The general conclusion of this Informational Report is that lawyers must approach transactions involving alternative litigation finance with care, mindful of several core professional obligations. That said, the Informational Report should not be interpreted as suggesting that alternative litigation finance raises novel professional responsibilities, since many of the same issues discussed below may arise whenever a third party has a financial interest in the outcome of the client’s litigation. A lawyer must always exercise independent professional judgment on behalf of a client, and not be influenced by financial or other considerations. Moreover, a lawyer must not permit a third party to interfere with the exercise of independent professional judgment.