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Legal research is a pivotal aspect of a lawyer’s profession, shaping the course of cases and ensuring justice prevails. As a result, selecting the most suitable legal research services is paramount. With abundant choices available, delving into the intricacies of these platforms can be daunting.

Begin by understanding the importance of legal research for lawyers. It’s the foundation upon which strong cases are built. You need access to legal research services that provide a comprehensive database and user-friendly interface to achieve this.

This post will discuss how to discern the best legal research service. It would be best to scrutinize database depth, search functionality, and cost-effectiveness factors. Ultimately, selecting the right legal research services ensures you have the software you need to succeed in the legal arena.

What Is Legal Research?

Legal research systematically explores legal sources to unearth vital information crucial to law practice. It plays an integral role in the legal profession, serving as the bedrock upon which attorneys build their cases and strategies.

By its very essence, legal research empowers you to make well-informed decisions, guiding you through intricate legal landscapes. This process consumes a substantial portion of lawyers’ time, approximately 35-40% of their working hours.

In essence, legal research is the compass that navigates the legal terrain, enabling lawyers to interpret laws, locate precedents, and craft compelling arguments, ensuring justice prevails in every case.

Steps to Do Legal Research

Legal research is an intricate process that demands precision and thoroughness. Following a structured approach is essential to ensure your legal research is compelling. Here are some critical steps to do legal research:

Gather Information

The journey begins by identifying the issue or problem at hand. This initial step is critical as it sets the foundation for your research. Gathering relevant facts and details is paramount. A comprehensive understanding of the issue ensures your research is on the right track.

In legal research, overlooking even minor details can be costly. Therefore, meticulousness in gathering information is vital.

Establish Goals

Defining clear objectives for your research is crucial before delving into the vast realm of legal sources. What are you trying to achieve? What specific questions need answers? Setting clear goals ensures that your research remains focused and efficient.

These goals are guiding stars, steering you toward the most pertinent legal information.

Determine Legal Sources

Identifying applicable laws, statutes, and regulations is the heart of legal research. You’ll encounter both primary and secondary legal sources.

Primary sources, such as statutes, regulations, and court decisions, carry significant weight in legal research. Analyze these sources to understand the legal framework and precedents relevant to your case.

Secondary sources comprise legal commentary, articles, reviews, and treatises, which offer valuable insights and analysis. They can provide a deeper understanding of complex legal issues and help you form persuasive arguments.

A deep dive into primary sources provides the bedrock of legal analysis, while secondary sources offer valuable insights and interpretations.

Reference a Citator

Ensure the credibility and relevance of your sources. A citator is a vital tool in legal research. It serves as a navigator, helping you verify legal sources’ validity and current status. Citators provide information on whether a case has been overruled, cited frequently, or questioned by subsequent cases.

Utilizing a citator ensures that your research relies on up-to-date and authoritative legal precedents. An example of a great legal research database with citation services is Westlaw. They offer a service called KeyCite , which checks the validity and relevance of statutes, case law, and other primary and secondary legal sources to ensure they are current.

Report Results and Fill Gaps

As you accumulate legal information, organizing and summarizing your findings is imperative. A well-structured report not only aids your understanding but also facilitates effective communication with clients or colleagues.

Identifying gaps in your research is equally significant. If you’ve missed crucial information, take the necessary actions to fill those gaps promptly.

In legal research, a methodical approach is your greatest ally. These steps to do legal research ensure that you harness the power of information effectively, enhancing your ability to provide sound legal counsel and navigate the complexities of the legal landscape.

Best Legal Research Software

Legal research services have revolutionized the legal profession, and at the forefront of this transformation is online legal research software. These advanced software offer many advantages, making them indispensable for modern attorneys.

Legal research software streamlines the complex legal investigation process, providing instant access to a vast repository of legal documents and resources. Access reputable online legal databases and libraries. Platforms like Westlaw, LexisNexis, and HeinOnline provide extensive collections of legal materials. Use advanced search features to narrow down your results effectively.

Legal research software’s efficiency is unparalleled, saving you significant time and effort. Combining your legal databases and libraries with a stellar legal document management platform sets you up for far-reaching success. These features employ sophisticated algorithms and search functionalities, ensuring no crucial detail goes unnoticed.

In a profession where precision is paramount, legal research software emerges as an indispensable ally, enhancing productivity and enabling you to make well-informed decisions swiftly.

Tips to Master Legal Research

Legal research is the cornerstone of every attorney’s practice. It’s a skill that can make or break a case. In today’s digital age, mastering legal research requires traditional expertise and harnessing the power of technology. Here are some essential tips for you to excel in legal research, focusing on leveraging the capabilities of legal document management software. This software can significantly enhance research efficiency.

Leverage Technology: In the legal field, technology is a game-changer! Programs like Westlaw and LexisNexis offer features that can streamline your research process. They enable you to search vast legal databases, saving precious time quickly.
Stay Updated: The legal landscape is ever-evolving, with laws, regulations, and case precedents constantly changing.
Organize Your Research: Effective organization is key to successful legal research.
Collaborate and Seek Expertise: Legal research often benefits from collaboration and seeking expertise from peers and experts.

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Online Legal Research Software

Lawyers research online. There are no two ways about it anymore. Whether you're combing opinions for supporting caselaw, or digging through old property records, nowadays, you're doing that online. As such, you need ready and reliable access to online legal research software and services. But knowing which legal research tool to purchase can be confusing, at best. And it gets expensive very quickly.

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Online Legal Research Software FAQs

Are online legal research tools just for case law and treatises.

Although most often used to research case law and study treatises, online legal research tools can also provide background checks, people searches, data aggregation, and even memo and brief analysis.

What is a legal aggregator service?

Many online legal research services will take public and proprietary information (purchased from institutions like Equifax and TransUnion), store it in their databases, and allow users to search the aggregated information.

What legal research software is right for my firm?

Each law firm will have differing legal research software needs. Some will only need case law research, while others will rely heavily on treatises and secondary sources. Still, others will mostly be searching for personal information, or running background checks. To determine what is right for your firm, you’ll need to assess what information you’ll need access to, and find the service that provides that. Many solos and small firms will simply need case law research with the occasional secondary source access.

Will the tool my bar association offers work for my law practice?

Many bar associations across the country have deals with online legal research services to provide discounted, and even free access to their databases. Usually, this will include access to primary material, with few secondary sources. For attorneys who only need occasional access to legal resources, this may work wonderfully. However, these platforms are becoming increasingly competitive with big players in the space.

How to Choose Online Legal Research Software

Choosing an online legal research service provider for your law firm is difficult. For example, there is the fear that if you choose one, you’ll miss out on some incredible functionality in another. There is also the brutal sales pressure, the ever-escalating pricing structures, and the nagging feeling that you’re paying too much and using it too little. You’re probably annoyed with multi-year contracts and expensive add-on features. All of this may leave you bouncing from one legal research tool to another. It can be challenging to know what software, and which specific features, you need to keep your business running smoothly. We’ll try to make it easy.

4 Steps to Choose an Online Legal Research Tool

1. Determine your law firm's online legal research needs

Some tools offer limited research sets, while others allow you to explore secondary sources, check your citations, and more, and either for free or at an additional cost. Decide whether you’re only going to use a legal research tool for a particular practice area. Maybe you don’t need any other offerings.

2. Assess the available features

Read through our Features List and determine what functionality and tools your firm needs for its online legal research software.

3. Research your options

Then, devour as much information as you care to about the legal research software offerings that most interest you. Visit the product page for each, including pricing options. At a minimum, pricing should be forthright and easy to understand. After all, no one likes hidden fees. Jump into the comments and ratings below or into our Facebook group to learn how Lawyerist and its community feel about each. If you have a sales representative, ask them for references.

4. Try before you buy

Finally, sign up for a trial account with one or two likely options, put them through their paces, and select the one that you think will work best for your firm. You’re a bit like Goldilocks here. Some research tools give you far more firepower than you will ever need. Some will offer too little. Try to find one that is just right for your practice. In our view, you should be able to try before you buy. Ask for a free trial of whichever online legal research tool most interests you before you buy it. Be sure it is right for you and your practice before you drop money—or sign a multi-year contract—with your chosen provider. And be wary of companies that try to charge you before you can test the product. Some companies may give you a 30-day money-back guarantee or demand your credit card to get started with a legal research tool (and will begin billing you if you don’t cancel before your trial expires). While this isn’t ideal, any “free trial” is better than nothing.

Online Legal Research Software Feature Descriptions

Artificial intelligence (ai).

AI legal assistants can help you identify relevant cases and statutes, and may even help you draft your brief.

Natural Language Search

Can you search by entering a question in normal language rather than keywords or Boolean connectors and phrases?

Boolean Search

With Boolean operators like AND, OR, and more, you can precisely target your search query.

Citation Checking

A citation checker helps you identify whether a case or statute has been overruled, modified, or reversed or repealed.

