Legal Resources Introduction
Legal resources are the bedrock of legal knowledge, enabling researchers to perform comprehensive legal research to better inform analysis of a legal problem, lawsuit, or any other legal matter. Legal resources include, but are not limited to: treatises, encyclopedias, legal dictionaries, forms, practice guides, and practice management tools. While the creation, publication, and distribution of legal resources have traditionally been reserved for legal publishers, recent technological developments in artificial intelligence, big data, and analytics have opened up new possibilities for the production and categorization of legal resources.
As legal resources have become increasingly accessible by the public at large through the Internet, both legal professionals and pro se litigants living and working within the digital age have relied upon online legal resources as essential components in the practice of law and the administration of justice . Since the creation of the pioneer cases from various federal and state courts in the 1930s, an increasing number of online legal resources have been made available to the general public to aid in the resolution of issues involving the law, many of which can be found by searching for the term "law" on Google.com.
As legal resources continue to grow in number and availability, it is essential that the legal community and the general public understand how to distinguish between high-quality and low-quality, useful and irrelevant, legal resources. By performing legal research accordingly, legal professionals and the general public will be better equipped to understand the complexities and nuances of the law, whether it be for private, academic, or business purposes, and therefore avoid falling victim to unreliable sources of legal information that are too often misused to form a legal argument.
Reviewing Legal Resources
When evaluating the best legal resources, a few key criteria stand out as the most important factors for practitioners. First and foremost, the accuracy of the information presented is paramount. The law is always in flux as new cases, new legislation and new regulations emerge over time. It is critical for the practicing attorney to have confidence in the accuracy of their legal research. This is a primary consideration when evaluating legal resources. Is it up-to-date? Are recent developments included? Are the sources cited reliable?
Equally as important, the comprehensiveness of the legal resource is vital to the practicing attorney. Attorneys must be able to locate the entire body of law pertaining to an issue in order to provide sound legal analysis to their clients. Again, we turn back to the law’s ever-changing nature when considering this criterion. In order to maintain a comprehensive law library, which delivers relevant and useful law, the practitioner must keep up-to-date on new case law and legislation regularly.
Another important factor when reviewing legal resources is the user-friendliness factor. Does the product or service pass the "Lucas test?" The infamous Jeff Lucas "Lucas test" is named after the long-time law librarian at Perkins Coie, who was said to have an uncanny ability to quickly locate the answer to any legal research question. Or, in other words, is the legal resource easy to use? Does it produce relevant results quickly? For practicing attorneys, time is money, so user-friendliness is a high priority.
Finally, and naturally, the cost of the product or service is given serious consideration as well when analyzing legal resources and tools for the practicing attorney. Do you get more for your money? The price of legal resources varies widely and to sometimes staggering levels. Analyzing the cost and benefits of legal resources is always a priority. Does it provide unique content not found in other sources? Does it provide additional resources and features that are useful to practicing lawyers? In short, the cost/benefit analysis is paramount when evaluating legal resources.
Best Online Legal Research Sites
The most popular platforms for online legal research are comprehensive in their offerings and rich in both depth and breadth of sources. These platforms include Westlaw, LexisNexis, FASTCASE, Ravel Law, Google Scholar, and Courtlink.
Westlaw is widely considered the gold standard in online legal research. Owned by Thomas Reuters, its resources and methodology are often used as the basis for online legal research comparisons with other platforms, as the benchmark against which others are measured. Their flagship research site includes the full complement of litigation materials, as well as litigation analytics, jury verdicts, and history and legislative materials.
Their platform is user friendly and easy to navigate, and there is a broad range of research available, as long as cost is not a deterrent. It is possible to have access to only one of the more narrow sections of Westlaw, such as California Practice (for a flat fee or as part of the subscription) and not the entire scope of Westlaw. Elsewhere on the site is the offer of the ability to meet specific needs in the search for relevant materials: a "Need a case?" option, "Need a statute?" or "Big Idea?" (for analysis of a larger legal concept).
LexisNexis is also recognized as one of the leaders in online legal research. As with Westlaw, its rich comprehensive offerings make it a go-to research source for many, although at a cost that can be a deterrent for some. Like Westlaw, they offer a full range of litigation materials and litigation analytics, as well as jury verdicts.
FASTCASE entered the online legal research field with a different premise than Westlaw and LexisNexis: the goal of being a low-cost alternative to the more established players in the field. Costs are at least 50% less than the competition, and they do not charge different rates based on the type of material, nor separate fees for foreign or international legal materials.
The search engine is on par with Westlaw and LexisNexis, and is in some ways more flexible than those of its competitors. Also available are access to everyday practical needs, such as court rules, CLE materials and forms.
Ravel Law is a newcomer to the group of paid legal research services. Their website emphasizes visual tools that allow the researcher to see connections between legal terms via "heat maps" showing where a term has been cited in relation to others, and how are related to each other. Also available are analytics for the cases themselves and caselaw, with a focus on jurisdictions: federal courts, state and lower courts, administrative materials and state and federal regulations.
Google Scholar is a valuable resource for scholars, but not a comprehensive legal research offering, nor a substitute for paid services. There is only limited content, currently. It does allow multi-jurisdictional access to federal and state cases, but it does not have access to Judicial Profiles or Dockets.
Courtlink is a service of LexisNexis, which serves as a nice adjunct to the main LexisNexis site. It offers access to dockets, and court decisions, internal and external to the LexisNexis system. More information on access, content, features and pricing can be found on the Friends of Courtlink page.
