Court of South Carolina which relied heavily on Saladini when it abolished champerty in Osprey, Inc. v. Cabana Limited Partnership, 532 S.E.2d 269 (S.C. 2000).
In fairness it should be noted that the Supreme Court of Ohio held a different view in Rancman v. Interim Settlement Funding Corp.99 Ohio St.3d 121, 2003-Ohio-2721. However, Ohio is in the minority and the doctrine of champerty may one day meet its final well-deserved death sentence at the US Supreme Court when the applicability of the 14th Amendment is determined. (Bennett v NCAAP 370 S.W. 2nd 79 82 (Ark 1963))What is data? How does it impact a negotiation. How do you gather it? Data is the meat of preparation. Negotiators should take the time to fully prepare. If they do this, often as not they will be better prepared than the other person. As a result, they will likely control the conversation and its outcome.Data is any information available about a given topic, person, commodity or situation. Having the discipline to gather, assess and use this data makes the difference between negotiating and begging. Preparedness is the key to a successful negotiation.Data is readily available in the information age. Computers, data bases, the Internet. newspaper archives, public libraries, even company historians all have a wealth of raw data. Knowing where to look and how to search are excellent tools to develop to help you be a better negotiator.Computers and the Internet are great tools when searching for data that is in the public domain. This type of information may be available at the library, newspaper archives, from a title company, or off the Internet. It is difficult to refute hard data. That is why it is worth the extra effort to gather. It is also important to know what facts can be used against you. When you conduct fact-based research, be alert for related information that may be used against you. The search for data should be broad-based and inclusive. Bei What are the real issues? Aside from 15th Century English Law, what are the real issues today? The perception is there is nothing in it for attorneys, at least not immediately or directly. Providing information to the funding company, administering the execution of the contract and observing the lien are all a nuisance for plaintiff’s counsel. However, despite this, more and more PI attorneys are forging relationships with funding companies because their clients need it, and they have found that reputable experienced companies can prove to be an invaluable resource. Cost The most common criticism is the cost. The average amount paid for bodily injury insurance claims suffered in motor vehicle accidents is small - less than $10,000. Thus, it should not be surprising that the average litigation funding contract is also small. Most contracts are for $1,000 to $5,000. Consumer financial products have relatively fixed transaction costs meaning that smaller deals are nearly as costly as larger ones. It follows that, because of their small size, the average fees on litigation funding contracts will unavoidably be high. That having been said, the very growth of the business will resolve the issue of cost. The marketplace will set prices just as it does with contingent legal fees. Once the there is enough experience for the true risks of these transactions to be widely known, investors will price the risk to a corresponding level. Already, fees have dropped significantly. Only a few years ago it was not uncommon to find fees of 15% per month compounded – with no cap! This is now rare. There are three basic fee methods used by most funding companies: 1. Monthly interest or fees. These can range 3% to as high as 15% per month with no cap. 2. A percentage of the recovery. 3. Flat fees that are capped and may or may not have a discount for early payment. (Attorneys must beware of large fees at closing that serve to raise the true cost significantly) A valid concern is that, with monthly fees rising with no cap, clients might be tempted to take a settlement just to stop the fee increases. This not only injures the client’s chances of a fair recovery but also limits the attorney’s fees. Fortunately, capped fees are always available in the market. While the marketplace place will continue to drive price levels toward equilibrium, it should be comforting for those with no faith in market forces to remember that, in the final analysis, the court has the final say and can set aside abusive fees. Schlesinger v Teitelbaum, 475 F2nd 137, 141 (3rd Cir), cert. denied, 414 U.S. 1111 (1973) On this issue Saladini is very much on point: “This means that if an agreement to finance a lawsuit is challenged, we will consider whether the fees charged are excessive or whether any recovery by a prevailing party is vitiated because of some impermissible overreaching by the financier.” Is it really a loan in disguise? Litigation funding contracts are almost universally non-recourse. The definition of a loan is blackletter law. If any part of the principal or interest is contingent on an event that is “more than a mere colorable hazard”, the contract is not a loan. A challenge on the grounds that the requisite degree of hazard is not present would have to be adjudicated case by case, each case being unique. Bear in mind that the funding company is subordinate to attorney’s fees and costs, statutory liens and prior liens. The risk for an attorney is substantially better than for the funding company that is last in line. Many regulatory authorities from attorneys general to banking commissioners have reviewed the practice and taken no action. It seems clear