Re: Lawyer's Internet use.
I have mixed feelings about providing full firm-wide access to the
Internet. Librarians could provide training, organize, package by way of
links, and an internal home page, various useful info. resources on the
net. This task would be difficult considering how often things change on
the Net - and the often incomplete, out-of-date and unreliable data (as
compared to cd-rom and commercial online services like Lexis and
Westlaw - we currently have cd-rom on the network and a very
attractive flat fee arrangement.) In addition to the content problem,
search engines are still fairly limited and unsophisticated compared to
folios, or those provided by Westlaw, Lexis or Knight-Ridder.
I do agree that attorneys should not be spending client billable time
"cruising" the net for information. Based on my experience, one often
runs into dead ends. I tend to rely on literature or suggestions from
colleagues about useful WWW sites. I have not spent much of my free
time "playing " on the net. When I have, I have discovered very few
useful information tools. I do feel, however that use of WWW is
inevitable and that we should not consciously deny attorney access to it,
and additionally, many attorneys may be more skilled than we are in
using the 'Net. (We should team up with the "experts.") I think we
should also make the effort to educate our customers about the pros and
cons of research on the 'net. From a law firm's perspective, databases
such as LERN's expert witness fee-based database
(lern@legalresearch.ultranet.com) and the many other practical free files
such as http://www.switchboard.com for telephone numbers and
addresses, Wests legal directory, and access to local or regional library
catalogs etc. are useful.
I think that the real value of the Internet is in networking with clients
and colleagues.
How have others " prepared" attorneys for full-text Internet access?
How has full Internet access - or more specifically, attorney research on
the Internet helped your firm save time, money, or become more
competitive?
David Selden, Research Specialist/Law Librarian
Orr & Reno P.A.
POB 3550
Concord, NH 03302-3550
Tel 603-224-2381
Fax 603-224-2318
e-mail deselden@orr-reno.com
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