Comments on: Retrieving and Using Contracts Filed with the SEC http://www.adamsdrafting.com/2006/12/14/retrieving-and-using-contracts-filed-with-the-sec/ Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:23:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: AdamsDrafting » Blog Archive » With Free Online Forms, You Get What You Pay For http://www.adamsdrafting.com/2006/12/14/retrieving-and-using-contracts-filed-with-the-sec/comment-page-1/#comment-79095 AdamsDrafting » Blog Archive » With Free Online Forms, You Get What You Pay For Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:00:18 +0000 http://www.adamsdrafting.com/2006/12/14/retrieving-and-using-contracts-filed-with-the-sec/#comment-79095 [...] of business contract, I’m going to go to the motherlode, the SEC’s EDGAR system. (See this post and this post.) By comparison, YourFreeLegalForms offers a puny assortment, and I wouldn’t [...] [...] of business contract, I’m going to go to the motherlode, the SEC’s EDGAR system. (See this post and this post.) By comparison, YourFreeLegalForms offers a puny assortment, and I wouldn’t [...]

]]> By: AdamsDrafting » Blog Archive » docstoc—Surely You Jest! http://www.adamsdrafting.com/2006/12/14/retrieving-and-using-contracts-filed-with-the-sec/comment-page-1/#comment-12712 AdamsDrafting » Blog Archive » docstoc—Surely You Jest! Thu, 01 Nov 2007 21:40:19 +0000 http://www.adamsdrafting.com/2006/12/14/retrieving-and-using-contracts-filed-with-the-sec/#comment-12712 [...] is available, a number of services allow you to tap into the vast resource that is EDGAR. (See this post and this [...] [...] is available, a number of services allow you to tap into the vast resource that is EDGAR. (See this post and this [...]

]]> By: Ken Adams http://www.adamsdrafting.com/2006/12/14/retrieving-and-using-contracts-filed-with-the-sec/comment-page-1/#comment-3316 Ken Adams Sun, 08 Apr 2007 13:45:04 +0000 http://www.adamsdrafting.com/2006/12/14/retrieving-and-using-contracts-filed-with-the-sec/#comment-3316 Practice Technologies, Inc. has evidently come up with an offering closely related to RealPractice Public Access, namely <a href="http://www.realdealdocs.com" rel="nofollow">RealDealDocs</a>. It has been advertised through law.com, but I haven't bothered checking it out. Ken Practice Technologies, Inc. has evidently come up with an offering closely related to RealPractice Public Access, namely RealDealDocs. It has been advertised through law.com, but I haven’t bothered checking it out. Ken

]]> By: Michael Sykuta http://www.adamsdrafting.com/2006/12/14/retrieving-and-using-contracts-filed-with-the-sec/comment-page-1/#comment-1851 Michael Sykuta Thu, 11 Jan 2007 15:57:40 +0000 http://www.adamsdrafting.com/2006/12/14/retrieving-and-using-contracts-filed-with-the-sec/#comment-1851 I appreciate the description of resources for accessing contracts from SEC filings. As the Director of the Contracting and Organizations Research Institute (CORI), mentioned in the follow-up post, I would like to add and clarify a point or two. First, while most contracts in EDGAR are filed under Exhibit 10, not all contracts are filed so. It depends on the type of contract or other organizational documentation in which one is interested. It also depends on the filing type. There are 10 different SEC filing forms that contain "Material Contracts". Exhibit 10 is not a universal exhibit number for material contracts in half of these filing forms. CORI uses a combination of statutory guidelines and text-based heuristics to download all contracts filed in EDGAR, regardless of filing form or exhibit number. Second, the CORI K-Base provides access to contracts from sources other than EDGAR. Most of these are from regulated industries or contracts involving public entities. Thus the CORI K-Base has a broader scope of material than is available in EDGAR. Third, the link to CORI provided in the follow-up post points to our research page. The homepage is <a>http:/cori.missouri.edu.</a> From there, one can learn about the CORI K-Base or click on User Login to move to the collection. Registration is currently free. Finally, CORI is able to offer small and medium law firms customized archiving and access of their own contract products, allowing convenient, secured storage and access, and the ability to search over the firm's own filings and the larger collection simultaneously. If someone is interested in such a service, they can contact me directly from our website. Best regards, Michael Sykuta, PhD I appreciate the description of resources for accessing contracts from SEC filings. As the Director of the Contracting and Organizations Research Institute (CORI), mentioned in the follow-up post, I would like to add and clarify a point or two.

