  We study spreading dynamics of nematic liquid crystal droplets within the
framework of the long-wave approximation. A fourth order nonlinear parabolic
partial differential equation governing the free surface evolution is derived.
The influence of elastic distortion energy and of imposed anchoring variations
at the substrate are explored through linear stability analysis and scaling
arguments, which yield useful insight and predictions for the behaviour of
spreading droplets. This behaviour is captured by fully nonlinear
time-dependent simulations of three dimensional droplets spreading in the
presence of anchoring variations that model simple defects in the nematic
orientation at the substrate.