Filter Search

Can you restrict your search to certain parts or features of cases and statutes, like the date, judge, or jurisdiction?

Research History

Research history makes it easier to find the results of previous searches or see if the law has changed with new results.

Research Folders

Organize your research history into folders.

PDF/Word Downloads

Download cases and statutes as a formatted PDF or Word document.

Suggestions

When you run a search, get suggestions for additional searches to run or material you should look at.

Flag key cases so that you get an email notification if it is cited in a new case, statute, or secondary source.

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Guide to the 20 Best Legal Research Tools In 2024

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12 Best Legal Research Tools

Here's my top shortlist of the best legal research tools to use in 2023:

Judicata - Best for in-depth legal analysis with innovative visualization tools
Google Scholar - Best for freely accessible, comprehensive academic and legal research
Fastcase - Best for real-time legal data integration for robust research
Lexis PSL - Best for precise and pragmatic legal guidance tailored to UK lawyers
Bloomberg Law - Best for high-quality, detailed legal analysis with real-time news updates
Practical Law - Best for in-depth practical legal know-how, from global to jurisdiction-specific
Law Insider - Best for the most extensive collection of legal contracts and clauses
Lexis - Best for a holistic approach to legal research with advanced AI analytics
Casetext - Best for AI-driven legal research assistance, amplifying your search capabilities
Relativity - Best for early case assessment with data-driven insights
Westlaw - Best for legal research enriched by over a century of experience
Clio - Best for law firm management alongside exceptional legal research resources

Legal research tools are designed to give you a comprehensive understanding of relevant cases, court decisions, and secondary sources. They provide access to an extensive database of legal resources, including federal courts and state courts, the Supreme Court, appellate courts, and specific resources like FindLaw and law libraries. A good tool incorporates Boolean operators, which can refine your search and lead you straight to the most pertinent information.

These tools aren't just about accessing vast amounts of data—they're about making that data manageable and actionable. They alleviate the pain point of spending hours manually sifting through content by providing targeted search results, organized case summaries, law review articles, and more.

Now, let's dive into these legal research tool options, which can transform your research process.

What is a Legal Research Tool?

A legal research tool is a powerful digital ally for anyone navigating the complexities of the law. From seasoned attorneys to law students, paralegals, legal researchers, and even the average person seeking to understand a legal issue, these tools streamline the process of sourcing and understanding legal information.

Users leverage them to find case laws, statutes, regulations, legal articles, and more, making the otherwise Herculean task of sifting through legal texts efficient and precise. These platforms often provide features like keyword search, filter options, legal analytics, and citation services, all designed to offer comprehensive, easy-to-understand legal data.

In essence, legal research tools serve as invaluable guides in the labyrinth of law, illuminating the path to clear, concise, and pertinent legal knowledge.

Overviews of the 12 Best Legal Research Tools

1. judicata - best for in-depth legal analysis with innovative visualization tools.

A detailed photo for the report tab inside Judicata.

Introducing Judicata, an advanced legal research tool engineered for the modern attorney. It reimagines legal analysis, fusing technology and law to deliver unprecedented depth and clarity, thereby providing the best platform for in-depth legal analysis with innovative visualization tools.

Why I Picked Judicata:

I selected Judicata for this list due to its unique approach to legal analysis. Unlike traditional tools, Judicata uses sophisticated legal technology to unravel complex cases and statutes, making it a standout choice. I believe Judicata is "Best for in-depth legal analysis with innovative visualization tools" because it leverages AI to provide detailed breakdowns of case law and statutes, accompanied by clear, intuitive visualizations.

Standout features & integrations:

One key feature is Judicata's color-coded case ratings that provide instant insight into the treatment of legal issues within a case. Its mapping feature visually displays case details, making navigation simpler. Judicata is fully integrated with Google Drive, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive, providing seamless access and storage of the research database.

Pricing starts from $125/user/month.

Advanced AI for detailed legal analysis
Clear and intuitive visualization tools
Integration with popular cloud storage services
Higher starting price compared to other tools
Limited to US case law and statutes
Steep learning curve for those unfamiliar with legal research software

2. Google Scholar - Best for freely accessible, comprehensive academic and legal research

A screenshot of the main page for the tool Google Scholar.

Welcome to Google Scholar, an expansive digital library providing free access to a wealth of academic and legal content. With a vast selection of scholarly literature spanning various disciplines and sources, Google Scholar is the best tool for freely accessible, comprehensive academic and legal research.

Why I Picked Google Scholar:

I included Google Scholar on this list because it breaks down barriers to legal and academic research by providing a large volume of information at no cost. Its standout characteristic is its open-access nature coupled with its extensive repository of diverse resources.

I hold that Google Scholar is "Best for freely accessible, comprehensive academic and legal research" due to its ability to provide vast and varied scholarly materials free of charge, thus democratizing access to legal and academic knowledge.

Key features of Google Scholar include the "Cited by" function, which allows users to see other works that have cited the paper they are reading. Also, the "Related articles" feature helps users discover more materials on the same topic.

Google Scholar doesn't have traditional integrations as most software does, but its ability to link with your university library for full-text access, Google Books, and the Google Chrome browser makes research more convenient.

Google Scholar is free to use.

Free access to vast academic and legal resources
Advanced search functionality to find specific resources
Integration with university libraries for full-text access
No editorial control or peer-review process for some resources
Limited sorting and filtering options compared to paid tools
Difficulty in identifying the most relevant resources among a vast quantity of information

3. Fastcase - Best for real-time legal data integration for robust research

A photo for the main dashboard of Fastcase.

Fastcase stands as a powerhouse in legal research, offering comprehensive access to a wide array of legal databases for accurate, in-depth research. With its unique focus on integrating real-time legal data, Fastcase secures its position as the best tool for real-time legal data integration for robust research.

Why I Picked Fastcase:

I chose Fastcase for its commitment to providing timely and comprehensive legal information. Its emphasis on integrating real-time data, such as updates to statutes, regulations, and case laws, sets it apart from other legal research tools.

I deem Fastcase as the "Best for real-time legal data integration for robust research" because its real-time updates ensure that users have the most current and accurate legal information at their disposal.

Fastcase's standout features include its "Interactive Timeline," which visualizes search results over time, and "Authority Check," which identifies the most authoritative cases. Fastcase is well integrated with leading legal practice management systems like Clio, Rocket Matter, and PracticePanther, facilitating efficient workflow management.

Pricing starts from $65/user/month (billed annually).

Real-time legal data integration ensures current information
Advanced visualization tools for in-depth analysis
Integrations with major legal practice management systems
Annual billing may deter those preferring monthly plans
Steeper learning curve due to its extensive features
Limited non-US legal resources

4. Lexis PSL - Best for precise and pragmatic legal guidance tailored to UK lawyers

Lexis PSL stands as a comprehensive practical guidance tool dedicated to providing pragmatic and clear legal guidance specifically tailored for UK lawyers. The tool offers a concise approach to complex legal processes, making it the best tool for precise legal guidance tailored to UK lawyers.

Why I Picked Lexis PSL:

I selected Lexis PSL for its precise, to-the-point legal guidance that caters particularly to UK legal practitioners. Its unique focus on the UK legal landscape sets it apart. When I say Lexis PSL is "Best for precise and pragmatic legal guidance tailored to UK lawyers," it's because it offers contextual insights, practical tools, and in-depth guides based on UK law.

Lexis PSL offers a multitude of features, including access to a vast library of legal templates, checklists, and practical guidance tailored to the UK market. It integrates smoothly with LexisLibrary, offering direct access to case law, legislation, and expert commentary.

Pricing starts from £175/user/month (approximately $230/user/month).

Tailored to the needs of UK lawyers
Offers practical guidance, templates, and checklists
Smooth integration with LexisLibrary
Limited to UK law
High cost for individual users
No mobile app for on-the-go access

5. Bloomberg Law - Best for high-quality, detailed legal analysis with real-time news updates

A desktop and mobile view for some features of the tool Bloomberg Law.

Bloomberg Law stands as a pioneer in delivering top-tier legal analysis coupled with real-time news updates, aiming to keep legal professionals well-informed. This tool enables its users to access an expansive legal database, with an emphasis on the delivery of timely and thorough news related to legal affairs, making it the best choice for high-quality, detailed legal analysis with real-time news updates.

Why I Picked Bloomberg Law:

I picked Bloomberg Law for its unmatched integration of comprehensive legal research and real-time legal news updates. This combination makes it stand out in the landscape of legal research tools.

The rationale behind my statement that it's "Best for high-quality, detailed legal analysis with real-time news updates" lies in its commitment to providing detailed legal analysis and constant news updates to its users, keeping them abreast of changes in the law.

Bloomberg Law excels in offering users an extensive array of legal research tools, including legal analysis, litigation analytics, and a deep well of primary and secondary legal materials. Moreover, it provides seamless integration with other Bloomberg industry products, delivering legal insights in the context of broader market trends.

Pricing starts from $450/user/month.

