System, methods, and software for integration of case law, legal briefs, and/or litigation documents into law firm workflow

摘要

An online legal research system comprises a client access device and a server coupled to one or more databases storing documents of legal cases. The client access device is configured to access an editable document of a case management system for an activity associated with a legal case over a first network. The document is accessed via a word processor application and includes identification information that identifies the legal case and the activity. The client device is further configured to transmit at least a portion of the identification information over a second network. The server is configured to communicate with the client access device over the second network to receive the portion of the identification information. The server is further configured to conduct a search of at least one of the databases based on the received portion and to return to the client access device one or more documents of at least one other legal case that are relevant to the activity of the legal case. An online legal research system comprises one or more databases storing documents of legal cases and a server coupled to the databases. The server is configured to receive from a client access device identification information that identifies an activity of a legal case maintained by a case management system. The server is further configured to search the databases based on the identification information and to return to the client access device one or more documents of at least one other legal case that are relevant to the activity of the legal case.