American Association of Law Libraries
For Immediate Release
March 6, 1996
AALL Comments on Thomson's Acquisition of West
Contact: Roger H. Parent, Executive Director, 312/939-4764
The American Association of Law Libraries (AALL), whose members are
recognized as leaders in legal research and law-related information
management and retrieval, has noted with interest Thomson Corporation's
recent announcement that West Publishing, a preeminent legal publisher in the
United States, would join Thomson in a $3.425 billion acquisition. Since
that announcement, the AALL Executive Board has conducted its regularly
scheduled March meeting, during which it discussed the transaction. The
Executive Board has now issued the following statement on AALL and the
West/Thomson relationship:
The Thomson Corporation, a leading worldwide information provider to
professional markets, has played a major role in the delivery of legal
information for many years. Throughout that time, Thomson has demonstrated
its commitment to high quality products and services. In commenting on the
acquisition of the West Publishing Corporation, Brian H. Hall, President and
Chief Executive Officer, Thomson Legal Publishing, has personally assured the
AALL Board that the company is committed to the legal information publishing
business for the long-term future. AALL believes that in this rapidly
changing information environment, one increasingly focused on the use of
technology for both production and delivery of information, such commitment
is critical because of the huge financial investments and expertise required
to develop and make available high-quality legal information products.
AALL has enjoyed a productive and cordial association with both West and
Thomson for many years and anticipates a continuation of this relationship in
the future. Both companies have often sought the knowledge and expertise of
AALL members and Thomson has indicated that it expects to continue doing so
in the future. AALL members possess a unique understanding of the legal
information market, and the needs of the end-users of legal information
products -- attorneys, judges, law school students and faculty, librarians,
and the general public. Since "providing leadership in the field of legal
information" is an integral part of its mission, AALL is eager to continue
working with Thomson, West and other publishers and information providers to
address critical issues about access to legal information and evaluation of
products.
In one recent example of the value of this relationship, AALL and
Thomson agreed to work together on a professional education series to be
offered over the next three years. The series promises to address many of the
issues that concern all providers of legal information, from authors to
publishers to librarians and, ultimately, to end-users.
In a February 26, 1996, letter announcing the merger, Hall said, "Both
companies have a long heritage of respect for the legal community and its
need for scrupulously accurate and well-organized information, and we
[Thomson/West] pledge to continue that tradition... we will be able to
provide a unique array of fully integrated research products and innovative
practice management tools with a common look and feel -- in print, CD-ROM,
and on-line."
AALL members and other legal information users and providers may be concerned
about the potential impact the merger will have on competition, pricing and
access to valuable legal publications. The normal process seeking Hart Scott
Rodino Clearance of the Thomson-West merger is expected to commence in the
near future and close by mid-year. AALL will indicate its willingness to
provide its expertise to the Department of Justice during this clearance
process. In addition, AALL's Washington Affairs Representative Robert L.
Oakley (Director of the Law Library and Professor of Law, Georgetown
University Law Center) and the AALL Committee on Relations with Information
Vendors will identify issues of concern to the Association and Professor
Oakley will present them to the appropriate officials.
Regarding the agreement for West to join Thomson, AALL President Patrick E.
Kehoe (Director of the Law Library and Professor of Law, American University)
said:
The decision to sell West Publishing to Thomson has altered American
legal publishing forever. Although the long-term effect of this will not be
clear for many years, change is certain. The legal information industry is
faced with numerous challenges today, such as the globalization of legal
information and electronic access worldwide to databases that must be of the
highest quality and timeliness. The combined resources and expertise of these
two companies provide great promise and yet, uncertainty. Views and
perceptions about these issues will vary among knowledgeable persons of high
integrity. In many instances, the marketplace itself will decide. Issues of
maintaining healthy competition and a variety of product lines will need to
be addressed in the marketplace.
The American Association of Law Libraries was founded in 1906 to promote and
enhance the value of law libraries to the legal and public communities, to
foster the profession of law librarianship, and to provide leadership in the
field of legal information and information policy. Today, with almost 5,000
members, the Association represents law librarians and related professionals
who are affiliated with a wide range of institutions: law firms; law schools;
corporate legal departments; courts; and local, state
and federal government agencies.
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