Integration of legal research with real-time news
Comprehensive legal database
Seamless integration with other Bloomberg products
High cost can be prohibitive for smaller firms or individual users
Interface might seem complex to new users
Overwhelming amount of information might require significant time to navigate

6. Practical Law - Best for in-depth practical legal know-how, from global to jurisdiction-specific

A photo for the startup feature of Practical Law.

Practical Law is a renowned legal research platform developed by Thomson Reuters that provides comprehensive and easy-to-understand legal resources. As the tool's name suggests, its primary focus is on providing practical, in-depth legal know-how, stretching from global to jurisdiction-specific advice, which makes it the go-to choice for a broad range of legal practitioners and professionals.

Why I Picked Practical Law:

I chose Practical Law for its remarkable dedication to offering pragmatic and in-depth legal knowledge, covering a global to jurisdiction-specific span. What makes it stand out is its vast array of easy-to-understand legal resources and practical guides, simplifying the intricate legal field for practitioners.

I determined it to be the "Best for in-depth practical legal know-how, from global to jurisdiction-specific" due to the breadth and depth of its coverage and its unique focus on practical application in different jurisdictions.

Practical Law shines with its range of practical resources, such as standard documents, checklists, legal updates, and a glossary of legal terms, all created and maintained by an expert team of attorney-editors. Furthermore, it integrates efficiently with Westlaw and other Thomson Reuters legal products, enabling seamless and unified legal research.

Pricing starts from $89/user/month. Please note, pricing is generally based on the number and type of users and varies according to the size and needs of the organization.

Comprehensive, practical legal resources
Broad jurisdictional coverage
Smooth integration with other Thomson Reuters products
Pricing might be high for individual users
Some users might find the amount of information overwhelming
Subscription-based pricing model may not be suitable for all users

7. Law Insider - Best for the most extensive collection of legal contracts and clauses

A photo for the sample contract clauses feature of Law Insider.

Law Insider is a powerful legal research tool that amasses an enormous collection of legal contracts and clauses. It empowers legal professionals to find, understand and draft better agreements with access to millions of contracts from public companies across various industries, justifying its position as the 'best for the most extensive collection of legal contracts and clauses.'

Why I Picked Law Insider:

I picked Law Insider primarily for its extensive database of contracts and clauses, the largest I have come across in my comparison of tools. The availability of millions of legal documents from diverse industries makes it stand out.

I have judged it to be "Best for the most extensive collection of legal contracts and clauses" based on its unparalleled repository that assists legal professionals in drafting superior agreements.

The most significant feature of Law Insider is its vast repository of contracts and clauses from public companies. Users also benefit from its robust search capabilities that let them find specific clauses or agreements quickly. The platform can be integrated with Microsoft Word, allowing for a smoother drafting and editing process.

Pricing starts from $39/user/month (billed annually). Please note that this pricing includes access to all features and there are no additional costs for more advanced functionality.

Extensive database of contracts and clauses
Robust search functionality
Integration with Microsoft Word for easy drafting and editing
Monthly subscription might be high for some users
The interface could be intimidating for new users due to the vast amount of information
Requires an annual commitment for the base pricing

8. Lexis - Best for a holistic approach to legal research with advanced AI analytics

A screenshot of the client tab inside Lexis.

Lexis is an influential legal research platform offering a comprehensive suite of resources, from case law and legislation to news and business insights. Its advanced AI analytics facilitates a more in-depth and broader understanding of legal issues, justifying why it's the 'best for a holistic approach to legal research with advanced AI analytics.'

Why I Picked Lexis:

I selected Lexis for this list due to its comprehensive approach to legal research. The breadth and depth of resources available make it a unique tool in the market. Its advanced AI analytics elevate its status, providing deep insights that significantly aid legal research, which is why I determined it to be 'Best for a holistic approach to legal research with advanced AI analytics.'

Key features of Lexis include a vast database of case law, legislation, news, and business insights, along with advanced AI analytics for in-depth research. Lexis integrates with several tools, such as Microsoft Office, providing a more streamlined experience in drafting and reviewing documents.

Pricing starts from $75/user/month. However, this may vary depending on the specific resources and tools chosen. Detailed pricing is available upon request.

Extensive database covering various aspects of legal research
Advanced AI analytics for deeper insights
Integrations with tools like Microsoft Office
Pricing can be steep for solo practitioners or small firms
Learning curve due to its advanced features
Customizable plans could make pricing structure complex

9. Casetext - Best for AI-driven legal research assistance, amplifying your search capabilities

A photo for the website of the tool Casetext.

Casetext is a legal research tool that integrates artificial intelligence to help lawyers conduct more efficient and thorough research. The AI element amplifies search capabilities, making it a stand-out choice for those looking for 'AI-driven legal research assistance.'

Why I Picked Casetext:

I chose Casetext for this list because of its unique use of AI to enhance legal research. It stands out from other tools due to this sophisticated feature, which helps to boost search efficiency and accuracy. I determined it as 'Best for AI-driven legal research assistance' because its use of AI truly amplifies search capabilities.

Casetext's AI feature, known as CARA, allows users to find related authorities to their legal matter swiftly. It also highlights key cases, statutes, and regulations, making research much more efficient. Casetext can integrate with various citation management and legal writing tools, making it easier for users to keep their work organized.

Pricing starts from $65/user/month, billed annually.

CARA AI feature improves search capabilities
Seamless integrations with citation management and legal writing tools
Highlighting of key cases, statutes, and regulations
Pricing might be high for solo practitioners
The AI feature might have a learning curve for some users
Annual billing might not be ideal for all users

10. Relativity - Best for early case assessment with data-driven insights

Relativity is a cloud-based platform designed to help legal teams conduct early case assessments and derive data-driven insights. It's an excellent choice for those in need of a tool that excels in both initial assessments and providing meaningful data for decision-making.

Why I Picked Relativity:

I selected Relativity for this list due to its capacity to deliver actionable, data-driven insights right from the early stages of a case. The platform's comprehensive approach to managing legal data sets it apart from other tools. I believe Relativity is 'Best for early case assessment with data-driven insights' because it really excels in those areas, allowing users to make informed decisions early on.

Relativity's features, such as the dynamic early case assessment dashboard and the data visualization tools, offer invaluable assistance during case evaluation. Furthermore, it integrates with numerous data management and analysis tools, thereby enhancing its capability to provide meaningful insights.

Pricing begins from $150/user/month with a minimum of 10 seats required.

Dynamic early case assessment dashboard
Excellent data visualization tools
Wide range of integrations
Higher pricing point may be restrictive for smaller firms
The complexity of features may require a learning curve
Minimum seat requirement might not be ideal for smaller teams

11. Westlaw - Best for legal research enriched by over a century of experience

The docket timeline feature of the tool Westlaw.

Westlaw is a comprehensive legal research tool that has been around for over a century, providing trusted legal information to professionals across the globe. It's a rich resource for anyone in need of extensive legal research, with a history that speaks volumes of its reliability and expertise.

Why I Picked Westlaw:

Westlaw made it to my list due to its longstanding history and unmatched depth of legal content. What differentiates it from other tools is its extensive knowledge base, built upon over a hundred years of legal expertise. I believe Westlaw is "Best for legal research enriched by over a century of experience" as it leverages its deep-rooted history to provide comprehensive and reliable legal research.

Westlaw offers an advanced search system that delivers pinpoint accuracy and a range of legal information, including case law, statutes, and regulations. Additionally, it integrates well with legal document management systems, which enables a seamless transition of researched information into working documents.

Pricing for Westlaw is available upon request from the company, given the extensive customizations they provide to fit their customer's requirements.

Advanced search system provides precise results
Comprehensive library of legal information
Seamless integration with document management systems
Pricing is not transparent
The platform might be overwhelming for new users due to its extensive features
Some users may find the user interface a bit outdated

12. Clio - Best for law firm management alongside exceptional legal research resources

A screenshot for the matters tab of the tool Clio.

Clio is a leading legal practice management software that offers robust features for law firm management while also providing exceptional legal research resources. Its ability to handle multiple facets of law firm operations and its integrated legal research tools make it ideal for firms that require both efficient management and extensive legal research capabilities.

Why I Picked Clio:

I selected Clio for this list because of its comprehensive nature that covers both law firm management and legal research needs. What sets Clio apart is its ability to offer top-tier law firm management features while also delivering reliable legal research resources. This makes Clio the best for law firm management alongside exceptional legal research resources, effectively serving a dual purpose.

Clio offers a broad spectrum of features from case and document management to billing and invoicing, time tracking, and calendaring. The integration of Fastcase, a leading legal research solution, within Clio further amplifies its legal research capabilities. Importantly, it also integrates with other common platforms like Office365, GSuite, and QuickBooks, facilitating a smooth workflow.

Clio's pricing starts from $39/user/month for its basic 'Starter' plan, while more advanced features come with higher-tier plans.

