Legal finance trends: IP & patent
![michael-tuszynski-4nucgapo4zs-unsplash.jpg](/media/zyenwwml/michael-tuszynski-4nucgapo4zs-unsplash.jpg?width=520&height=390&v=1d9f307ce85b4d0)
2020 has just begun, and the cost and duration of IP litigation is at an all-time high. Research published last year by Morrison & Foerster revealed that annual spending on IP litigation reached $3.3 billion, up from $1.7 billion in 2005. While total spending has grown, however, the average number of patent disputes per company has decreased—signaling a sharp rise in the average cost of IP matters.
It is no wonder then that in 2019 we at Burford saw a surge of financing inquiries from a wide range of patent owners: Large companies, venture-backed start-ups, universities and international companies—all demonstrated growing interest in financing IP claims. W…