Method and apparatus for automating the generation of a legal document
First Claim
1. A contract authoring system implemented on a computer, said contract authoring system comprising:
- a contract authoring unit, said contract authoring unit responsive to requests from a user to manage the creation of a contract document;
a legal advisor coupled to said contract authoring unit, said legal advisor having information for display to said user in response to requests from said user, said information comprising explanations or definitions relating to provisions in the contract document;
an auxiliary document unit coupled to said contract authoring unit, said auxiliary document unit responsive to requests from said user to create documents associated with said contract document; and
provision libraries, said provision libraries having at least a plurality of provisions defined for said contract document.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The contract generation system of the present invention automates the generation of various legal documents related to a negotiated agreement. The contract generation system provides various standard documents that can be customized for each deal. The contract generation system also provides a database for containing general contract data, which is linked to the contract documents containing the textual provisions of the contract. The contract generation system also includes alternate provisions that can replace provisions in the standard documents, as well as supplemental and additional provisions that can be added to the standard documents. The contract generation system also allows for the contract documents to be manually edited to further customize the documents for a specific deal. The contract generation system also contains a legal advisor for providing corporate-supplied information and guidance to individual negotiators, to assist the negotiators in reaching and documenting an agreement with an opposing party. The contract generation system also provides revision maintenance, redlining, printing, and electronic mail capabilities.
271 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A contract authoring system implemented on a computer, said contract authoring system comprising:
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a contract authoring unit, said contract authoring unit responsive to requests from a user to manage the creation of a contract document; a legal advisor coupled to said contract authoring unit, said legal advisor having information for display to said user in response to requests from said user, said information comprising explanations or definitions relating to provisions in the contract document; an auxiliary document unit coupled to said contract authoring unit, said auxiliary document unit responsive to requests from said user to create documents associated with said contract document; and provision libraries, said provision libraries having at least a plurality of provisions defined for said contract document. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A contract authoring system for implementation on a computer having mass storage media and system memory, said contract authoring system comprising:
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at least one standard contract document stored on said mass storage media, the at least one standard contract document comprising a plurality of standard provisions; a new contract library stored on said mass storage media, said new contract library having a plurality of alternate, supplemental and additional provisions; a new contract folder configured in said system memory; a contract authoring unit, said contract authoring unit coupled to said new contract folder, said contract authoring system responsive to requests from a user to retrieve said standard contract from said mass storage media and to store said standard contract document in said new contract folder, said contract authoring unit further responsive to requests from said user to allow said user to select one or more of said alternate, supplemental or additional provisions for placement in said standard contract document in said new contract folder to form a new contract with a plurality of provisions; a legal advisor coupled to said contract authoring unit, said legal advisor having information for display to said user, said information comprising explanations or definitions and an auxiliary document unit coupled to said contract authoring unit and to said new contract folder, said auxiliary document unit responsive to information in said new contract document to compile at least one auxiliary document related to said new contract. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification