Methods and systems for identifying, assessing and clearing conflicts of interest

Abstract

Methods and systems for identifying, assessing and clearing conflicts of interest are described herein. Consistent with some embodiments, a conflicts management system receives a conflict search request, and processes the request utilizing a risk matrix that encompass and represents the risk tolerance or risk profile of a law firm. The risk matrix maps certain request types to different search queries and rules that are to be evaluated for a given request type. Based on the execution of the queries and the rules for the request, a score is assigned to a party, such that the score represents the level of risk that would be undertaken if the party was engaged as a client.

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 subsequent to generating a conflicts report that identifies a party as a potential conflict, receiving an indication that a risk score assigned to the party does not accurately reflect perceived risk associated with representing the party;   prompting for additional information concerning one or more reasons why the perceived risk of representing the party is not accurately reflected in the risk score assigned to the party; and   responsive to receiving and analyzing additional information, automatically modifying an algorithm used in generating the conflicts report based on the additional information.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein automatically modifying the algorithm used in generating the conflicts report includes modifying a rule, adding a rule, or deleting a rule, for use in generating a conflicts report in response to a request of a particular type. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein automatically modifying an algorithm used in generating the conflicts report includes modifying an attribute of a rule that is evaluated to assign a risk score to a party. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the perceived risk of representing the party is higher than indicated by the risk score assigned to the party, the method further comprising:
 automatically modifying an attribute of the rule so that the evaluation of the rule results in increasing the risk score assigned to the party.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the perceived risk of representing the party is lower than indicated by the risk score assigned to the party, the method further comprising:
 automatically modifying an attribute of the rule so that the evaluation of the rule results in decreasing the risk score assigned to the party.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the prompting for and receiving additional information is performed via a wizard user interface element. 
     
     
         7 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 detecting an event associated with a conflicts report that has been generated in response to a request of a particular type; and   in response to detecting the event, automatically modifying a rule assigned to the request of the particular type, the rule for use in generating conflicts reports in response to requests of the particular type.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein detecting the event associated with the conflicts report includes detecting a user-initiated interaction with a particular search hit displayed in the conflicts report, the interaction with the particular search hit representing a clearing event to indicate that a party indicated by the search hit does not represent an actual conflict. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein detecting the event associated with the conflicts report includes detecting a user-initiated interaction with a particular search hit displayed in the conflicts report, the interaction with the particular search hit indicating that a risk score assigned to a party associated with the search hit does not accurately reflect the perceived risk associated with representing the party. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein automatically modifying the rule includes modifying an attribute specified in the rule, the attribute evaluated as part of a process for assigning a risk score to a party. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein automatically modifying the rule includes deleting the rule so as to prevent the rule from being evaluated for requests of the particular type. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein detecting the event associated with the conflicts report includes systemically detecting an addition of a new custom attribute name or custom attribute value for use in evaluating a rule that is utilized in assigning risk scores to a party. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein detecting the event associated with the conflicts report includes systemically detecting deletion of a custom attribute name or custom attribute value for use in evaluating a rule that is utilized in assigning risk scores to a party. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein detecting the event associated with the conflicts report includes systemically detecting a revision to a custom attribute name or custom attribute value for use in evaluating a rule that is utilized in assigning risk scores to a party.