Interactive system for and method of automating the generation of legal documents

Abstract

A method and system for interactively generating legal documents by a requestor for a recipient. A legal document server is established on a computer network to receive legal document requests from a legal document requestor. Each legal document request includes recipient and subject matter information sufficient to create a legal document. The legal document server generates a legal document according to the legal document request using the recipient and subject matter information. The legal document server transmits the generated legal document directly to the recipient.

1 . A method for automating generation and approval of legal documents, the method comprising: 
 receiving from a remote requesting computer over a data communications network a legal document request, the legal document request including recipient information;    selecting a legal document template from a legal document database responsive to the legal document request;    generating a final legal document based on the selected legal document template and the recipient information;    receiving over the data communications network an approval message from a remote party other than a party transmitting the legal document request via the remote requesting computer or other than a recipient receiving the final document via a remote recipient computer, the approval message indicating approval of the final document; and    transmitting the final document to the remote recipient computer over the data communications network.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 receiving a second approval message from the remote party, the second approval message indicating approval of the legal document request.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 updating an approval status report based on the approval message.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising: 
 receiving a report request; and    transmitting the approval status report in response to the report request.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the approval status report is transmitted separately from the final document.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the party transmitting the legal document request is a marketing representative, the recipient receiving the final document is a customer interacting with the marketing representative, and the remote party providing the approval message is a director of a company.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the recipient information includes recipient identification and subject matter to be covered by the legal document.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 storing the final legal document in a central database coupled to a server;    receiving a document amendment request including a document identifier and subject matter information;    retrieving the stored document from the central database based on the document identifier;    generating an amendment of the retrieved document based on the subject matter information; and    transmitting the amendment of the retrieved document to the remote recipient computer.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 displaying on the remote requesting computer a plurality of available transmission modes;    receiving from the remote requesting computer identification of one of the plurality of available transmission modes;    formatting the final document based on the identified transmission mode; and    transmitting the final document to the remote recipient computer over the data communications network according to the identified transmission mode.    
     
     
         10 . A method for automating generation of legal documents, the method comprising: 
 receiving from a remote computer over a data communications network a legal document request, the legal document request including recipient information;    selecting a legal document template from a legal document database responsive to the legal document request;    generating a final legal document based on the selected legal document template and the recipient information;    storing the final legal document in a data store; and    transmitting to the remote computer over the data communications network a notification indicative of the generated final document, the notification being transmitted separately from the generated final document.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the recipient information includes recipient identification and subject matter to be covered by the legal document.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the data store is a central database coupled to a server, the method further comprising: 
 receiving a document amendment request including a document identifier and subject matter information;    retrieving the stored document from the central database based on the document identifier;    generating an amendment of the retrieved document based on the subject matter information; and    transmitting the amendment of the retrieved document to a remote recipient computer.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising: 
 displaying on the remote computer a plurality of available transmission modes;    receiving from the remote computer identification of one of the plurality of available transmission modes;    formatting the final document based on the identified transmission mode; and    transmitting the final document to a remote recipient computer over the data communications network according to the identified transmission mode.    
     
     
         14 . In a data communications network including a remote requesting computer and a remote recipient computer, a server automating generation and approval of legal documents, the server comprising: 
 a processor; and    a memory operably coupled to the processor and having program instructions stored therein, the processor being operable to execute the program instructions, the program instructions including: 
 receiving from the remote requesting computer over the data communications network a legal document request, the legal document request including recipient information;  
 selecting a legal document template from a legal document database responsive to the legal document request;  
 generating a final legal document based on the selected legal document template and the recipient information;  
 receiving over the data communications network an approval message from a remote party other than a party transmitting the legal document request via the remote requesting computer or other than a recipient receiving the final document via the remote recipient computer, the approval message indicating approval of the final document; and  
 transmitting the final document to the remote recipient computer over the data communications network.  
   
     
     
         15 . The server of  claim 14 , the program instructions further comprising: 
 receiving a second approval message from the remote party, the second approval message indicating approval of the legal document request.    
     
     
         16 . The server of  claim 14 , the program instructions further comprising: 
 updating an approval status report based on the approval message.    
     
     
         17 . The server of  claim 16 , the program instructions further comprising: 
 receiving a report request; and    transmitting the approval status report in response to the report request.    
     
     
         18 . The server of  claim 17 , wherein the approval status report is transmitted separately from the final document.  
     
     
         19 . The server of  claim 14 , wherein the party transmitting the legal document request is a marketing representative, the recipient receiving the final document is a customer interacting with the marketing representative, and the remote party providing the approval message is a director of a company.  
     
     
         20 . The server of  claim 14 , wherein the recipient information includes recipient identification and subject matter to be covered by the legal document.  
     
     
         21 . The server of  claim 14 , wherein the final legal document is stored in a central database coupled to the server, the program instructions further comprising: 
 receiving a document amendment request including a document identifier and subject matter information;    retrieving the stored document from the central database based on the document identifier;    generating an amendment of the retrieved document based on the subject matter information; and    transmitting the amendment of the retrieved document to the remote recipient computer.    
     
     
         22 . The server of  claim 14 , the program instructions further comprising: 
 displaying on the remote requesting computer a plurality of available transmission modes;    receiving from the remote requesting computer identification of one of the plurality of available transmission modes;    formatting the final document based on the identified transmission mode; and    transmitting the final document to the remote recipient computer over the data communications network according to the identified transmission mode.    
     
     
         23 . In a data communications network including a remote computer, a server automating generation and approval of legal documents, the server comprising: 
 a processor; and    a memory operably coupled to the processor and having program instructions stored therein, the processor being operable to execute the program instructions, the program instructions including: 
 receiving from the remote computer over the data communications network a legal document request, the legal document request including recipient information;  
 selecting a legal document template from a legal document database responsive to the legal document request;  
 generating a final legal document based on the selected legal document template and the recipient information;  
 storing the final legal document in a data store; and  
 transmitting to the remote computer over the data communications network a notification indicative of the generated final document, the notification being transmitted separately from the generated final document.  
   
     
     
         24 . The server of  claim 23 , wherein the recipient information includes recipient identification and subject matter to be covered by the legal document.  
     
     
         25 . The server of  claim 24 , wherein the data store is a central database coupled to the server, the server further comprising: 
 receiving a document amendment request including a document identifier and subject matter information;    retrieving the stored document from the central database based on the document identifier;    generating an amendment of the retrieved document based on the subject matter information; and    transmitting the amendment of the retrieved document to a remote recipient computer.    
     
     
         26 . The server of  claim 23 , the program instructions further comprising: 
 displaying on the remote computer a plurality of available transmission modes;    receiving from the remote computer identification of one of the plurality of available transmission modes;    formatting the final document based on the identified transmission mode; and    transmitting the final document to a remote recipient computer over the data communications network according to the identified transmission mode.