Legal

Despite the somewhat antitechnology bias of the legal profession, XML is making inroads in selected applications. With the approval of the E-Sign Act, the U.S. government has opened the door to legally binding electronic documents. Major standards organizations are working on standards to integrate XML and digital signature information, such as the Internet Engineering Task Force's (www.ietf.org) XML Digital Signatures initiative. Legally binding electronic documents promise to greatly simplify the task of managing complex business relationships.

Patent Filings

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has implemented the Electronic Filing System, a system that enables users to submit patent applications over the Internet. Online collaboration between IP lawyers and engineers can streamline the process of protecting vital corporate technology.