Integrated with Fastcase for extensive legal research
Robust features for complete law firm management
Numerous integrations with other common software
Higher-tier plans can be expensive
Some features might have a steep learning curve
Requires manual input for some tasks which can be time-consuming

Other Legal Research Tools

Below is a list of additional legal research tools that I shortlisted but did not make it to the top 12. Definitely worth checking them out.

Lexis Advance Quicklaw - Good for comprehensive Canadian legal content
Practical Guidance - Good for providing step-by-step guidance on legal procedures
Arguminer - Good for detecting patent arguments with AI assistance
BlueJ - Good for those learning Java programming
BlinkLegal - Good for intuitive legal document management and assembly
Quimbee - Good for law students needing study aids and exam prep
Checkpoint - Good for tax, finance, and accounting professionals
VitalLaw - Good for accessing diverse legal research resources

Selection Criteria

When selecting a legal research tool, there are some critical criteria that I took into account. I've evaluated dozens of legal research tools, and these were the essential elements that stood out. Below, I've detailed the core functionalities, key features, and usability aspects that matter most for legal professionals.

Core Functionality:

Legal Research: The tool should enable users to access extensive databases of cases, statutes, regulations, and legal literature.
Citation Checking: The ability to validate and cross-reference legal citations.
Case Tracking: Monitoring updates or changes to specific legal cases.

Key Features:

Advanced Search: Enables search using natural language queries or specific legal terminologies.
AI Assistance: Artificial Intelligence to provide suggestions, predict results, or automate tasks.
Collaboration Tools: Allows multiple users to work on a single case, share notes, or discuss findings.
User-friendly Interface: Legal research tools should feature an intuitive and clean interface that allows for quick navigation through vast amounts of information.
Onboarding and Support: A comprehensive tutorial or onboarding process is essential due to the complex nature of legal research. Timely and effective customer support is also crucial.
Customizable Viewing: The ability to modify and personalize the viewing interface, which may include the addition of filters, tags, and bookmarks, can enhance the research experience.
Mobile Compatibility: Legal professionals often need to work on the go. Therefore, an ideal legal research tool should have a mobile application or a mobile-friendly website.

How much do these legal research tools cost?

The cost of legal research tools varies widely depending on the features, data access, and the number of users. Most operate on a subscription-based constitution, charging on a per-user/month basis.

What are the pricing models for these tools?

Most legal research tools adopt a subscription-based pricing model. The charges usually depend on the number of users and the depth of access to legal databases. Some platforms also offer tiered pricing models where additional features cost extra.

What is the typical range of pricing?

Pricing for legal research tools can start as low as $20/user/month for basic services, scaling up to several hundred dollars for premium access.

Which is the cheapest and most expensive software?

The exact pricing is subject to change and varies from provider to provider. However, as of now, Clio is one of the more affordable options, with plans starting from $39/user/month. On the higher end, LexisNexis and Westlaw are considered more expensive, with premium plans going into several hundreds of dollars per user per month.

Are there any free legal research tools?

Yes, there are some free legal research tools available. These usually offer basic features and access to a limited number of legal resources. Examples include Google Scholar for case law research and Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute. However, paid tools generally offer more comprehensive access and advanced features.

More Legal Research and Related Tool Reviews

Legal Document Comparison Software
Legal Drafting Software
Free Legal Research Tools

In summary, selecting the ideal legal research tool involves more than just looking at its functionality; it requires a keen understanding of your unique needs, budget, and expectations. With numerous options available, each boasting different strengths, the task may seem daunting. However, focusing on a few critical aspects can simplify the process significantly.

Key Takeaways:

Identify Core Functionality: Different legal research tools excel in different areas - some offer superior AI-driven research assistance, while others are enriched by decades of experience. Understand your primary need - be it legal research, law firm management, or early state case assessment - and opt for a tool that excels in that particular practice area.
Consider Usability and Support: Legal research tools should be not only robust in functionality but also intuitive and easy to use. Consider factors like ease of onboarding, the intuitiveness of the interface, and the quality of customer support. It is crucial, especially if you or your team are not tech-savvy.
Evaluate Pricing: Pricing structures for legal research tools can vary greatly. Some offer subscription precedents, while others have one-time purchase options. Understanding your budget constraints and aligning them with the value you expect to get from the tool is vital. Also, consider any additional costs like setup fees or minimum seat requirements.

What Do You Think?

We hope this guide has proven helpful in your search for the perfect legal research tool. However, the world of legal software is vast and continually evolving. If you've come across a tool you believe deserves to be on this list, we'd love to hear from you! Please feel free to share your suggestions and experiences.

We're always open to exploring new options to ensure we provide our readers with the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide.

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></center></p><p>*NEW* - We've launched our new Talent Directory!!</p><ul><li>Business Of Law</li><li>Tap into the Best Legal Research Services for Attorneys (3,500+ Freelance Lawyers for Hire)</li></ul><p><center><img style=

Every single week, we see many attorneys turning to our network of freelance lawyers for time-consuming research projects.

The fact of the matter is that most lawyers get to a point in their careers where it’s hard for them to find enough hours in their day to dig into certain issues that need to be fully researched.

And when you reach that point in your career, the best thing to do is to delegate that work.

The problem is finding someone who’s incredibly savvy with the skills and experience to get the work done, but at a rate you can afford to still maintain and grow profitability.

That’s where we come in.

In this post, we’ll cover:

How you can use LAWCLERK, our freelance lawyer marketplace, to find the best possible talent for your legal research needs.
Real examples of legal research projects that attorneys posted on our marketplace, including the project description, price they paid, and comment/rating they left for the freelance lawyer (so you can see what kind of work you yourself might be able to get help with by using our platform).

Note: Interested in signing up for LAWCLERK and posting your first Project? We match busy attorneys with our nationwide network of freelance lawyers, who have experience in all areas of law. There are no signup fees or monthly fees, and you only pay when you’re actually hiring someone to help you with work — making it a flexible, affordable way to get the help you need, when you need it. Learn more and sign up here .

How You Can Use Our Freelance Lawyer Marketplace to Find the Talent You Need

Here’s how to post your first Project on our marketplace, step by step:

Once you’re logged in and see your dashboard, click on the plus sign icon (+) for “Post a New Project or Build a New Team,” then on the pop-up, “Create a New Project.”

Step 1 : Set the Project’s parameters, including:

The Project name.
The length of time you’d like to accept applications.
The Project’s deadline .
The deadline date for the review draft (if applicable) .
The flat fee price you’re offering.
Which area(s) of law the Project falls under.
Which Project type(s) the Project falls under.
The skill level you’d like applicants to be.
Whether you’d like to post the Project to the entire marketplace, or if you’d like to take advantage of our Teams feature and post it directly to a freelance lawyer on your team.

Step 2 : Give more information about the Project, including:

The Project’s description (sample language is provided, to give you an idea of how to write it if you’re unsure or have never posted before) .
Details about the Project (also with sample language) .
Selecting whether it’s applicable to a state, federal, or other legal jurisdiction.

Note: As soon as you sign up for your account, you’re going to be matched up with one of our Dedicated LAWCLERK advisors . They can help you with any questions related to posting your Project, such as the price you should set, best practices when drafting your Project description, and so on.

That’s all there is to it!

Once your Project is set up and applications roll in, you can select the applicant that best suits your needs and let them handle the work for you.

Each applicant profile includes a bio, resume, writing samples, and reviews/ratings they’ve received from other attorneys on our marketplace (so you can make an informed decision to select the most qualified applicant).

There’s no locked-in cost for doing business beyond the cost of the Project (unless you prefer a subscription — more on that below).

Rather than spending the time and money to find, train, outfit, and maintain a full-time associate or even part-time paralegal, LAWCLERK allows you to simply post the Project you want done, choose the applicant who meets the need you have right now, and get the work done with no major investment or commitment on your part. Which all leads to significant cost savings.

Want Consistency? Try Our Virtual Associate Subscription Program

If you want to lock in how much help you get each month at an easy-to-budget price, you can sign up for our Virtual Associate Subscription Program .

After we launched LAWCLERK, many of our users were thrilled with the service — but we had some customers ask for a way to further integrate freelance lawyers into their law firm , for a significant number of monthly hours (rather than on a per-Project basis) .

Our subscription service was born from this need. Here’s how it works:

Hiring law firms and attorneys, such as yourself, can select the expertise level of the freelancer and the amount of hours you’d like to use them for each month.
You set how many hours you’ll need help per month in increments of 10 hours — from 10 hours up to 120 hours per month.
You get assistance from your Dedicated LAWCLERK Advisor to determine those variables.
We handle the timekeeping, bookkeeping, and even tax reporting.
There’s no long-term commitment, as the contract is month to month with only 30 days cancelation.
You now know exactly how much help you can count on from your freelancer(s) each month.

Note: For more information about our Virtual Associate Subscription Program, click here .

