Law firm accounting system and method for processing separate charges for out-of-pocket costs

Abstract

A computerized method and system for the payment of out-of-pocket fees such as patent and trademark fees is disclosed. The patent or trademark fee for a client of a firm is charged against an account maintained by an organization separate from the firm. A charge issued at a workstation at the firm is delivered to a patent or patent and trademark agency, or a foreign associate firm, where it is cashed against an account maintained by the separate organization. The firm bills the client for the fee, along with a service charge, while the separate organization bills the firm for the fee and the service charge. According to one example embodiment of the inventive subject matter herein, there is provided method and apparatus including in one embodiment one or more computers programmed to receive data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and to determine a separate charge in relation to each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part based on a cost associated with financing the out-of-pocket costs.

1 . Apparatus comprising one or more computers programmed to receive data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and to determine a separate charge in relation to each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part based on a cost associated with financing the out-of-pocket costs.  
     
     
         2 . Apparatus comprising one or more computers programmed to receive data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and to determine a separate charge in relation to each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part based on a cost associated with services related to a loan of funds to pay the out-of-pocket cost.  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus comprising one or more computers programmed to receive data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and to determine a separate charge in relation to each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part as a function of the cost of financing the out-of-pocket costs, the one or more computers further programmed to generate at least one client invoice including a billing for one of the out-of-pocket costs and a respective separate charge.  
     
     
         4 . Apparatus comprising one or more computers programmed to receive data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and to determine a separate charge in relation to each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part based on a cost associated with services related to a loan of funds to pay the out-of-pocket cost, the one or more computers further programmed to generate at least one client invoice including a billing for one of the out-of-pocket costs and a respective separate charge.  
     
     
         5 . Apparatus comprising one or more computers programmed to record data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and a corresponding plurality of separate charges in relation to each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is a function of the cost of financing the out-of-pocket costs.  
     
     
         6 . Apparatus comprising one or more computers programmed to record data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and a corresponding plurality of separate charges in relation to each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is a function of the cost of financing the out-of-pocket costs, the one or more computers further programmed to record at least one client invoice including a billing for one of the out-of-pocket costs and a respective separate charge.  
     
     
         7 . Apparatus comprising one or more computers programmed to receive data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and to determine a separate charge in relation to each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part as a function of the cost of financing the out-of-pocket costs, and further wherein the one or more computers are programmed to record a first data item corresponding to an amount owed by the law firm to a third party in regard to the separate charge and a second data item corresponding to an amount billed to a client in regard to the separate charge.  
     
     
         8 . Apparatus comprising one or more computers programmed to receive data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and to determine a separate charge in relation to each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part based on a cost associated with services related to a loan of funds to pay the out-of-pocket cost, and further wherein the one or more computers are programmed to record a first data item corresponding to an amount owed by the law firm to a third party in regard to the separate charge and a second data item corresponding to an amount billed to a client in regard to the separate charge.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus comprising one or more computers programmed to receive data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and to determine a separate charge in relation to each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part as a function of the cost of financing the out-of-pocket costs, the one or more computers further programmed to generate at least one client invoice including a billing for one of the out-of-pocket costs and a respective separate charge, and further wherein the one or more computers are programmed to record a first data item corresponding to an amount owed by the law firm to a third party in regard to the separate charge and a second data item corresponding to an amount billed to a client in regard to the separate charge.  
     
     
         10 . Apparatus comprising one or more computers programmed to receive data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and to determine a separate charge in relation to each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part based on a cost associated with services related to a loan of funds to pay the out-of-pocket cost, the one or more computers further programmed to generate at least one client invoice including a billing for one of the out-of-pocket costs and a respective separate charge, and further wherein the one or more computers are programmed to record a first data item corresponding to an amount owed by the law firm to a third party in regard to the separate charge and a second data item corresponding to an amount billed to a client in regard to the separate charge.  
     
     
         11 . Apparatus comprising one or more computers programmed to record data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and a corresponding plurality of separate charges in relation to each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is a function of the cost of financing the out-of-pocket costs and, further wherein the one or more computers are programmed to record a first data item corresponding to an amount owed by the law firm to a third party in regard to the separate charge and a second data item corresponding to an amount billed to a client in regard to the separate charge.  
     
