How Litigation Funders can Help with Patent Disputes

The risks and costs involved in patent litigation are incredibly high, and this is a good reason that patent disputes are perfect for litigation funding. Here's a fun fact: Patent litigation was one of the first civil litigation areas that adopted litigation funding.?

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But why are the costs for fighting patent infringements so high? The reason for these high costs is that patent cases need technical and damage experts, testing, code review, and evolved source code analysis to create a solid case. Plus, there are invalidity risks involved too.?

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Patent litigation funding was, at first, sought by entrepreneurial or patent owners of smaller companies that needed additional resources for litigation. However, the current trend is for larger companies and patent owners with resources to acquire litigation funding to support their patent strategies and keep their finances focused on their more essential company needs.

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This trend shows us that no matter whether the claimant has enough money or not, it's a smart move to seek litigation funding to offset any financial risk. Litigation funding is an essential strategic tool for patent owners to succeed in protecting their inventions. This article looks at how litigation funding will help in patent disputes.

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The Fit Between Patent Matters and Litigation Funding?

With the changing nature of patent licensing and the expenses involved in this type of litigation, it's challenging for new patent owners to obtain fair compensation for their inventions without a litigation licensing and funding strategy. Unfortunately, not all small companies or individual entrepreneurs understand this. The truth is that litigation funding makes a patent dispute more affordable and will likely result in a meritorious case without ruining the patent owner's balance sheet.

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Although traditionally, litigation financing was used in the more "David and Goliath" cases, now we see larger companies working with litigation funders as a strategic financial plan. This is because the litigation funder can absorb the expense of the litigation process while removing pressure from the company's finances. Instead, companies can keep their finances focused on running the day-to-day operations of their business. Of course, another benefit is the possibility of a better settlement outcome. For example, litigation funding allows a patent owner to fight through a trial and appeal until the best result has been reached, rather than settling due to budget constraints.?

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So we see that litigation funding works for all patentees. Reducing any financial risk to a third party works for the small inventor to larger companies with resources.?

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How to Prepare Your Patent Litigation for Funding?

Here's what to consider when preparing a case for patent litigation financing.?

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1. Select the Best Lawyers?

In most cases, law firms and their counsel cannot accept payment only at the resolution of their case. And if you're looking for the best lawyer for the job, one well-versed in patent law, you will have to be able to meet their financial stipulation. Because it is crucial to find the correct lawyers, the backing of a reputable litigation funder is vital. You'll want your counsel to have up-to-date and specific knowledge in the relevant technology area and to understand the patent's basics. This can be challenging, so seeking litigation funding is essential.?

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2. Detailing the Infringement??

Your legal counsel will need your help preparing the infringement details. This will probably include a review of your patent and the application that led to its origin. Next, your lawyer will analyze the claims that define the scope of your invention and what needs to be protected. They will then work with the claimant to figure out the suspected infringements. Finally, once they know all these details, they will put together the particulars specifying which parts of the defendant's products are infringing your claims of yours. This information is vital for litigation funders to evaluate the strength of your case and whether they will fund the claim or not.?

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3. Considering Likely Defences?

Of course, as a patent owner, you will face defences from the person or company infringing on your patent. These include:?

??????????? Non-infringement - The premise is that the accused infringing products do not meet the requirements (even just one) of the asserted patent claim. And this is because the infringer may have a different understanding of what the patent claims, which could be true. In this case, it's vital to work with counsel to identify any possible claim issues that may arise due to a misunderstanding of the language of a patent.?

??????????? Invalidity - This is usually alleged in reply to allegations of patent infringement. The accused infringer can challenge the validity of an asserted patent based on previous art references, for example, other patents that were publicly available before the asserted patent. Your counsel will advise on possible cases where this could be true and whether this will be a potential problem for your case. If some are found, the lawyers should decide on a strategy to deal with this.?

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4. Determine What a Good Outcome Will Be

The claimant needs to understand what a good outcome of the lawsuit is for them. Is it for financial gain or to stop the infringer's activities? A reputable patent lawyer should be able to give you an idea of what potential damages may be. In most cases, the lawsuit will be settled before a final resolution is made in court, so putting forward what outcome is acceptable to you is crucial. That way, your lawyers know where you stand when a settlement needs to be negotiated. At some point in the case, you may need to readjust your expectations and idea of a good outcome as new information crops up.?

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5. Create a Realistic Budget

A realistic case budget is vital. This helps the litigation funder understand and identify all the potential costs and fees incurred along the way and the financial milestones that must be met.?

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If you want to stay up-to-date with what is going on with non-recourse litigation funding, Wild Dog serves as a trusted advisor to attorneys and their clients who are exploring litigation financing. So follow our Linkedin Page for the latest updates on?https://www.dhirubhai.net/company/wild-dog-mu?or visit our website?https://wilddog.mu?for more.