Example Freelance Lawyer: Dayna Maeder

Here’s an example of one of the many talented freelance lawyers on LAWCLERK who excels at legal research:

And here are some highlights about Dayna:

She has completed over 60 projects on LAWCLERK, either meeting or exceeding expectations on 100% of them.
She’s a former journalist (her undergraduate studies were in journalism/mass communication), and she’s experienced in complex legal research projects and drafting appellate briefs. She enjoys research and writing projects.
She’s admitted in the Northern, Middle, and Southern District Courts of Florida, with primary interests in appellate law, family law, civil litigation, employment law, and criminal law.
In the past, she was a teaching assistant for government compliance and healthcare courses in the Florida State University College of Law Juris Master program, and she assisted in felony cases with the Children in Prison Project.
She also holds a Master’s in Education with a concentration in curriculum and instruction, and in her spare time, she trains students in the art of courtroom and client advocacy procedures. She’s also an associate editor for the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division.

Note: Dayna Maeder is just one of the more than 3,500 lawyers in the LAWCLERK network. When you post a Project, on average, 12 candidates apply, and hiring attorneys are often incredibly surprised by their talent level, credentials, and years of experience.

Examples of Legal Research Projects by Practice Area

For examples of the kinds of research projects the freelance lawyers on LAWCLERK can do for you, below you can find multiple samples of work that have actually been done via our platform, categorized by the following areas of law:

Business, Corporate, and Real Estate
Employment, Labor, and Education
Entertainment and Sports
Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, and Probate
Immigration
Intellectual Property

We include the Project Description and Project Details as listed on LAWCLERK, as well as the hiring attorney’s comments about how well the Project was completed by the freelance attorney .

Note : This is just the tip of the iceberg. The following were taken from the “Sample Projects by Area of Law” section on our Attorney Resources page . For more examples of projects that you can delegate to freelance lawyers, such as document drafting, discovery, and more, click here .

Appellate (see more examples)

Bankruptcy (see more examples)

Business, Corporate, and Real Estate (see more examples)

Criminal (see more examples)

Employment, Labor, and Education (see more examples)

Entertainment and Sports (see more examples)

Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, and Probate (see more examples)

Immigration (see more examples)

Intellectual Property (see more examples)

Litigation (see more examples)

Non-Profit (see more examples)

Personal Injury (see more examples)

Tax (see more examples)

Interested in Signing Up for LAWCLERK and Posting Your First Project?

We match busy solo attorneys and small firms with our nationwide network of freelance lawyers, who have experience in all areas of law.

There are no sign-up fees or monthly fees, and you only pay when you’re actually hiring someone to help you with work — making it a flexible, affordable way to get the help you need, when you need it. Learn more and sign up here .

Kristin Tyler, Co-Founder Lawclerk

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This post was originally published on March 5, 2021

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19 legal reseach tools for lawyers that make work easier

4 July 2023

Contributors.

Legal research is at the heart of every lawyer's practice, but navigating the complexities of the legal system can be time-consuming and difficult. With the rise of digital tools and AI-based tools for lawyers, researching and understanding laws is becoming more accessible and easier. In this post, we explore the top legal research tools for lawyers that can make work easier while maintaining or even improving accuracy and quality of service.

Legal service providers can reduce their costs and differentiate themselves from their competition by deploying legal tech. The legal tech market revenue is predicted to continue growing over the next few years, from $27.6 billion in 2021 to $35.62 billion in 2027.

Traditional legal research tools vs digital tools

Traditionally, lawyers had to rely on print materials like books and journals to search for relevant legal concepts and laws. This could be a tedious process that took up much of their time. However, with the emergence of digital tools, researching laws has become much easier than before. With such tools, it is now possible for lawyers to quickly find reliable and accurate legal information to stay up-to-date with the latest laws and regulations. Lawyers use online tools to verify legal opinions to support case law, check property records, and conduct eDiscovery.

eDiscovery tools

eDiscovery tools are used by lawyers when researching laws for cases. The tools enable lawyers to quickly find relevant information in large databases, such as court documents or emails. They work by using powerful search algorithms to pinpoint the most relevant documents and quickly process large volumes of data. This helps lawyers save time while conducting research and improves accuracy in their findings.

AI-based legal research tools

Lawyers can also take advantage of AI-based legal research tools to make their work more efficient and accurate. AI technology is helping lawyers automate mundane tasks such as document analysis and contract review, which would be very time consuming if performed manually. Furthermore, AI-based tools can help lawyers capture and analyze large amounts of data quickly and accurately to make informed decisions. While such tools are highly efficient, caution should be taken as they are not infallible and may require human oversight to ensure accuracy.

AI tools are vulnerable to a phenomenon called hallucinating, where the tool produces false results. To prevent this, it is crucial to understand how prompting affects AI, and to always double check elements such as citations. Using tools tailored for lawyers and law firms is also a safety measure, as they are usually trained with legal data, which makes them more accurate.

Top legal research tools for lawyers

Here is a list of some of the top solutions for lawyers. Some items on the list are free legal research tools or offer flexible pricing.

1. AnyLawyer

AnyLawyer is a cloud-based legal research platform. It provides easy access to US federal and state laws, supporting both textual and citation features. It also offers subscription services which include additional features such as docket tracking, case analysis trends, court analytics, litigation profiling, and more.

2. Casetext

This AI legal assistant, powered by GPT-4, is designed to help lawyers quickly and accurately search through case law, federal statutes, regulations, and more. It also provides document review and offers natural language processing features that enable lawyers to ask legal questions in plain English. It is a great solution for deposition prep and contract revision.

3. Westlaw Edge

Thomson Reuters' Westlaw Edge enables lawyers to easily conduct comprehensive research using a single platform with access to hundreds of databases and other legal resources. It also provides AI-assisted features such as predictive search and auto-suggested content to help lawyers quickly find relevant information.

4. LexisNexis

This tool offers a range of research services from legal news and analysis to statutes and regulations. It also includes helpful features such as Smart Charts, which allows lawyers to quickly create charts based on their research results. The Lexis+ AI platform offers secure generative AI services, capable of assisting with research through prompted outputs, while Nexis is an excellent source of curated news.

5. Fastcase

Fastcase provides access to millions of cases, statutes, and secondary sources for lawyers to quickly conduct legal research. It also includes features such as dynamic search tools that help lawyers find relevant information without having to manually search through multiple documents.

6. Logikcull

Logikcull is a cloud-based eDiscovery software that enables lawyers to quickly search through large amounts of data, such as emails and documents. It also provides machine learning capabilities for automated document review and analysis. Lawyers can easily share their findings with colleagues or clients using Logikcull’s secure platform. and powerful integrations

7. Ravel Law

This AI-powered legal research platform helps lawyers quickly search and analyze case law. It also includes features such as interactive visualizations, analytics, and predictive modeling to assist in researching laws faster. Additionally, Ravel Law's secure cloud storage allows lawyers to organize their findings for easy access later on.

Tracers is an online research tool that allows lawyers to quickly search for public records, such as property deed records, or conduct thorough social media searches. It also facilitates communication with clients and other contacts through its secure messaging platform.

9. Caselaw Access Project

The Caselaw Access Project (CAP) is an open-source, free access library that enables lawyers to search for and access millions of cases from all US states. It includes features such as full-text searching and citation linking, making it a great tool for legal research. The data provided is edited and proofread by legal professionals to ensure accuracy.

10. FindLaw

FindLaw provides access to a wide range of legal resources, such as case law, statutes, and regulations. It also offers helpful features such as topic-based search results and an interactive case briefing tool. The tool is entirely free to use to ensure better access to legal materials.

11. CourtListener

CourtListener is an open-source database of US federal and state court rulings. It includes features such as keyword searching, citation mapping, opinion summaries, and more. The platform is free to use and makes it easy for lawyers to quickly search legal documents.

Justia is another excellent tool for legal research that provides access to federal and state statutes, as well as case law. It also offers helpful features such as a citation checker, searchable statutes by keyword, and an online legal dictionary.

13. Legal Information Institute

The Legal Information Institute (LII) is an open-access online library run by Cornell Law School. It provides access to legal materials such as primary sources, treatises, and law review articles for free. The LII's search engine supports Boolean operators, enabling lawyers to quickly find relevant information.

14. Google Keep

Google Keep is not a tool tailored for lawyers, but it can be used for that purpose too. This free app enables lawyers to quickly jot down notes and ideas while researching laws or talking with clients. It also provides other useful features such as reminders, checklists, and tags for organizing information.

15. Decisis

Decisis is a comprehensive and reliable citator and legal research database. It offers access to case law, statutes, regulations, and other legal materials sourced from a variety of court systems. The tool also includes features such as citation mapping and full-text searching for quick research results. It is a lightweight tool designed for solo lawyers and small firms.

Oyez is an open-source platform providing free access to US Supreme Court oral arguments and opinions. It includes features such as audio recordings, transcripts, and summaries of each case. The tool also enables lawyers to quickly search through the entire database using keywords or citation information.

