Method and system for the management of professional services project information

Abstract

A method and system are provided for the transfer and/or aggregation of data and, in particular, integrating data used in managing a professional services practice. The invention preferably transfers and/or aggregates data relating to the identity of clients and matters for whom professional services are being rendered with data relating to the work which data may be maintained in inconsistent, proprietary formats, comprising one or more of the following types of information: accounting; budgeting; docketing; time and billing; work product; word processing; records; project management; and/or other information relating to the professional services. The system of the present invention preferably comprises data storage and data processing means adapted to use the data in substantially portable and/or application-independent format, and/or and transfer or aggregate data between common, and/or proprietary data formats.

1 . An application for managing a professional services practice, comprising:
 a. one or more proprietary application means;   b. data storage means adapted to cooperate with said one or more application means for storing data relating to the professional services practice;   c. shareware application means;   d. said shareware means cooperating with one or more of said one or more application means and said data storage means to render the data portable.   
     
     
         2 . The application of  claim 1 , further comprising data in a format other than the proprietary format. 
     
     
         3 . The application of  claim 1 , further comprising data in a format other than a substantially proprietary format. 
     
     
         4 . The application of  claim 1 , further comprising, data selected from the group consisting of: docketing; calendaring, accounting; and time and billing data. 
     
     
         5 . The application of  claim 4 , further comprising data in a format other than a proprietary format. 
     
     
         6 . The application of  claim 4 , further comprising data in a format other than a substantially proprietary format. 
     
     
         7 . The application of  claim 4 , further comprising accounting data. 
     
     
         8 . The application of  claim 4 , further comprising time and/or billing data. 
     
     
         9 . The application of  claim 4 , further comprising docketing data. 
     
     
         10 . The application of  claim 4 , further comprising time and billing data. 
     
     
         11 . A data processing system for managing data relating to a professional services project and providing pertinent data to a user, comprising:
 a. network means;   b. one or more proprietary, distributed application means;   c. server means for distributing said one or more proprietary, distributed application means to the user on said network;   d. data storage means for storing said data,   e. said data storage means being adapted to cooperate with one or more of said server and said one or more distributed application means;   f. first data integration means, cooperating with one or more of said server, said one or more distributed application means, and said data storage means, for transferring said data;   g. storing said data in a format other than a substantially proprietary format; and   h. providing said data to a user.   
     
     
         12 . The data processing system of  claim 11 , further comprising data in a format other than a proprietary format. 
     
     
         13 . The data processing system of  claim 11 , further comprising data in a format other than a substantially proprietary format. 
     
     
         14 . The data processing system of  claim 11 , further comprising, data selected from the group consisting of: docketing; calendaring, accounting; and time and billing data. 
     
     
         15 . The data processing system of  claim 14 , further comprising data in a format other than a proprietary format. 
     
     
         16 . The data processing system of  claim 14 , further comprising data in a format other than a substantially proprietary format. 
     
     
         17 . The data processing system of  claim 14 , further comprising accounting data. 
     
     
         18 . The data processing system of  claim 14 , further comprising time and/or billing data. 
     
     
         19 . The data processing system of  claim 14 , further comprising docketing data. 
     
     
         20 . The data processing system of  claim 14 , further comprising time and billing data.