Connecting Providers of Legal Services

• US 20090113312A1
• Filed: 01/05/2009
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: American Well Corporation (Amwell Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American Well Corporation (Amwell Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schoenberg, Roy
• Application Number:
  US12/348,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20090113312A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/562 Brokering proxy services

Abstract

In general, in one aspect, a real-time communication between a consumer of services and a provider of legal services is brokered using a brokerage system on a computer by: receiving a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of legal services; identifying an available provider of legal services; and activating a communication channel between the consumer of services and the available provider of legal services. Providers of legal services include, but are not limited to, an attorney, paralegal, or a legal advisor.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprises:

brokering a real-time communication between a consumer of services and a provider of legal services using a brokerage system on a computer by;

receiving a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of legal services;

identifying an available provider of legal services; and

activating a communication channel between the consumer of services and the available provider of legal services.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprises:

providing a first graphical user interface that when rendered on a display displays for the consumer types of available providers of legal services.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 further comprises:

receiving a request from the consumer of services to consult with a selected type of provider of legal services; and

providing a second graphical user interface that when rendered on the display displays for the consumer areas of specialization for the selected type of provider of legal services.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein identifying an available provider of legal services further comprises:

monitoring availability of the providers of legal services.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein receiving a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of legal services further comprises:

receiving a request from a consumer of services to consult with a provider of legal services having a provider profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes that define a suitable provider of legal services.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein receiving a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of legal services further comprises:

receiving a message from a consumer of services;

parsing the contents of the message; and

identifying a type of provider of legal services to consult with the consumer based on the results of the parsing.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the provider of legal services includes an attorney, paralegal, or a legal advisor.

8. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for providing broker services to consumers and providers of legal services, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

receive a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of legal services;

identify an available provider of legal services;

activate a communication channel between the consumer of services and the provider of legal services; and

broker a real-time communication between a consumer of services and a provider of legal services using a brokerage system included on a computer.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 further comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

provide a first graphical user interface that when rendered on a display displays for the consumer types of available providers of legal services.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 further comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

receive a request from the consumer of services to consult with a selected type of provider of legal services; and

provide a second graphical user interface that when rendered on the display displays for the consumer areas of specialization for the selected type of provider of legal services.

11. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein instructions for causing a computer to identify an available provider of legal services further comprises instructions for causing a computer to:

monitor availability of the providers of legal services.

12. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein instructions for causing a computer to receive a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of legal services further comprises instructions for causing a computer to:

receive a request from a consumer of services to consult with a provider of legal services having a provider profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes that define a suitable provider of legal services.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein instructions for causing a computer to receive a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of legal services further comprises instructions for causing a computer to

receive a message from a consumer of services;

parse the contents of the message; and

identify a type of provider of legal services to consult with the consumer based on the results of the parsing.

14. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the provider of legal services includes an attorney, paralegal, or a legal advisor.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for providing broker services to consumers and service providers, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing the processor to;

receive a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of legal services;

identify an available provider of legal services;

activate a communication channel between the consumer of services and the provider of legal services; and

broker a real-time communication between a consumer of services and a provider of legal services using a brokerage system included on a computer.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising instructions for causing a processor to:

provide a first graphical user interface that when rendered on a display displays for the consumer types of available providers of legal services.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising instructions for causing a processor to:

receive a request from the consumer of services to consult with a selected type of provider of legal services; and

provide a second graphical user interface that when rendered on the display displays for the consumer areas of specialization for the selected type of provider of legal services.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein instructions for causing a processor to identify an available provider of legal services further comprises instructions for causing a processor to:

monitor availability of the providers of legal services.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein instructions for causing a processor to receive a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of legal services further comprises instructions for causing a processor to:

receive a request from a consumer of services to consult with a provider of legal services having a provider profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes that define a suitable provider of legal services.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein instructions for causing a processor to receive a request from the consumer of services to consult with a provider of legal services further comprises instructions for causing a processor to:

receive a message from a consumer of services;

parse the contents of the message; and

identify a type of provider of legal services to consult with the consumer based on the results of the parsing.

21. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the provider of legal services includes an attorney, paralegal, or a legal advisor.