Public Access to Court Electronic Records, or PACER, provides access to court documents that can be searched by case name, party name, or docket number. It is a great tool for lawyers looking to quickly search and locate documents related to specific cases.

18. Evernote

Evernote is another popular note-taking app that can be used for legal research. The app makes it easy to save web pages, images, and other information while researching laws or preparing cases. It also provides features like reminders, tags, and the ability to share notes with colleagues or clients.

19. Google Scholar

Google Scholar is a great source of legal information for lawyers. With its advanced search capabilities, lawyers can quickly find relevant documents and case studies to help them in their research.

Getting started with a legal research tool

The legal research process depends on online tools, legal research software, databases, and other resources, even legal blogs. It is important to take the time to find the right tool that fits the needs and workflows of the law firm or legal team.

Understand the types of legal resources available online before starting research. This will help in narrowing down the choices to tools best suited for the type of research that is needed.
Consider the cost of the chosen tool. Some tools offer free versions with basic features while others require a monthly subscription or a one-time purchase fee.
Look for user reviews and feedback on different legal research tools to get an idea of its usability and effectiveness.
Once a tool is chosen, take advantage of any tutorials or support provided by the vendor to get the most out of it.
Finally, experiment with different features and settings to make the research process more efficient and effective.

Online legal research tools FAQ

Q: are online legal research services only for case law.

A: No, an online legal research service can be used for various types of legal research such as statutes, regulations, and secondary sources. Additionally, many of the tools on this list offer features that help lawyers quickly search through large amounts of data or communicate with clients or other contacts.

Q: How secure are AI-based legal research tools?

A: AI-based legal research tools are generally secure, but caution should be taken to ensure accuracy.

Q: What techniques can I use to ensure accuracy when using legal research tools?

A: To ensure accuracy when conducting legal research, it is important to understand the laws and regulations applicable to a given case. Much of what a research tool produces needs to be double checked by legal professionals to ensure accuracy.

Q: What tools are likely to be offered by a bar association?

A: Many bar associations offer online legal research tools to their members. These may include access to databases with case law, statutes, regulations, and more. Additionally, some bar associations provide extra support, such as tutorials on how to use the tools or discounted subscriptions for certain services.

Q: Is it possible to win a case with free research tools?

A: Yes, it is certainly possible to win a case with the help of free research tools. However, it is important to remember that these tools should be used in addition to legal research techniques and not as a substitute. Furthermore, the information found through these tools should always be double checked by a lawyer before being used in court.

Using paid and free legal research tools

In conclusion, legal research tools are an invaluable asset for lawyers. These tools can help them quickly and accurately find relevant legal information to make informed decisions in less time. While traditional research methods are still useful, digital and AI-based tools have become indispensable for many lawyers. With the right legal research tool, lawyers can gain a comprehensive understanding of the law and stay ahead of the competition.

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Today’s fast-paced legal environment leaves little time for errors and even less time for conducting quality research. Legal research and writing entails extensive, well-reasoned, and succinct writing tactics typically perfected by training and experience. For a practicing legal professional who happens to be already hard-pressed for time, it is usually challenging to find time for detailed legal research and writing. This is where our attorneys from Legal Support World, a reputable provider of legal research and writing services, come into the picture to help you out.

With over 16 years of experience, we, as a legal research company, offer unique legal research and writing outsourcing services to assist attorneys and law firms in meeting strict deadlines and fulfilling unpredicted client requirements without having to spend money on hiring full-time in-house staff.

Our attorneys specialize in making use of LexisNexis and Westlaw databases to carry out legal research for suitable cases, statutes, and stipulations. Our highly efficient team of attorneys and paralegals originate from diverse backgrounds and impart their rich experience in conducting effectual legal research for our clients. They proficiently sift through data by means of various research tools readily available to us, provided by these legal research companies. Our legal research services are designed to support your practice by offering comprehensive research and analysis, ensuring that solid legal precedents and statutory authority back every case. Consistent additional training and updates related to the ever-changing laws strengthen our teams’ analytical abilities and detail-oriented methodology.

Our Legal Research and Writing Services

Legal research services:.

The legal research is carried out using a variety of resources like newspapers, books, journals, periodicals, and several other online sources, often provided by reputable legal research service providers. An apparent knowledge about the goal facilitates our professionals in extracting information that is valuable. Our rigorous quality control measures ascertain that the information gathered is from reputable sources.

For case-specific research, our experts perform their tasks in tandem with the main attorney to make sure that the purpose is fulfilled. We additionally conduct comprehensive research of past cases and judgments passed and present an overview to have feasible expectations concerning the case. This collaborative approach ensures thoroughness and accuracy in legal research services.

Litigation and non-litigation research
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Legal Support World helped a US-based corporate law firm with legal research on companies listed in US stocks, providing a valuable-information database.

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The expertise behind your legal research

When conducting legal research, you don’t always have the time you’d like to spend ensuring it’s as thorough and accurate as possible. Whether you need a quick answer or you have minimal time to submit your brief, you need the best solution available to be as effective and efficient as possible.

But, how do you know you can trust the quality and reliability of your legal research technology?

Not all legal research technology is created equal

When researching an issue, you want reassurance that you understand the full picture. There’s the basic text of the law — and then there’s the history, application, and analysis surrounding it. Without an advanced legal research service, you may be left to do extensive additional analysis and still not be confident that your research is complete and accurate.

While it may be tempting to start with a free or low-cost legal research option, these services have their limitations. Many providers of free legal information lack the resources to ensure information is current, which could put your research accuracy at risk.

Efficiency without sacrificing confidence

With Westlaw Precision , you get far more than just a database of caselaw, statutes, regulations, and other legal documents. Westlaw attorney editors have created a powerful foundation of editorially enhanced content that makes it easier for you to search, validate, and interpret the law.

Here are some of the key enhancements that increase research efficiency on Westlaw Precision.

Precision Research: When researching, you often know the case you are looking for — it addresses a particular issue, in a particular context, and is decided in a particular way. But there may be thousands of potentially relevant cases to sort through.

Precision Research helps streamline your research by revealing important case attributes, thus enabling you to search, filter, and browse more efficiently than ever before. Run a search that gathers all the potentially relevant cases, then filter your results by legal issue, fact pattern, motion type, outcome, and more.

Key Number System: The Key Number System is the master classification system of U.S. law. A Topic and Key Number from the Key Number System is assigned to each legal issue in a published opinion so you can easily zero in on relevant cases that address a specific point of law.

Even when you’re researching a topic you’re less familiar with — such as the law in another jurisdiction, where the terminology and application may be different from what you know — you can be confident that the Key Number System will lead you to the information you need.

Headnotes: Headnotes can be used to quickly identify and understand what a case stands for and whether it’s relevant to your legal issue. Attorney editors identify the important issues of law in a case and then write a short description summarizing the facts, holding, and reasoning being applied so you can determine the case’s relevance. Rather than reading through every case in your results list to determine whether it’s applicable to your specific issue, you can easily pinpoint the cases that match your needs and save time.

Notes of Decisions: When you look at a statute or regulation, you need to understand not only what it means, but also how it’s been interpreted and applied. Notes of Decisions on Westlaw are annotations that summarize important cases interpreting a statute or regulation, giving you a more complete picture of how the law has been applied.

Each Note of Decision links to the citing case as well as the relevant Key Number for the topic discussed, giving you seamless access to a network of cases on a precise topic.

KeyCite: Use KeyCite to see whether your case, statute, regulation, or administrative decision is still good law, determine whether a patent or trademark is still valid, and find citing references to support your legal argument.

KeyCite Overruling Risk allows you to see when a point of law in your case has been implicitly undermined based on its reliance on an overruled or otherwise invalid prior decision. Plus, KeyCite Overruled in Part helps you quickly identify the specific point of law in a case that has been invalidated and enables you to jump directly to the impacted text where you can view the relevant language from the overruling case.

Discover a better way to research

Even the most advanced legal researcher can be limited by the quality of the technology they are using. When you’re faced with a complicated issue or up against a looming deadline, the last thing you want to be concerned with is whether or not your research is comprehensive and precise. With Westlaw Precision, you can rely on exclusive enhancements designed to help you complete research tasks in less time — without sacrificing accuracy.

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Efficient, cost-effective legal research, what does an lro solution look like, the research team, research playbook and training, project launch, lexitas partners with a financial services company for two-year legal research project.

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The State of the Legal Market and Legal Research Services

by George Chasse | Feb 17, 2023 | Legal Research Consulting , Legal Resources | 0 comments

The 2023 Report on the State of the Legal Market is out and the results paint a telling picture about law firm profitability. As Jean O’Grady of Dewey B Strategic put it so succinctly in a recent article , “it’s bad.” For the first time since 2009, profits-per-equity partner are down. Hours per month have reached a low point not seen since the early 2000s. According to the report, that loss translates into $98,000 less in total fees billed per lawyer .

