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Datacert's IP Forum Provides Corporate IP Departments Opportunity to Share Best Practices

Datacert facilitates constructive discussion among leading IP practitioners and industry experts regarding IP invoice and legal spend management trends

HOUSTON, July 22, 2009--Datacert Inc., the leading global provider of legal operations management solutions, conducted its annual IP Forum on June 30th in New York City, which provided customers the opportunity to discuss relevant issues and challenges regarding IP invoice and legal spend management with peers and industry experts.

Nine companies, each with significant IP portfolios, were in attendance, including Intellectual Ventures and several Fortune 100 companies, such as IBM. Datacert's leading experts on the subject of IP management, Domenic Leo, senior vice president, worldwide sales, and Rajitha Boer, vice president/director, EMEA business development, facilitated the discussion. Primary topics of conversation included strategies for working with a global network of IP agents, as well as business intelligence tools and best practices for managing a vast IP portfolio and the associated costs.

"Domenic Leo and Rajitha Boer are two of the true thought leaders in the legal technology industry when it comes to IP. Datacert customers are fortunate to have their expertise," said Jane Bennett, manager, Baker Robbins & Company.

Another major topic at the IP Forum pertained to the unique IP needs associated with the rollout of a global legal spend management solution. Participants discussed challenges due to the large number of agents and vendors that IP departments typically employ that do not have proper technology access to submit electronic invoices using a LEDES (Legal Electronic Data Exchange Standard) format, have low-value invoices, or are one-time service providers.

"The event provided a valuable forum to share knowledge and expertise for those of us in the IP world striving to take data analysis to the next level," said Guy Ellis, director of patent operations, Intellectual Ventures.

Datacert holds the IP Forum annually as a way to help clients advance beyond their IP spend management solution's initial value of transitioning them from paper to electronic invoices, to the next step of leveraging their IP spend data to strategically manage their worldwide network of IP agents and outside counsel. Participants shared their successes with using their data in innovative ways, including grading their firms for cost effectiveness as well as gauging their true capacity to accept additional work.

"Being able to share our ideas and experiences with other Datacert customers who are also on the cutting edge was invaluable," said Ellis. "It reaffirms that we are on the right path to strategically manage the way our company protects its intellectual property."

About Datacert, Inc.

Datacert is the leading global provider of software and services for the legal industry. Offerings include its technology platform, Passport, and legal and IP spend and matter management software and services. Clients look to Datacert solutions to strategically manage their departments, reduce legal costs, and optimize operational efficiencies. Datacert has law firm, vendor, and agent connections in more than 150 countries and its customers include 71 Fortune^® 500 corporations, 53 Global Fortune^® 500 corporations, and 100% of the AmLaw 200. Visit www.datacert.com for more information and follow us on Twitter for real-time updates http://twitter.com/Datacert.