that non-recourse means non-recourse and that litigation funding is a risky business. Draconian Contracts A second widely held concern is the use of contracts with draconian clauses. While the enforceability of such clauses is questionable at best, they still present a formidable nuisance value. Typical objectionable clauses are: • Prior permission of funding company required to change attorneys • High liquidated damages • Waiver of all defenses • Disclosure of non-discoverable information Most reputable companies, including CapTran® have modified their contracts to address these concerns. Ethics George Kuhlman, ethics counsel for the American Bar Association, was quoted in Lawyers Weekly USA as stating: "The problem only comes in when lawyers are acquiring an interest in the subject matter of the litigation, but anybody can buy a piece of someone's judgment. I don't see any lawyer involvement so I don't see any problem. This is a third party becoming involved; making sure people can survive their judgments." With one exception, all Ethics Opinions of which we are aware find litigation funding ethical. Michigan finds contracts with certain clauses to be impermissible. State Bar of Michigan Ethics Committee Opinion RI-321, June 29, 2000 “1. The ultimate control of the litigation may be transferred to the venture capital corporation due to the fact that the lawyer is permanently appointed to the case; 2. The original lawyer cannot be terminated without the venture capital corporation’s consent in light of the fact that on dem Building Wealth Quickly – The Best Trading Method For Fast Gains xperience for the true risks of these transactions to be widely known, investors will price the risk to a corresponding level. Already, fees have dropped significantly. Only a few years ago it was not uncommon to find fees of 15% per month compounded – with no cap! This is now rare.If you want to build wealth quickly then you need to use leverage and a proven trading method.Do it the right way and you will make get rich, do it the wrong way and you will lose. So let’s look at how to build wealth quickly the right way.First things first!If you want to build wealth quickly then you need to take responsibility for your actions and do it all for yourself – You can’t rely on brokers, gurus or friends.Do your homeworkYou are going to need a trading plan and this involves doing your homework.The good news is you can learn to trade an effective technical trading method quickly and the best method is a breakout method, we will come back to this in a minute.The best market to tradeThe global currency markets remain the best market to trade as they trend well.A trend is simply the tendency of a market to move in the same direction for a period of time.Look at any currency and you will see trends that last for months or years and these need to be captured to make wealth quickly.Currencies are great markets for technical trend following and your aim is to capitalize on these trends.Make you money work harderFOREX brokers will grant leverage up to 100:1 so have $10,000 in your account and you could be trading a million! Leverage of course is a double edged sword, as it can hurt a There are three basic fee methods used by most funding companies: 1. Monthly interest or fees. These can range 3% to as high as 15% per month with no cap. 2. A percentage of the recovery. 3. Flat fees that are capped and may or may not have a discount for early payment. (Attorneys must beware of large fees at closing that serve to raise the true cost significantly) A valid concern is that, with monthly fees rising with no cap, clients might be tempted to take a settlement just to stop the fee increases. This not only injures the client’s chances of a fair recovery but also limits the attorney’s fees. Fortunately, capped fees are always available in the market. While the marketplace place will continue to drive price levels toward equilibrium, it should be comforting for those with no faith in market forces to remember that, in the final analysis, the court has the final say and can set aside abusive fees. Schlesinger v Teitelbaum, 475 F2nd 137, 141 (3rd Cir), cert. denied, 414 U.S. 1111 (1973) On this issue Saladini is very much on point: “This means that if an agreement to finance a lawsuit is challenged, we will consider whether the fees charged are excessive or whether any recovery by a prevailing party is vitiated because of some impermissible overreaching by the financier.” Is it really a loan in disguise? Litigation funding contracts are almost universally non-recourse. The definition of a loan is blackletter law. If any part of the principal or interest is contingent on an event that is “more than a mere colorable hazard”, the contract is not a loan. A challenge on the grounds that the requisite degree of hazard is not present would have to be adjudicated case by case, each case being unique. Bear in mind that the funding company is subordinate to attorney’s fees and costs, statutory liens and prior liens. The risk for an attorney is substantially better than for the funding company that is last in line. Many regulatory authorities from attorneys general to banking commissioners have reviewed the practice and taken no action. It seems clear that non-recourse means non-recourse and that litigation funding is a risky business. Draconian Contracts A second widely held concern is the use of contracts with draconian clauses. While the enforceability of such clauses is questionable at best, they still present a formidable nuisance value. Typical objectionable clauses are: • Prior permission