The reasons for the change in profitability vary, but one of the simplest explanations is that clients are reluctant to spend money on transactional work in a troubled economy. There’s no way to accurately predict when this downturn will reverse course. Firms that wish to endure the challenges ahead will need to get strategic about their finances to maximize profitability in the year ahead.

How Can Law Firms Begin to Mitigate Negative Economic Impact?

One of the best places for a law firm to begin is with a thorough review of current and pending legal research services contracts. Why is that?

Legal research services are an expensive — and unavoidable — cost of doing business largely because there is so little pricing competition between top providers. In short, you’re paying too much in a good year, much less a bad one.
While law firms may have struggled in the last year, legal research providers have continued to hike rates by 6-10% to tie in with inflation each year.
These rate increases are stipulated in the legal research contract, making them unavoidable. It’s worth noting these increases have never gone down in percentage even during years when inflation is low, calling into question just how necessary the increases actually are.
The product and service offerings have been low effort most years, making it difficult to justify price hikes under the guise of research and development.

Legal research providers typically design their “packages” based on the number of attorneys in the firm. Meanwhile, those same attorneys are billing less hours than any other time in the last decade, translating into an even greater decrease to the bottom line.

Tips for Cutting Down the Cost of Your Legal Research Services

Paring down the cost of your legal research services will certainly help your firm save money. However, the process to get there is not easy. Your sales rep will not be thrilled to cut into their commission (or profits, in the case of the provider). Here are some tips when your window for renewal opens:

Enlist help. One of the greatest disadvantages for most law firms is that key decision-makers simply do not have the time to play the sales game. Legal research providers definitely use that to their advantage. Designating a third party to manage the process can save you income-producing time, as well as money.
Don’t yield to manufactured urgency. Sales reps know that time is particularly valuable in the legal field. They will work to wear you down while pressuring you with looming deadlines to create the impression you will lose out on a great deal. In reality, you will end up spending thousands of dollars more.
Read the fine print’s fine print. Your reps are required to provide you with the terms and conditions. They are not required to help you navigate a nest of addendums and links to find hidden clauses that can cost your firm tens of thousands of dollars.

Reviewing and renegotiating your legal research contracts can help you save thousands of dollars on your annual expenses. That is a compelling reason to tackle that expense first when improving your firm’s profitability.

If the newest financial report has you concerned about the economic future of your firm, I may be able to help you save money on your legal research services. Contact me today to schedule a time to talk.

Legal Research Specialists

We specialize in locating people, assets, and general legal research. We provide investigation services to attorneys, small and large businesses, collection agencies, private investigators, process serving companies, and individuals nationwide—quick turnaround time, accurate, & confidential.

A Legal Support Service

Since 1987 we have attempted to offer the best services possible to our clients. We have set in motion the following agendas that have led us to our present configuration, and this will enable us to serve you better.

We are actively involved in the continuing education programs and legislative agendas in our state and national trade associations that represent the process serving and private investigation industry. Apprised of the ever-changing laws that affect our industry and the services that we can provide to our clients, we strive to maintain the highest level of competency and professionalism.

Our staff consists of registered process servers, paralegals and licensed private investigators. Your questions, concerns or comments can be addressed by any of the partners of the firm who are in the office on a full time basis.

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We are constantly updating our equipment, and our reviewing our vendors, and have back up plans and equipment available in case of failure. This is to insure you, our client that we will do everything possible to expedite processing of your assignment.

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Bender’s Legal Service, Inc. has been a member in good standing of the California Association of Licensed Investigators since 1990.

LRS-Legal Research Service

"Providing as needed paralegal Services"

We've always believed in the old saying "Leading to see others succeed". We are here to do just that. LRS- Legal Research Service wishes to make its mark as a leader in the legal industry by assisting Personal Injury attorneys to succeed.

LRS- LEGAL Research Service specializes in providing a legal digesting service. We will summarize and provide essential information from trial transcripts, deposition hearing transcripts and medical records, resulting in a shorter version that is easier to read.

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List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers

Visit EOIR's Pro Bono Portal to apply to be on the List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers.

For a copy of the full List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers, please click here .

For a copy of the List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers for Noncitizens in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody, please click here .

For a copy of the List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers ( Asylum Officer Rule ), please click here .

For a copy of the List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers for Noncitizens in the Family Expedited Removal Management (FERM) Process, please click here.

The full List is divided into separate sections that correspond to the individual immigration courts around the country. For a list of providers that appear at a specific immigration court, please click the relevant state/territory on the map or list below. Please note that if a particular state/territory is not an active link in either the map or listing below, then there is currently no immigration court or hearing location in that state. If you live in one of these states/territories, please click on the state where you have your court case hearing to find a local provider.

The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), Office of Policy, Office of Legal Access Programs (OLAP) administers the List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers or the “List." The List is published quarterly (January, April, July, and October). The List is central to EOIR’s efforts to improve the amount and quality of representation before its adjudicators, and it is an essential tool to inform individuals in proceedings before EOIR of available pro bono legal services. The rules for qualifying organizations, pro bono referral services, and attorneys to be placed on the List can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, 8 C.F.R. § 1003.61 et seq. (80 Fed. Reg. 59503).

The List is provided to individuals in immigration proceedings and contains information on non-profit organizations and attorneys who have committed to providing at least 50 hours per year of pro bono legal services before the immigration court location where they appear on the List. The List also contains information on pro bono referral services that refer individuals in immigration court proceedings to pro bono counsel.

CHANGES TO THE REGULATIONS GOVERNING LIST OF FREE LEGAL SERVICES

On October 1, 2015 the Department amended the regulations governing the former List of Free Legal Services Providers at 8 C.F.R. § 1003.61 et seq. The amendments renamed the List as the “List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers” and significantly revised the requirements for providers to be placed on the List. Amendments to the rule include: requiring organizations and attorneys to provide at least 50 hours a year of pro bono legal services at each immigration court where they appear on the list, permitting public comment on pending qualified applicants to be placed on the List; and, imposing a recertification of providers every 3 years from the date of approval on the List. For a copy of the final rule in the Federal Register, click here .

Attorneys must reapply within 6 months of the effective date or by May 30, 2016.
Organizations and referral services must reapply within a year of the effective date or by November 30, 2016.

MEANING OF "PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES"

Pro Bono legal services are “those uncompensated legal services performed for indigent aliens or the public good without any expectation of either direct or indirect remuneration, including referral fees (other than filing fees or photocopying and mailing expenses).” 8 C.F.R. § 1003.61(a)(2). The List is not to be used by organizations or attorneys for the purpose of solicitation for paid legal services.

Visit the Pro Bono Portal to apply online. While online submission is strongly encouraged, applicants may also submit using Form EOIR-56 .

If you are a non-profit organization, pro bono referral service, or attorney in private practice and wish to be included on the List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers, please refer to the eligibility requirements and application processes set forth at 8 C.F.R. § 1003.61 et seq. (80 Fed. Reg. 59503). Please carefully read the instructions and follow them when completing the form. Paper applications should be submitted to:

Pro Bono List Administrator Office of Legal Access Programs Office of Policy Executive Office for Immigration Review 5107 Leesburg Pike, Suite 2500 Falls Church, Virginia 22041

For additional inquiries, please contact the Pro Bono List Administrator by phone at: 703-756-8020 or by email at [email protected] .

TO UPDATE INFORMATION:

For current providers, to request changes or updates to your current information or listing, please send an email to [email protected] .

The email must include an explanation of the requested change(s) and your contact information. The List is updated quarterly (January, April, July and October), and all update requests should be submitted at least 4 weeks prior to the end of the quarter in which you are requesting an update. Providers with a pending application or currently on the List must notify OLAP, in writing, within 10 business days, if the provider’s contact information has changed, if any specific limitations on providing pro bono legal services have changed, or if the provider is no longer eligible to appear on the List. See 8 C.F.R. § 1003.66. Failure to notify OLAP may result in the name of the provider being removed from the List. See 8 C.F.R. § 1003.65.

TO COMMENT ON PENDING APPLICANTS:

The names of all pending qualified applicants to be placed on the List will be available for public comment prior to publication of the List in January, April, July and October. To comment on applicants for the pending List, please click here.

As required by regulation, EOIR maintains the List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers and roster of Recognized Organizations and Accredited Representatives. See 8 C.F.R. § 1003.61 and § 1292.2. The information posted on the List and on the roster is provided to EOIR by the Pro Bono Legal Service Providers and the Recognized Organizations. EOIR does not endorse any of these organizations, referral services, or attorneys. In addition, EOIR does not participate in, nor is it responsible for, the representation decisions or performance of these organizations, referral services, or attorneys.

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New toolkit aims to ensure immigrant youth have access to education services Resource provides research on legal rights and strategies to advocate for unaccompanied immigrant youth in or recently released from federal immigration custody

OAKLAND — A new toolkit released today by the National Center for Youth Law gives advocates the tools they need to ensure that young people in federal immigration custody, as well as those recently released from federal custody, have meaningful access to the quality education to which they are entitled.

