DUI's in Florida by Stephanie Stich: Cost Effective Research on DUI's

Using the leading global legal search engines, such as LexisNexis, Westlaw or Bloomberg Law can cost lawyers a significant amount of money. For instance, just to search cases on LexisNexis for one hour can cost around $800 dollars. Some law firms spend a flat rate of up to a six figure number for access to those search engines for the year. There is a also a lot of ambiguity in the legal world about how exactly these search engines bill their attorney clients. There are many stories of a summer intern or a new associate racking up a very hefty research bill. Not only are lawyers becoming frustrated with research costs, but clients are also becoming less and less inclined to foot the attorney's research bill. To reduce overhead, lawyers are continually seeking cost efficient ways to perform their necessary research.  Especially since small law firms may be the way of the future, reducing research costs is essential for them to thrive. 

Online Legal Research Options for Solo/Small Firms

American Bar Association

There are abundant options when choosing an online legal research provider.  Several companies offer competitive pricing, with multiple options.  For a comparison chart highlighting pricing and primary legal research material availability, see the LTRC Legal Research Database Chart.  If your firm is in need of secondary materials, annotated citation research capabilities, and other resources, there are a few options for online research.  The following companies offer options focused on the solo/small firm community.  Free trial versions are often available to test out the service to see if it meets your firm's research needs.

• Lexis Pay-As-You-Go by credit card
  • Access specific articles - there is no charge to search, only pay for the text of an article, case, statute, or other document.  You'll also be able to get news articles, SEC filings, and other useful resources.
• Lexis Alliance Partners
  • LexisNexis works with bar associations to offer special LexisNexis services and benefits.  The program offers research solutions.  The list of participating bar associations can be found at the Lexis website or by calling LexisNexis at 866-836-8116.

• WestlawNext
  • Access to all legal material: primary law, analytical materials, practice area insights, litigation resources, public records, and more.  WestlawNext offers unlimited access to any or all of this content for a fixed monthly fee.
• WestlawNext for Solo/Small Firms
  • Fixed-fee, customizable resources available to solo/small firms.  Some plans are even available to purchase online, including practice area content and primary law for your state or all 50 states containing cases, codes, annotated statutes, and KeyCite, as well as federal and circuit cases, Supreme Court cases, and U.S. Court of Appeals.

• LoisLaw
  • An online research service offering flat fee pricing.  A free trial is available.  Loislaw also partners with local bar associations to offer members a discount on their services.  Contact your bar association to find out if they participate in the program.

• FastCase
  • Offers unlimited access to a comprehensive 50-state and federal case law database.  Fastcase also works with local bar associations to offer Fastcase online research services to bar association members.  Check with your bar association to see if Fastcase is available as a member benefit.

• Free Full-Text Online Law Review/Law Journal Search Engine
  • This free search engine searches the free full-text of over 300 online law reviews and law journals, as well as document repositories hosting academic papers and related publications such as Congressional Research Service Reports.  Several of the law reviews (such as the Stanford Technology Law Review), working papers, and reports are available online only.  Coverage may vary; for more complete coverage, visit your local law library and fee-based online legal research services.

Source: American Bar Association.