Comments regarding LegalXML contract draft

Overall the contracts XML approach you are presenting appears sound. Your use of RELAX NG is excellent choice given your extension requirements and lax structure permutations. Also the simple XML unencumbered by namespace clutter is refreshing and a strong choice for simpler implementation and less handling and deployment issues.

I would offer some additional thoughts however to compliment / enhance what you have developed so far.

1) The address format – please consider offering an alternate international address format based on the new CIQ v3.0 address template

2) Creating templates and extensions to augment your existing schemas – provide runtime support – the OASIS CAM toolset looks well suited to provide validation services that support lax structures and content validation. This would overcome the restrictions you are facing with Relax NG and XSD right now – because CAM works without depending on either of these being present. Essentially any well formed XML can be validated with a CAM template and checked to conform to your specification. The open source jCAM implementation is available to support this from http://www.jcam.org.uk ; this could be deployed as a hosted contract validation micro-service facility.

3) Using CAM templates <include> mechanism and the context mechanism – you could have rule-based structures for address and contract details based on role, intent and localization needs. External context variables can be declared as the means to drive this.

4) Lookup() lists and discreet values – the CAM specification also allows you to declare and reference external validation lookup lists.

5) You could develop extensions to the base jCAM engine to support digital signatures, certificates and other artifacts.

I hope these provide additional opportunities to compliment and enhance your existing solid foundation.

The CAM and CIQ TC members would be happy to provide assistance in exploring these areas.

Thanks, DW

Chair OASIS CAM TC; member CIQ TC.

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