The Best Free and Legal Research Platforms
Legal research—there’s probably nothing more important to your practice, but it can be tedious and time-consuming, not to mention expensive. It’s okay to spend a few extra dollars, provided the tool you purchase allows you to do the research effectively and efficiently. But there may also be times when using a free legal research platform will meet all your needs. Let’s look at the best free and paid legal research tools available on the market.
The Top Paid Platforms
For decades, the premier paid legal research tools have been Westlaw® and LexisNexis®. Both services are available online and both offer extensive databases, which include case law, statutes, treatises, and more. Both are, however, a bit pricey for small or fledgling law practices, with bare bones plans starting just under $100 per month. Though there are many similarities between the two services, there are a couple fundamental differences:
- LexisNexis is a better news service, so if your practice relies on the timeliness of news, it’s likely better for you.
- Westlaw has a unique and proprietary methodology for arranging data by subject matter, known as the “key number system,” which allows users to be more productive and efficient in their research.
Fastcase®, founded in 1999, maintains one of the largest law libraries in the world, offering attorneys access to more than just statutes and case law. You can find foreign constitutions, law review articles, and the entire Code of Federal Regulations. Fastcase is free for mobile users, but is available only on a subscription basis for use on your desktop. One of the most attractive features of Fastcase is its compatibility with Clio, the cloud-based law practice management tool.
If you’re looking to use the power of AI to fuel your legal research, consider Casetext, which offers access to state and federal statutes, regulations, and case law. It integrates nicely with a number of online practice management tools but comes at a pretty hefty monthly cost—anywhere from $110 to $220 per month.
There are also a couple of specialty legal research tools that may be appropriate for your practice:
- Law Insider, a tool used by more than a quarter million lawyers, is a comprehensive database of contracts and contract clauses. You can find entire contracts there, as well as specific language to help you draft a unique agreement. It’s pretty affordable, with both monthly access plans starting at $29.
- Technically not a legal research tool, Tracers lets you focus your research on people or assets. You can get access to vehicle registrations, utility records, and similar documents.
The Best Free Legal Research Tools for Attorneys
The old adage that “there’s no such thing as a free lunch” applies to free legal research tools. While you will technically have no out-of-pocket expenses to use these services, you’ll have access to fewer bells and whistles and fewer time-saving tools. If you’re just starting a new practice, though, these services can help you do the necessary work for your clients.
- The Caselaw Access Project—The resource from Harvard Law School provides 360 years of case law and more than 7 million opinions. Unfortunately, you won’t find a lot of lower state court decisions, and you won’t find unpublished trial documents.
- Justia—This well-known website has an extensive database of cases, statutes, and regulations. One of its most popular features is a daily email digest, where you can sign up to get daily emails based on specific keywords.
- The Legal Information Institute (LII)—This service of Cornell Law School includes summaries of legal topics. It also includes the full U.S. Code and current Supreme Court opinions, as well as state and federal regulations.
At GetLegal, we offer attorneys and law firms nationwide more than 20 years of proven experience in online marketing. We provide a comprehensive array of online tools to help you bring in more paying clients, including video production, custom content and design, search engine optimization (SEO), social media campaigns, directory placements, and online reputation management. To learn how we can help you market your practice, go to https://www.getlegalpracticebuilder.com or call us at 1-877-359-7077.
