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Tuesday, February 10, 2009

One large firm requires attorneys to use Loislaw rather than Westlaw/Lexis to save costs

By legalwriting

Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell now requires its attorneys to use Loislaw for certain legal research tasks instead of Westlaw or Lexis in order to save money.  According to a firm memo posted on AboveTheLaw.com, LLB & L favors Loislaw for non-billable and some billable research tasks because the firm pays a reasonable, flat fee for unlimited use.  The firm memo mandates the following electronic legal research practices, effective immediately:

* All non-billable legal research involving case law, statutes or regulations at both the state and federal level should first be performed using Loislaw.
* Loislaw should also be used for billable research where appropriate, resulting in a much lower cost to the client.
* If additional research is required on Lexis or Westlaw that research must be billed to a client/matter.

Yet another example of a continuing trend among law firms to seek low cost or open source alternatives to expensive legal research services.

Hat tip to the AboveTheLaw Blog.

I am the scholarship dude.

(jbl)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legalwriting/2009/02/one-large-firm.html

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» Large Law Firm Requires Use of LOIS Law Over LEXIS from Adjunct Law Prof Blog
Locke Lord Bissell Liddell reportedly is requiring its associates to use LOIS Law over Lexis and Westlaw at least with regard to non-billable matters. Why? The firm has a flat rate with LOIS Law and can reportedly save money. Above [Read More]

Tracked on Feb 10, 2009 9:02:29 PM

Comments

The firm should beware of the illusion. The extra time spent searching on doing tasks will likely end up in productivity shortfalls which will result in a zero sum. Having used Loislaw, it is not as comprehensive and harder to use. Searches with spelling errors and citations mistakes (spacing) end up costing the user in typing entirely new searches without cueing in the user. I would stick to Westlaw for all but the most basic stuff.

Posted by: derek regensburger | Feb 16, 2009 11:31:06 AM

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