Network system for handling requests for proposal relating to the provision of legal services

• US 20020069154A1
• Filed: 05/08/2001
• Published: 06/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scott J. Fields
• Original Assignee: Scott J. Fields
• Inventors: Fields, Scott J.
• Application Number:
  US09/851,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20020069154A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

An apparatus for managing communications between a patent attorney and prospective client comprising: a control unit for receiving a client request generated by a prospective client, relating to a desire for legal services including a fee request; means for assisting a client in formulating a request for proposal to be distributed to a patent attorney throughout the system; means for distributing the request for proposal to said attorneys; and means for receiving bids from attorneys who receive the request for proposal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for matching an intellectual property attorney and prospective client comprising:

a control unit for establish a request generated by a prospective client, relating to a desire for intellectual property legal services;

means for assisting a client in formulating a request for proposal including a customized fee quote to be distributed to attorneys throughout the system;

means for distributing the request for proposal with customized fee quote to said attorneys; and

means for receiving bids from attorneys who receive the request for proposal including customized fee quote.

2. An intellectual property attorney matching apparatus for managing communications between an intellectual property attorney and a prospective client seeking the services of said attorney, comprising:

a control unit for receiving a request from a prospective client relating to desired intellectual property law services;

means for assisting the prospective client in formulating a request for proposal including a customized fee quote based upon a plurality of client inputs to be formatted and distributed throughout a network;

means for distributing the request for proposal throughout a network to a plurality of intellectual property attorneys;

means for intellectual property attorneys to respond to the request for proposal with a bid; and

means for the prospective client to request additional information from the attorney.

3. A method for electronically managing communications between an intellectual property attorney having particular qualifications and an end user seeking a solution to an end user request, comprising the steps of:

providing a control unit having a database for storing therein a plurality of intellectual property practitioners, each practitioner'"'"'s e-mail address corresponding to the intellectual property practitioner;

providing an interface to an end user to the system to formulate a request for proposal in conjunction with a request for legal services including a fee request;

sending out the request for proposal to a plurality of intellectual property practitioners who may respond with responses.

4. An apparatus for generating a fee quote for intellectual property law services comprising:

a control unit for establishing a request generated by a prospective client, relating to a desire for a fee quote related to intellectual property legal services;

means for assisting a client in inputting information related the nature of the desired sercvies; and

means for generating a fee quote based upon the information provided by the client.