YALE LAW SCHOOL
Internet Facilitated Justice: A Panel
BY YALE LAW SCHOOL CENTER FOR PRIVATE LAW
Access to online case data also allows funders to use different criteria to select suits for funding. Finally, by making it easier to identify similarly-situated individuals with small-value claims, the internet allows companies to aggregate individual claims that are not economically viable into a larger, economically feasible lawsuit.
Posted on Aug. 23, 2017
LAW360
The Future Of Litigation Finance Is Analytics
BY DOMINIC FRACASSA
Litigation finance is now officially mainstream. Defined as the practice of funding a lawsuit in exchange for repayment if the case is successful, this asset class now is widely used among law firms and their clients. According to a recent survey of 500 litigators, over 40 percent have firsthand experience accessing litigation finance.
Posted on Jul. 17, 2017
LAW PRACTICE TODAY
Trends in Litigation Finance
BY NICHOLAS GAFFNEY
"One of the biggest constraining factors for law firms (especially small firms and solos) is the need for steady revenue. Often, meritorious cases stall for lack of funding, as lawyers choose instead to devote their time to cases that can pay on a monthly basis. Litigation finance allows lawyers to take on cases where clients seek contingency arrangements, while still providing the law firm consistent monthly revenue."
Posted on May 12, 2017
THE ATLANTIC
Rise of the Robolawyers
BY JASON KOEBLER
A Silicon Valley start-up called Legalist offers “commercial litigation financing,” meaning it will pay a lawsuit’s fees and expenses if its algorithm determines that you have a good chance of winning, in exchange for a portion of any judgment in your favor.
Posted on April 1, 2017
LEGALTECH NEWS
Legalist Integration With Clio Paves Way for Broader Litigation Financing
BY GABRIELLE ORUM HERNANDEZ
Clio's practice management software will integrate tech-enabled litigation finance platform Legalist for quicker, online requests for litigation funding.
Posted on Mar. 17, 2017
San Francisco Chronicle
Court quashes proposed sunshine rule for litigation finance firms
BY DOMINIC FRACASSA
"If it's going to be noncontroversial and mainstream, and an established way that everyone can have access to an equal justice system, it has to be more transparent."
Posted on Jan. 27, 2017
ABOVE THE LAW
David v. Goliath: Legalist Levels The Lit Playing Field
BY JOE BORSTEIN
An innovative startup harnesses technology and big data to solve the access-to-justice problem.
Posted on Dec. 21, 2016
AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION: LAW PRACTICE DIVISION
Why Alternative Litigation Financing Is Poised to Disrupt Litigation
BY STEPHEN E. EMBRY
A fund is created and donations or investments are sought to advance money to a law firm or party in return for some agreed-to percentage of return via verdict or settlement.
Posted on Dec. 14, 2016
BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK
California May Make It Harder to Secretly Bankroll Someone Else's Lawsuit
BY PETER BLUMBERG
"Our ultimate goal is for transparency in the industry and greater awareness so that every small business, every grocery store, knows that litigation funding is an option," says Shang.
Posted on Dec. 1, 2016
CANADIAN BUSINESS
How companies are using "litigation financing" to invest in winning lawsuits
BY SARAH NIEDOBA
As more and more people become aware of litigation funding as an option, it could spur very real change in the way the legal system operates. A transformation is underway, says Loewith, "and I think there are only going to be more opportunities for us to aid cases in Canada, moving forward."
Posted on Nov. 17, 2016
LITIGATION FINANCE JOURNAL
Spotlight Interview - Legalist Co-Founder Eva Shang
BY MICHAEL MCDONALD
In our first Spotlight Interview, Michael McDonald, PHD sits down to discuss litigation finance with Legalist Co-Founder Eva Shang.
Posted on Nov. 9, 2016
THE FUTURE CENTER
Signal of change / Litigation finance start-up first to use data-backed methods
BY TOBY STRUDWICK
Silicon Valley based start-up 'Legalist' is to be the first litigation financer to use big data in its assessment process.
Posted on Oct. 17, 2016
ROUGH DRAFT VENTURES
Legalist: Leveling the Playing Field in Public Justice
BY JENNIFER WEI
These Harvard dropouts are improving access to justice through data-backed litigation financing.
Posted on Sept. 23, 2016
LEGAL NEWSLINE
Third party litigation grows: Silicon Valley's Thiel bankrolls new startup
BY SETH SANDRONSKY
Third-party litigation is growing, with impacts on businesses big and small.
Posted on Sept. 12, 2016
PC MAG
Lawsuits-as-a-Service: Is Peter Thiel Funding a Civil Litigation Revolution?
BY JUAN MARTINEZ
Legalist foots the bill for a third-party's commercial legal fees or business operations during litigation.
Posted on Sept. 12, 2016
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
Legalist brings big data to small lawsuits
BY INSTITUTE FOR EXECUTIVE EDUCATION
[Legalist] provide a similar kind of legal financing to small- and medium-sized businesses involved in litigation, in return for a percentage of the payoff.
Posted on Sept. 8, 2016
BOSTON GLOBE
Legalist brings big data to small lawsuits
BY HIAWATHA BRAY
Plenty of firms like Burford will invest in the biggest cases. But there are fewer options for small- or medium-sized companies who are suing over smaller sums. What about the small business that wants to sue a supplier for, say, $500,000, but doesn't have the money for a lawyer? That's where Legalist comes in.
Posted on Sept. 4, 2016
NEW YORKER
What Litigation Finance Is Really About
BY JOSHUA HUNT
Shang, who was inspired to work full time on the company after a summer job in the public defenders office in Washington, D.C., said that Legalists focus will be on commercial and small-business lawsuits.
