SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BIDDING ON CONTINGENCY-BASED MATTERS

• US 20080270282A1
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michele Colucci-Zieger
• Original Assignee: Michele Colucci-Zieger
• Inventors: Colucci-Zieger, Michele
• Granted Patent: US 8,359,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services

Abstract

A system comprises a web server for posting matters of clients for bidding by contingency professionals, e.g., contingency lawyers and/or judgment collectors; a client matter engine for enabling a particular client to post a particular matter and to select a particular contingency professional bidding on the particular matter to handle the particular matter; a professional bidding engine for enabling the particular contingency professional to review at least a portion of the posted matters and to bid on the particular matter; and a bidding exchange engine for enabling the particular client and the particular contingency professional to communicate without exchanging direct contact information.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a web server for posting matters of clients for bidding by contingency professionals;

a client matter engine for enabling a particular client to post a particular matter and to select a particular contingency professional bidding on the particular matter to handle the particular matter;

a professional bidding engine for enabling die particular contingency professional to review at least a portion of the posted matters and to bid on the particular matter; and

a bidding exchange engine for enabling the particular client and the particular contingency professional to communicate without exchanging direct contact information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the particular client includes a client registered by the system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the particular client has a legal matter and the particular contingency professional includes a contingency lawyer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the particular client has credit rights and the particular contingency professional includes a contingency collector.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the bidding exchange engine requires review of communications to ensure that direct contact information is not being exchanged.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a client registration engine for obtaining client profile information.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the client registration engine prompts the particular client to agree to predetermined terms and conditions.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a professional registration engine for obtaining profile information including credentials from the particular contingency professional.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the professional registration engine prompts die particular contingency professional to agree to predetermined terms and conditions.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the professional registration engine enables the particular contingency professional to select a particular membership class.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the particular membership class affects access rights to posted matters.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the particular membership class defines the term of membership.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a status management engine for enabling input of status information on the particular matter being handled.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a notification engine for notifying the particular contingency professional of particular posted matters.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the notification engine notifies only registered contingency professionals.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the notification engine notifies only registered contingency professionals belonging to a particular membership class.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a search and filter engine for enabling the particular contingency professional to search at least the portion of the posted matters based on a query.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a search and filter engine for enabling the particular contingency professional to view posted matters based on subject matter.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising a search and filter engine for enabling the particular contingency professional to view posted matters based on registration status.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising a rating engine for enabling the particular client to rate the particular contingency professional, and the particular contingency to respond to a rating by the particular client.

21. A method, comprising;

posting matters of clients for bidding by contingency professionals;

enabling a particular client to post a particular matter;

enabling a particular contingency professional to review at least a portion of the posted matters, the portion including the particular matter;

enabling the particular client and the particular contingency professional to communicate without exchanging direct contact information;

enabling die particular contingency professional to bid on the particular matter; and

enabling the particular client to select the particular contingency professional to handle the particular matter.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the particular client includes a registered client.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the particular client has a legal matter and the particular contingency professional includes a contingency lawyer.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the particular client has credit rights and the particular contingency professional includes a contingency collector.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising enabling review of communications between the particular client and the particular contingency professional to ensure that direct contact information is not being exchanged.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising obtaining client profile information to register the particular client.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising prompting the particular client to agree to predetermined terms and conditions.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising obtaining profile information including credentials from the particular contingency professional to register the particular contingency professional.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising prompting the particular contingency professional to agree to predetermined terms and conditions.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising enabling the particular contingency professional to select a particular membership class.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the particular membership class affects access rights to posted matters.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the particular membership class defines the term of membership.

33. The method of claim 21, further comprising enabling input of status information on the particular matter being handled.

34. The method of claim 21, further comprising notifying the particular contingency professional of particular posted matters.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the notifying includes notifying only registered contingency professionals.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the notifying includes notifying only registered contingency professionals belonging to a particular membership class.

37. The method of claim 21, further comprising enabling the particular contingency professional to search at least the portion of the posted matters based on a query.

38. The method of claim 21, further comprising enabling the particular contingency professional to view posted matters based on subject matter.

39. The method of claim 21, further comprising enabling the particular contingency professional to view posted matters based on registration status.

40. The method of claim 21, further comprising enabling the particular client to rate the particular contingency professional.

41. The method of claim 21, further comprising enabling the particular client to re-post the particular matter and enabling the particular client to provide an explanation for the re-posting.

42. A system, comprising:

means for posting matters of clients for bidding by contingency professionals;

means for enabling a particular client to post a particular matter;

means for enabling a particular contingency professional to review at least a portion of the posted matters, the portion including the particular matter;

means for enabling the particular client and the particular contingency professional to communicate without exchanging direct contact information;

means for enabling the particular contingency professional to bid on the particular matter; and

means for enabling the particular client to select the particular contingency professional to handle the particular matter.