     
         12 . Apparatus comprising one or more computers programmed to record data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and a corresponding plurality of separate charges in relation to each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is a function of the cost of financing the out-of-pocket costs, the one or more computers further programmed to record at least one client invoice including a billing for one of the out-of-pocket costs and a respective separate charge, and further wherein the one or more computers are programmed to record a first data item corresponding to an amount owed by the law firm to a third party in regard to the separate charge and a second data item corresponding to an amount billed to a client in regard to the separate charge.  
     
     
         13 . A method comprising receiving in a law firm accounting system data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and storing a separate charge in relation to at least some of each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part based on a cost associated with financing the out-of-pocket costs.  
     
     
         14 . A method comprising receiving in a law firm accounting system data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and storing a separate charge in relation to at least some of each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part based on a cost associated with services related to a loan of funds to pay the out-of-pocket cost.  
     
     
         15 . A method comprising receiving in a law firm accounting system data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and storing a separate charge in relation to at least some of each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part based on a cost associated with financing the out-of-pocket costs, and further including generating at least one client invoice including a billing for one of the out-of-pocket costs and a respective separate charge.  
     
     
         16 . A method comprising receiving in a law firm accounting system data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and storing a separate charge in relation to at least some of each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part based on a cost associated with services related to a loan of funds to pay the out-of-pocket cost, and further including generating at least one client invoice including a billing for one of the out-of-pocket costs and a respective separate charge.  
     
     
         17 . A method comprising recording in a law firm accounting system data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and a corresponding plurality of separate charges in relation to at least some of each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part based on a cost associated with financing the out-of-pocket costs.  
     
     
         18 . A method comprising recording in a law firm accounting system data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and a corresponding plurality of separate charges in relation to at least some of each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part based on a cost associated with financing the out-of-pocket costs, and further recording at least one client invoice including a billing for one of the out-of-pocket costs and a respective separate charge.  
     
     
         19 . A method comprising receiving in a law firm accounting system data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and storing a separate charge in relation to at least some of each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part based on a cost associated with financing the out-of-pocket costs, and further including recording a first data item corresponding to an amount owed by the law firm to a third party in regard to the separate charge and a second data item corresponding to an amount billed to a client in regard to the separate charge.  
     
     
         20 . A method comprising receiving in a law firm accounting system data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and storing a separate charge in relation to at least some of each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part based on a cost associated with services related to a loan of funds to pay the out-of-pocket cost, and further including recording a first data item corresponding to an amount owed by the law firm to a third party in regard to the separate charge and a second data item corresponding to an amount billed to a client in regard to the separate charge.  
     
     
         21 . A method comprising receiving in a law firm accounting system data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and storing a separate charge in relation to at least some of each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part as a function of the cost of financing the out-of-pocket costs, and generating at least one client invoice including a billing for one of the out-of-pocket costs and a respective separate charge, and further including recording a first data item corresponding to an amount owed by the law firm to a third party in regard to the separate charge and a second data item corresponding to an amount billed to a client in regard to the separate charge.  
     
     
         22 . A method comprising receiving in a law firm accounting system data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and storing a separate charge in relation to at least some of each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part based on a cost associated with services related to a loan of funds to pay the out-of-pocket cost, and generating at least one client invoice including a billing for one of the out-of-pocket costs and a respective separate charge, and further including recording a first data item corresponding to an amount owed by the law firm to a third party in regard to the separate charge and a second data item corresponding to an amount billed to a client in regard to the separate charge.  
     
     
         23 . A method comprising recording in a law firm accounting system data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and a corresponding plurality of separate charges in relation to at least some of each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part based on a cost associated with financing the out-of-pocket costs and, further including recording a first data item corresponding to an amount owed by the law firm to a third party in regard to the separate charge and a second data item corresponding to an amount billed to a client in regard to the separate charge.  
     
     
         24 . A method comprising recording in a law firm accounting system data indicative of a plurality of out-of-pocket costs for one or more clients of a law firm and a corresponding plurality of separate charges in relation to at least some of each respective out-of-pocket cost wherein the charge is determined at least in part based on a cost associated with financing the out-of-pocket costs, recording at least one client invoice including a billing for one of the out-of-pocket costs and a respective separate charge, and further including recording a first data item corresponding to an amount owed by the law firm to a third party in regard to the separate charge and a second data item corresponding to an amount billed to a client in regard to the separate charge.