Free Online Legal Resources
Free Legal Research Options
Customers were likely attracted to your business with the promise of a legal answer, not just a list of resources they could turn to. But don’t be too quick to discount the accuracy and reliability of the information they can find in databases, local legal aid offices, or other outlets. The National Center for State Courts reported that 53.6 percent of legal needs go unmet due to an inability to pay for a lawyer. For individuals who cannot afford legal representation, these free options are often their lifeline.
Legal aid offices are often a first choice for those searching for free legal advice. Sometimes called public interest law firms or legal services agencies, they’re run by private, nonprofit organizations and staffed by both attorneys and paralegals who provide free legal assistance to low-income people. Their mission is to promote equal justice under the law.
Sometimes they offer their services directly, or provide legal education programs. They also work closely with pro bono attorneys, who are private practice attorneys that volunteer to take a local case one at a time, and community programs. These community programs may be staffed by legal professionals or they might connect to other programs in your area.
Some areas also offer public legal guidance desks, which are typically run by a local court or legal aid office. These offices are incredibly useful for members of the public struggling to fill out court forms or understand court procedures. Visitors to the guidance desk have access to basic legal information, as well as legal forms and resources.
While these free resources are widely available, they’re not paid for by taxpayers. Legal aid offices are subsidized by both the federal and state governments, and public legal guidance offices may be run by the state, a local bar association, or both. Pro bono lawyers are subsidized by those they represent via the legal profession.
Legal education websites, such as FindLaw, are another way for the public to easily access information on various legal issues, but not necessarily an option you offer as a law firm. One option, however, would be to host a blog on these platforms in which you can direct your clients to by providing them with a link.
Law Libraries and Online Access
Even in 2020, some legal research still can only be found in books but most of the time that material is also accessible online. Large law firms have their own library, and small law firms usually have access through a state law library. Libraries with a professional librarian can be found at law schools and large law firms. Sad to say, some practitioners do not use their state law libraries and state law librarians. As an alternative, they can use a public library.
In the last few decades traditional law libraries have embraced the digital era and are offering online access to their catalogs of books, ebooks and resources. Law libraries are aspirational spaces for legal professionals . They promise quiet contemplation, self-study and access to a professional educator, along with reservation-based spaces to meet clients or hold events.
In rapid response to the health crisis of 2020, many law libraries are offering virtual access to their resources, which include ebooks and unique online spaces such as Read on Demand, where librarians will share content through meeting software like Skype. Various library systems offer library cards that not only give access to physical borrowing but access to streaming films, audiobooks, digital books and online courses.
Although some consider them obsolete, law libraries continue to serve their purpose as trusted resources for professionals who are seeking answers. Whether you can access one depends on your profession and whether you know that they offer these resources.
Real User Reviews & Legal Case Studies
User reviews and testimonials are goldmines of anecdotal evidence that can help you determine which legal resources are right for you. Here, we will present some user reviews and two case studies to demonstrate how different resources proved useful for real firms.
Case Study 1 – LexisNexis: The Court of Appeal for Ontario’s "Prothonotary Review decision" on Ontario’s new Prothonotary Rules is a 34-page judgment on costs that cited 171 legal authorities. Obviously, if you had to find every one of those authorities on your own by doing searches in Lexis or Westlaw, you could be there for quite a while. Knowing the right search terms for the legal research platforms you’re using to find court decisions is key. With a publication, you can skip that step and start looking for the answers in that publication and save time.
Case Study 2 – CanLII: CanLII is a great free resource when you have many ways to narrow down legal information, such as by jurisdiction or subject. When you don’t know where to start, CanLII lets you type in keywords, and look for results. If it’s an older decision, the full text will be made available for free, but you may still have to use your skills to find it. That being said, if you’re a law student, this gem could help you with your research.
Legal Resources Conclusions
When it comes to selecting the most appropriate legal resource, it is crucial to consider specific needs and circumstances. While the above review and analysis of the top legal resources can provide helpful insight, the best choice for you will ultimately depend on your own intended use and familiarity with legal documents, cases, and systems. As previously discussed, there is no reason to purchase a law encyclopedia if you only need to reference a single legal concept or definition.
Similarly, while we have found that law encyclopedias and annotated primary source collections are the most comprehensive sources, there is no guarantee that the information contained within them will apply in your specific case or jurisdiction. For example, while Illinois law encyclopedias will inevitably contain all of Illinois case law and statutes, they will have no bearing on whether Illinois or another state law applies to your specific legal issue. Simply put, there is no substitute for consulting a law expert when you need to review the most appropriate legal resource for your specific situation .
Overall, we recommend that when you first begin researching a legal issue, spend time gaining a basic understanding of how the law and legal concepts work and apply. It is also important to brush up on the various legal terminology and jargon that may be included in legal resources. Beyond our advice throughout this post, you may want to review our post on Understanding Legalese.
At this point, we encourage you to consider whether it may be beneficial to purchase an individual article from VLex or an availability database, whether a law dictionary is more appropriate, or whether you may need a legal professional to evaluate your specific legal circumstances. If you determine that you do not need an entire legal encyclopedia or database, you may be better served by one of the free databases we have covered above, or considering one of the less comprehensive publications mentioned in our overview of law encyclopedias.
Finally, it is important to remember that regardless of which legal resource you ultimately select, that resource cannot replace the advice and insights of an experienced legal professional.