of funding company required to change attorneys • High liquidated damages • Waiver of all defenses • Disclosure of non-discoverable information Most reputable companies, including CapTran® have modified their contracts to address these concerns. Ethics George Kuhlman, ethics counsel for the American Bar Association, was quoted in Lawyers Weekly USA as stating: "The problem only comes in when lawyers are acquiring an interest in the subject matter of the litigation, but anybody can buy a piece of someone's judgment. I don't see any lawyer involvement so I don't see any problem. This is a third party becoming involved; making sure people can survive their judgments." With one exception, all Ethics Opinions of which we are aware find litigation funding ethical. Michigan finds contracts with certain clauses to be impermissible. State Bar of Michigan Ethics Committee Opinion RI-321, June 29, 2000 “1. The ultimate control of the litigation may be transferred to the venture capital corporation due to the fact that the lawyer is permanently appointed to the case; 2. The original lawyer cannot be terminated without the venture capital corporation’s consent in light of the fact that on dem The Simple Way to Get a Million cated case by case, each case being unique. Bear in mind that the funding company is subordinate to attorney’s fees and costs, statutory liens and prior liens. The risk for an attorney is substantially better than for the funding company that is last in line. Many regulatory authorities from attorneys general to banking commissioners have reviewed the practice and taken no action. It seems clear that non-recourse means non-recourse and that litigation funding is a risky business.Having a million dollars isn't just a dream. You may think that the only way to get there is to win the lottery; however, becoming a millionaire isn't as difficult as you may think. The million is there for anyone who is willing to work for it.The amount of money you earn has very little to do with your financial status. One person can earn $30,000 a year and be quite financially successful. Another may earn $300,000 a year, yet be a financial mess. The net value of your assets is a closer indication of your wealth -- what do you own? Have you been spending your money wisely?But the real gauge of wealth is found in your net worth. This tells you how far away you are from being a millionaire.You have to realize that every day matters. Time is the most necessary part of saving, investing and having one million dollars. If you start investing at an early age, the power of compounding interest over time becomes your closest ally. Once you have been investing for a few decades, you will see that your investments are actually outperforming your monthly paycheck.For example, you make $50,000 a year. You invest 10% of your yearly income into mutual funds that earn a 10% annual rate of return on your investment. In 25 years, you will have over $500,000. You are half of the way there. You are now earning $50,000 a year in interest.In ten more years, you Draconian Contracts A second widely held concern is the use of contracts with draconian clauses. While the enforceability of such clauses is questionable at best, they still present a formidable nuisance value. Typical objectionable clauses are: • Prior permission of funding company required to change attorneys • High liquidated damages • Waiver of all defenses • Disclosure of non-discoverable information Most reputable companies, including CapTran® have modified their contracts to address these concerns. Ethics George Kuhlman, ethics counsel for the American Bar Association, was quoted in Lawyers Weekly USA as stating: "The problem only comes in when lawyers are acquiring an interest in the subject matter of the litigation, but anybody can buy a piece of someone's judgment. I don't see any lawyer involvement so I don't see any problem. This is a third party becoming involved; making sure people can survive their judgments." With one exception, all Ethics Opinions of which we are aware find litigation funding ethical. Michigan finds contracts with certain clauses to be impermissible. State Bar of Michigan Ethics Committee Opinion RI-321, June 29, 2000 “1. The ultimate control of the litigation may be transferred to the venture capital corporation due to the fact that the lawyer is permanently appointed to the case; 2. The original lawyer cannot be terminated without the venture capital corporation’s consent in light of the fact that on demand of the venture capital corporation all documents and things must be demanded by that group; and 3. Privileged materials may be disclosed.” We should also note that some states require certain specific procedural issues to be observed. (A listing of ethics opinion relating to litigation funding can be found at www.captran.com) Where do we go from here? As experience grows, capital will enter the business in ever increasing amounts, making it fairly commonplace while competition will undoubtedly mold the product, and fix most, if not all, of the problems. Many savvy attorneys understand that litigation funding is not going away anytime soon and they are embracing it and learning how best to use it. They are forging relationships with funding companies and using their services to meet the needs of their clients. In doing so, they get the added benefit of negotiating for a client that is no longer under the unnerving and destabilizing effect of financial duress. Copyright 2003-2005 www.financeandlaw.com, a Jurismark LLC website
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