First, while most contracts in EDGAR are filed under Exhibit 10, not all contracts are filed so. It depends on the type of contract or other organizational documentation in which one is interested. It also depends on the filing type. There are 10 different SEC filing forms that contain “Material Contracts”. Exhibit 10 is not a universal exhibit number for material contracts in half of these filing forms. CORI uses a combination of statutory guidelines and text-based heuristics to download all contracts filed in EDGAR, regardless of filing form or exhibit number.

Second, the CORI K-Base provides access to contracts from sources other than EDGAR. Most of these are from regulated industries or contracts involving public entities. Thus the CORI K-Base has a broader scope of material than is available in EDGAR.

Third, the link to CORI provided in the follow-up post points to our research page. The homepage is http:/cori.missouri.edu. From there, one can learn about the CORI K-Base or click on User Login to move to the collection. Registration is currently free.

Finally, CORI is able to offer small and medium law firms customized archiving and access of their own contract products, allowing convenient, secured storage and access, and the ability to search over the firm’s own filings and the larger collection simultaneously. If someone is interested in such a service, they can contact me directly from our website.

Best regards,
Michael Sykuta, PhD

]]> By: Imke Ratschko http://www.adamsdrafting.com/2006/12/14/retrieving-and-using-contracts-filed-with-the-sec/comment-page-1/#comment-1488 Imke Ratschko Thu, 14 Dec 2006 18:08:05 +0000 http://www.adamsdrafting.com/2006/12/14/retrieving-and-using-contracts-filed-with-the-sec/#comment-1488 Actually, I forgot to mention another source for contract research in my post: http://www.cori.missouri.edu/wps/index.htm With respect to your post, I guess I interpreted "leveraging previously successful work" and "starting with a foundation of proven work product" differently. When I look at Edgar agreements, I know they have been successful in the sense that some law firm was able to sell that particular work product to a client. Doesn't say much, I know. I would never assume that it is perfect, without legal issues or the right agreement for my client. But it is helpful to have a comparison and see what has been drafted by other professionals. In my experience, small business clients often have a hard time understanding why it can be expensive and time consuming to draft agreements for them. So my post was meant to impress on them that you can copy and paste as much free contract samples as you want, it still takes a lot of experience and oversight to draft an agreement that is right for them and their situation. Finally, Westlaw and Lexis are just prohibitively expensive for solo practitioners like myself and I am glad to have found one more source for relatively low cost sample agreements. Thanks for the link and happy Holidays! Actually, I forgot to mention another source for contract research in my post: http://www.cori.missouri.edu/wps/index.htm

With respect to your post, I guess I interpreted “leveraging previously successful work” and “starting with a foundation of proven work product” differently. When I look at Edgar agreements, I know they have been successful in the sense that some law firm was able to sell that particular work product to a client. Doesn’t say much, I know. I would never assume that it is perfect, without legal issues or the right agreement for my client. But it is helpful to have a comparison and see what has been drafted by other professionals.

In my experience, small business clients often have a hard time understanding why it can be expensive and time consuming to draft agreements for them. So my post was meant to impress on them that you can copy and paste as much free contract samples as you want, it still takes a lot of experience and oversight to draft an agreement that is right for them and their situation.

Finally, Westlaw and Lexis are just prohibitively expensive for solo practitioners like myself and I am glad to have found one more source for relatively low cost sample agreements.

Thanks for the link and happy Holidays!

]]>