System and method for bidding on contingency-based matters
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:
- enabling, by a computer system operated by an operator, a plurality of clients to post contingency matters for bidding by a plurality of contingency professionals, and enabling a particular client to post a particular contingency matter;
requiring, by the computer system, the particular client with the particular contingency matter to agree to a third party lien on behalf of the operator on any recovery from the particular contingency matter when obtained by a particular contingency professional referred via the computer system;
requiring, by the computer system, the particular contingency professional to agree to enforce the third party lien on behalf of the operator on any recovery from the particular contingency matter when the particular contingency professional handles the particular contingency matter;
requesting, by the computer system, the particular contingency professional to provide professional qualification information to assist with determining contingency matters the particular contingency professional is qualified to handle;
using the professional qualification information to identify the particular contingency professional as qualified to handle the particular contingency matter;
enabling, by the computer system, the particular contingency professional to review the particular contingency matter;
enabling, by the computer system, the particular client and the particular contingency professional to communicate without exchanging direct contact information;
enabling, by the computer system, the particular contingency professional to bid on the particular contingency matter;
enabling, by the computer system, the particular client to select the particular contingency professional to handle the particular matter; and
allowing the exchange of direct contact information of at least one of the particular client and the particular contingency professional to the other only after the particular client agrees to the third party lien and only after the particular contingency professional agrees to enforce the third party lien.
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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.
23 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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enabling, by a computer system operated by an operator, a plurality of clients to post contingency matters for bidding by a plurality of contingency professionals, and enabling a particular client to post a particular contingency matter; requiring, by the computer system, the particular client with the particular contingency matter to agree to a third party lien on behalf of the operator on any recovery from the particular contingency matter when obtained by a particular contingency professional referred via the computer system; requiring, by the computer system, the particular contingency professional to agree to enforce the third party lien on behalf of the operator on any recovery from the particular contingency matter when the particular contingency professional handles the particular contingency matter; requesting, by the computer system, the particular contingency professional to provide professional qualification information to assist with determining contingency matters the particular contingency professional is qualified to handle; using the professional qualification information to identify the particular contingency professional as qualified to handle the particular contingency matter; enabling, by the computer system, the particular contingency professional to review the particular contingency matter; enabling, by the computer system, the particular client and the particular contingency professional to communicate without exchanging direct contact information; enabling, by the computer system, the particular contingency professional to bid on the particular contingency matter; enabling, by the computer system, the particular client to select the particular contingency professional to handle the particular matter; and allowing the exchange of direct contact information of at least one of the particular client and the particular contingency professional to the other only after the particular client agrees to the third party lien and only after the particular contingency professional agrees to enforce the third party lien. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system, comprising:
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a server operated by an operator, the server including a client matter engine for enabling a plurality of clients to post contingency matters for bidding by a plurality of contingency professionals and for enabling a particular client to post a particular contingency matter; a client registration engine for requiring the particular client with the particular contingency matter to agree to a third party lien on behalf of the operator on any recovery from the particular contingency matter when obtained by a particular contingency professional referred via the system; a professional registration engine for requiring the particular contingency professional to agree to enforce the third party lien on any recovery from the particular contingency matter when the particular contingency professional handles the particular contingency matter, and to provide professional qualification information to assist with determining contingency matters the particular contingency professional is qualified to handle; a matching engine for using the professional qualification information to identify the particular contingency professional as qualified to handle the particular contingency matter; a professional bidding engine for enabling the particular contingency professional to review and to bid on the particular contingency matter, the client matter engine further for enabling the particular client to select the particular contingency professional who is bidding on the particular contingency matter to handle the particular contingency matter; and a bidding exchange engine for enabling the particular client and the particular contingency professional to communicate without exchanging direct contact information, the system allowing the exchange of direct contact information of at least one of the particular client and the particular contingency professional to the other only after the particular client agrees to the third party lien and only after the particular contingency professional agrees to enforce the third party lien. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A system, comprising:
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a server operated by an operator, the server including means for enabling a plurality of clients to post contingency matters for bidding by a plurality of contingency professionals, and enabling a particular client to post a particular contingency matter; means for requiring the particular client with the contingency matter to agree to a third party lien on behalf of the operator on any recovery from the particular contingency matter when obtained by a particular contingency professional referred via the system; means for requiring the particular contingency professional to agree to enforce the third party lien on behalf of the operator on any recovery from the particular contingency matter when the particular contingency professional handles the particular contingency matter; means for requesting the particular contingency professional to provide professional qualification information to assist with determining contingency matters the particular contingency professional is qualified to handle; means for using the professional qualification information to identify the particular contingency professional as qualified to handle the particular contingency matter; means for enabling the particular contingency professional to review the particular contingency 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 contingency matter; means for enabling the particular client to select the particular contingency professional to handle the particular matter; and means for allowing the exchange of direct contact information of at least one of the particular client and the particular contingency professional to the other only after the particular client agrees to the third party lien and only after the particular contingency professional agrees to enforce the third party lien.
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Specification