Thomson West Starts the Academic Year Off with Bonehead Move: Westlaw Free Printer Access Cut Off to Puerto Rican Law School Students

Thomson West never ceases to amaze. Westlaw canceled their free printer service to Puerto Rican law schools because printer use was proportionately much higher than at other American law schools where service was not affected. Why the higher use? Probably because Puerto Rican law students have less resources at their disposal than their mainland counterparts.

Reporting on the situation yesterday morning in Westlaw Discriminating Against Puerto Rico?, Above the Law's Elie Mystal writes "Is Westlaw cutting off free printer access to students who need it most? It might make sense from a cost control standpoint, but it's not a strong moral position." She adds

You don't have to be Puerto Rican to disagree with Westlaw's decision, but this might not be the best time to be pissing off an entire ethnicity. If Puerto Ricans -- from Sonia Sotomayor on down -- boycott Westlaw, it might make the company change its mind.

Note the 50-plus comments to her post.

Policy Reversal. By yesterday afternoon, Mystal was reporting that Westlaw's policy had been reversed and printer access was restored in Puerto Rican law schools. In an email republished by ATL, University of Puerto Rico law professor José Julián Álvarez González writes

After a very good and thoughtful telephone conversation with Mr. Mike Suchsland, President of West Education Group, and Mr. Chris Parton, Vice President, the Westlaw printer program has been reinstated for all Puerto Rico law schools. Both officials have promised that any future reductions in the program will be equally applicable to all law schools who currently participate in it.

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If those of you who sent messages concerning this subject could relay this one to those you contacted, I would certainly appreciate it. The same request to you bloggers, who also helped a great deal.

Like I said above, Thomson West never ceases to amaze. What a bonehead move! Someone needs to be demoted to customer service where this mindset may find more kindred spirits. Do we now have to contemplate the possibility that Westlaw will reduce its printer program services to law students nationwide? [JH]