Posted on Sept. 1, 2016
NBC NEWS
The Legal Strategy That Bankrupted Gawker Comes to Main Street
BY MARTHA C. WHITE
If the defendant knows a funder has put millions or hundreds of thousands of dollars in the case... and that an investment company, a savvy investor, has decided that the case has merit, that may lead to quicker settlement.
Posted on Aug. 30, 2016
WIRED
You Too Can Invest In Lawsuits. But Not Quite Like Peter Thiel
BY DAVEY ALBA
Legalist does its own funding... they provide plaintiffs with broader and more competitive ways of funding a lawsuit.
Posted on Aug. 29, 2016
THE AMERICAN GENIUS
Legalist funds your court case if its algorithm says you can win
BY ELLEN VESSELS
Lawsuits are expensive. In fact, so expensive, that many small businesses would rather avoid them, sacrificing justice they deserve rather than risk draining their bank accounts. After all, the possibility of walking out of the courtroom with nothing but a hefty bill is frightening.
Posted on Aug. 29, 2016
LAW.COM
Legalist Uses Analytics to Target Market Opportunity in Litigation Financing
BY GABRIELLE ORUM HERNANDEZ AND JULIE TRIEDMAN
Legalist's target client-smaller companies with modest commercial claims — are also quite distinct from the litigation finance offerings currently available. The size of the investment in plaintiff companies — $75,000 - $1 million per case- has not been well served.
Posted on Aug. 26, 2016
BLOOMBERG LAW
Litigation Financier (Backed by Peter Thiel) for the Little Guy
BY CASEY SULLIVAN
Some examples are that we take on small businesses with existing or meritorious lawsuits. A bakery, or paper company, or a small tech shop. If they have a breach of contract case, for example, the larger company tries to drag their claims out as long as possible in hopes the smaller company will drop the case altogether.
Posted on Aug. 26, 2016
LAWSITES
Site That Planned to Rate Lawyers Pivots Focus to Litigation Finance
BY ROBERT AMBROGI
"Data-backed litigation financing" - using algorithms to predict case outcomes and determine the best cases in which to invest.
Posted on Aug. 26, 2016
SLATE
This Lawsuit-Financing Startup Uses Algorithms to Find Cases That Could Earn Big Bucks
BY OSITA NWANEVU
Legalist, a startup founded by Harvard grads Eva Shang and Christian Haigh, plans to use algorithms to vet and finance commercial lawsuits that could deliver significant returns to investors. . .
Posted on Aug. 25, 2016
BOING BOING
Peter Thiel & Y Combinator fund a "litigation financing" startup to make money off other peoples' lawsuits
BY CORY DOCTOROW
Litigation financing is not far off from traditional class-action litigation, in which firms seek capital — loans or investments — to finance long-running, serious battles against deep-pocketed corporations, knowing that the prime beneficiary of any settlement will be the lawyers representing the class, but also knowing that a victory will force companies, even whole industries, to shift their worst behavior.
Posted on Aug. 25, 2016
MASHABLE
This startup wants to help small businesses survive expensive lawsuits by funding them
BY KERRY FLYNN
Not every person or business can brush aside a multimillion dollar lawsuit - but for those that can afford to fight, a winning case can mean a profitable outcome.
Posted on Aug. 24, 2016
THE GUARDIAN
Peter Thiel has backed a startup that makes it easier to sue - and win
BY SAM THIELMAN
Sam Altman ... characterized the business as one that defends the little guy. "There are a lot of people who really get screwed over by the legal system and who end up unable to defend themselves."
Posted on Aug. 24, 2016
BUSINESS INSIDER
One of Peter Thiel's fellows created a new startup that will fund your lawsuit
BY BIZ CARSON
A new startup, Legalist, is looking to make money from the practice of bankrolling lawsuits. The startup plans to fund those that it calculates has a chance to win.
Posted on Aug. 24, 2016
VANITY FAIR
Peter Thiel Is Backing a Start-Up to Fund Other Lawsuits
BY MAYA KOSOFF
Legalist uses algorithms to help figure out which lawsuits have the best chance of winning.
Posted on Aug. 24, 2016
SILICON VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL
Y Combinator startup uses Big Data to invest in civil lawsuits
BY CROMWELL SCHUBARTH
Legalist founders Eva Shang and Christian Haigh - a pair of Harvard undergrads - are applying algorithms to determine which civil lawsuits are the most likely to pay out and which won't.
Posted on Aug. 24, 2016
GIZMODO
A Startup Backed By Peter Thiel Makes Bankrolling Civil Lawsuits Easy
BY MICHAEL NUNEZ
Two Harvard undergraduates have created a service called Legalist that uses what they call "data-backed litigation financing," analyzing civil lawsuits with an algorithm to predict case outcomes and determine which civil lawsuits are worth investing in.
Posted on Aug. 24, 2016
VICE
A Startup Is Automating the Lawsuit Strategy Peter Thiel Used to Kill Gawker
BY JASON KOEBLER
Legalist is a Silicon Valley startup that was developed in the Y Combinator incubator offering "data-backed litigation financing" using algorithms to "analyze millions of court cases to source, vet, and finance commercial litigation."
Posted on Aug. 24, 2016
TECH CRUNCH
The 48 startups that launched at Y Combinator S16 Demo Day 2
BY JOSH CONSTINE
There's a new asset class for investors - and it's actually in litigation, where investors help cover the cost of litigation in exchange for a share of the outcome.
Posted on Aug. 23, 2016
TECH CRUNCH
Legalist is making it easier for lawyers to find state court records
BY FITZ TEPPER
Imagine a lawyer with a client who lives in one county and works in another. Or even a lawyer who litigates in multiple states. Both common occurrences, but situations that make it very hard to keep track of legal documents.