"Educational Advocacy for Unaccompanied Immigrant Youth in California," available for download here , provides advocates, service providers, and others with critical context around unaccompanied children in California, a summary of relevant laws and policies, and guidance on how to effectively leverage the existing protections.

Unaccompanied children in federal immigration custody are often prohibited from leaving the facilities in which they're detained, which can severely impact their ability to access quality education services. Even unaccompanied immigrant children who are living in the community often encounter barriers such as difficulty enrolling in school, accessing English learner programs, or obtaining disability-related services.

"Access to education is a fundamental human right and vital to a child's ability to thrive, yet unaccompanied immigrant children face numerous obstacles in accessing education,” said Melissa Adamson, an attorney at the National Center for Youth Law and one of the toolkit's authors. “For immigrant children, a quality education can be especially impactful, both providing them with tools for learning and for some, coping with trauma. This toolkit is the outgrowth of years of hearing directly from detained immigrant youth who were frustrated by their lack of access to meaningful education, and from receiving questions from attorneys and other service providers about the educational rights of their clients."

"We have school here, but it is not very good," said a 13-year-old boy who was detained in federal immigration custody in California in 2022. "They just bring us things to color or draw but we want to learn English and English grammar… I came to the United States in hopes of making my life better, but I feel like I have wasted so much time here and it is time for me to go to real school."

The toolkit serves as a resource to help reduce barriers to education. It includes:

An overview of the population of unaccompanied children in federal immigration custody, as well as the different placements in federal custody in which unaccompanied children live
Information about unaccompanied children in federal immigration custody in California;
A summary of the federal and state legal requirements related to unaccompanied children’s educational rights; and
An outline of unaccompanied children’s challenges accessing education and accompanying opportunities for advocates to address these challenges.

Education is the necessary foundation upon which children can build the lives that they envision for themselves. It's critical that advocates for unaccompanied children have the resources they need to ensure that these young people can access the education they deserve.

For more information, or to speak to one of the toolkit's authors, please email [email protected] .

Related Work

Related news, children are still being separated from parents while in border custody, independent monitor finds.

Judge gives final approval to landmark settlements that expand the rights of youth in immigration custody

Major victory for children held in Open Air Detention Sites

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Westlaw
Westlaw is the most trusted and award-winning legal research service. Related Westlaw offerings. Practical Law. Accelerate how you find answers with powerful generative AI capabilities and the expertise of 650+ attorney editors. With Practical Law, access thousands of expertly maintained how-to guides, templates, checklists, and more across all ...
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3.1/5. Based on 8 ratings. Our review of LexisNexis finds a robust, if expensive, online legal research tool with caselaw, treatises, dockets and more. Review of LexisNexis. Tracers. 4.6/5. Based on 1 rating. Our review of Tracers finds an investigative research software application for legal professionals with an Open API, and batch processing.
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Fastcase - Best for real-time legal data integration for robust research. Lexis PSL - Best for precise and pragmatic legal guidance tailored to UK lawyers. Bloomberg Law - Best for high-quality, detailed legal analysis with real-time news updates. Practical Law - Best for in-depth practical legal know-how, from global to jurisdiction-specific.
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Choose the right Legal Research Software using real-time, up-to-date product reviews from 500 verified user reviews. Home; Write a Review; ... Thomson Reuters Westlaw is an online legal research service provider for lawyers and legal professionals. Westlaw provides access to the largest collection of legal information, including cases, statu ...
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The Importance of Reliable Legal Research. Despite changes in the legal industry, like advancing technology and innovative legal marketing, there is one aspect that is as true today as it was decades ago: attorneys would not be able to provide accurate legal counsel without the use of a legal research service.. Without access to case law, statutes and regulations, as well as proper legal ...
Tap into the Best Legal Research Services for Attorneys (3,500
Here's how to post your first Project on our marketplace, step by step: Once you're logged in and see your dashboard, click on the plus sign icon (+) for "Post a New Project or Build a New Team," then on the pop-up, "Create a New Project.". Step 1: Set the Project's parameters, including:. The Project name.; The length of time you'd like to accept applications.
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Shepard's ® Citations Service at Lexis ®. Find legal cases dealing with issues similar to yours, and ensure the authority you are using is good law. Experienced attorney-editors adhere to strict standards in developing Shepard's ® validation and analysis. Easily Shepardize ® cases, codes and more, then view the history of citing decisions in a map or grid format with Shepard's ...
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Legal service providers can reduce their costs and differentiate themselves from their competition by deploying legal tech. The legal tech market revenue is predicted to continue growing over the next few years, from $27.6 billion in 2021 to $35.62 billion in 2027.. Traditional legal research tools vs digital tools
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Manupatra is a provider of legal, regulatory, business information and analytics that help customers navigate the law faster, and to improve decision-making. The company offers electronic accessibility of India's and International materials through their database.With the use of…. 8.
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Get Lexis+ ®. Start your complimentary 7-day trial today. Free Trial. AI legal research technology extracts and searches the most comprehensive database of primary law, leading editorial analysis, and exclusive data visualizations on Lexis+.
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The legal research is carried out using a variety of resources like newspapers, books, journals, periodicals, and several other online sources, often provided by reputable legal research service providers. An apparent knowledge about the goal facilitates our professionals in extracting information that is valuable.
The expertise behind your legal research
While it may be tempting to start with a free or low-cost legal research option, these services have their limitations. Many providers of free legal information lack the resources to ensure information is current, which could put your research accuracy at risk. Efficiency without sacrificing confidence. With Westlaw Precision, you get far more ...
Legal Research Services for Attorneys
Legal Research Services for Attorneys. NLRG founded the legal research services industry in 1969 with the mission of providing solo practitioners, small law firms, and corporate counsel with trial and appellate briefs, memoranda, motions, pleadings, and multi-state surveys - the same specialized legal research firepower enjoyed by large firms, at an affordable price, on an "as needed" basis.
Legal Research & Writing Services for Attorneys
The Nation's Oldest and Largest Legal Research Firm: The National Legal Research Group founded the legal research industry in 1969 to provide research, writing and substantive expertise to all attorneys--solo practitioners, corporate counsel, large firms, and counsel for municipal, state and federal government. NLRG has assisted more than 50,000 attorneys on over 170,000 projects--more than ...
About Us
Introducing LegalResearch.com, a "first of kind" destination for litigation and compliance professionals. Whether you're managing complex litigation or regulatory compliance risk, our trusted legal research platform and expert research, analysis and writing services provide you with the essential resources you need for navigating the law ...
Legal Research Outsourcing
Lexitas' Legal Research Outsourcing solution offers clients a cost-effective option to shift research projects away from in-house legal departments to a off-site legal research team. ... Even before the pandemic, legal services providers increasingly turned to contract attorneys to fill gaps and add value. Read More.
Legal research companies
Lex Machina. Lex Machina is a provider of legal analytics solutions for law firms and companies operated by LexisNexis. Legal research companies include DLA Piper, The American Law Institute, Kirkland & Ellis, Foley & Lardner, Bloomberg Law and 70 other companies.
Legal Research & Writing Services
Microbridge is a leading provider of legal research and writing services for attorneys, law firms, and corporate legal departments. Our 16 years' experience and expertise enable us to provide high quality customized services based on your specifications and requirements. We collaborate with our clients to provide customized services that help ...
About Us
George Chasse, President. George Chasse has 22 years of experience in the legal services industry. Throughout his career, he worked as a Senior Law Firm Sales Executive for Thomson Reuters and a Large Law Firm Account Executive for LexisNexis offering legal research services and legal software focusing on law firms, corporate legal departments and municipalities.
The State of the Legal Market and Legal Research Services
Tips for Cutting Down the Cost of Your Legal Research Services. ... Legal research providers definitely use that to their advantage. Designating a third party to manage the process can save you income-producing time, as well as money. Don't yield to manufactured urgency. Sales reps know that time is particularly valuable in the legal field.
Bender's Legal Service
Bender's Legal Service, Inc. has been a member in good standing of the California Association of Licensed Investigators since 1990. We specialize in locating people, assets, and general legal research. We provide investigation services to attorneys, small and large businesses, collection agencies, private investigators, process serving ...
LRS, Legal Research Service
LRS- Legal Research Service wishes to make its mark as a leader in the legal industry by assisting Personal Injury attorneys to succeed. Learn More. ABOUT US. LRS- LEGAL Research Service specializes in providing a legal digesting service. We will summarize and provide essential information from trial transcripts, deposition hearing transcripts ...
List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers
Providers placed on the List of Free Legal Services Providers prior to November 30, 2015, the effective date of the amended rule, must reapply to be placed on the List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers. Failure to reapply within the required time period will result in the removal of the provider's name from the List.
New toolkit aims to ensure immigrant youth have access to education
Resource provides research on legal rights and strategies to advocate for unaccompanied immigrant youth in or recently released from federal immigration custody. ... and from receiving questions from attorneys and other service providers about the educational rights of their clients."