Among the handful of what I would call “peace of mind” questions that U.S. lawyers new to commercial litigation finance routinely ask me when they are considering financing for their clients or their firms, probably the most common is some form of the following: “What impact does working with a provider of litigation finance have on control of litigation and settlement decisions?”

I’m pleased to be able to answer, very simply, “none.” In the United States, commercial litigation finance providers largely exert no control over litigation related decisions or settlement. Control of these decisions remains precisely where it belongs: With the client.