By Jon Montgomery, CAPA's Past President:

Ah, the Internet ... the Web ... the Information Superhighway ... source of all wisdom and truth ...

Not quite. While the Internet is no longer, as I used to call it, the Information Cow Path, it has a long way to go before it lives up to its hype. And while it improves daily it is highly unlikely it will ever constitute one stop information shopping for lawyers.

So what is the attraction of the Internet? Certainly the hype has something to do with it. If only a portion of what you hear about the net is accurate, it sounds pretty good. Connecting to the internet is fairly simple and increasingly inexpensive so it is becoming accessible to anyone with a PC and a modem. Certainly none of us want to be left in the dust along the Information Superhighway! The result is the impression that if you're not using the internet to address your information needs you're hopelessly out of date.

On the other hand, newer is not always better. Before you rank the Internet up there with a cure for the common cold let's look at it in the cold light of day.

Currency

Whatever your information need of the moment, chances are you're concerned it be absolutely current. Which is why I got a little nauseous when I overheard one lawyer tell another that he'd just cancelled his subscription to US Code Annotated because "the US Code is on the Internet." It is - but it's three years out of date! (see http://www.law.cornell.edu/code; current through 1/26/94)

One of the problems with many internet sites is that there's no way to ascertain the timeliness of the information. Even if the site was updated yesterday, what does that mean? It could mean that yesterday they loaded last year's version. Be sure to look for statements regarding currency

That's not to say there aren't some sites you can rely on to be up to the minute - or darn close. The Securities and Exchange Commission's Edgar site is every bit as current as the information on Westlaw or Lexis; if you subscribe to LiveEdgar it's even more current since the documents are available as they're filed with the SEC. (Edgar is found at the SEC's website, http://www.sec.gov ; LiveEdgar is on the web at http://www.gsionline.com - call 1-800-669-1154 to subscribe.) And I know of no better source for recent California case law (state and federal) than CalLaw; not only are yesterday's opinions available today, today's opinions are usually available by 5pm PST. (CalLaw is produced by Counsel Connect and The Recorder; annual subscriptions cost $120 but are free to subscribers of either Counsel Connect or The Recorder. You can access CalLaw at http://www.callaw.com)

Reliability

There are two concerns I lump under reliability: is the information correct and can you count on being able to get to it. The major computer research services like Westlaw & Lexis stake their reputations on every character being absolutely correct and on the fact that their systems are up virtually 24 hrs a day, 365 days a year. (I think it's been more than a year since I couldn't get into either system.) They also spend a huge amount of money to guarantee that reliability - hence the size of your online bill.

Information on the Internet is, for the most part, free - at least for the moment. But, is it a case of you get what you pay for? Well, that depends. I trust the Federal government to post correct information. (So, call me naive.) And I doubt there are many sources (at least of the kind of information one would need in a business setting) where anyone intentionally engages in disinformation. But there's no one in charge of the Internet, no one responsible for making sure the information is correct.

Many legal sites are maintained by law schools, which sounds good. But if the moving force behind the web site moves to another law school, what guarantee is there that the site will continue to maintain the level of quality? None. We can hope that the school will recognize the value of maintaining a quality web site, but it's an expensive proposition for them with no monetary return on their investment.

From a technical standpoint, maintaining the sites is not an inexpensive proposition. Consider the expense your firm incurs to make sure the network doesn't go down when you need to get that brief out. There are similar expenses involved in keeping a website up & running. If you come to rely on a website as a resource, what do you do when it won't let you in? It's not just private and academic sites that have problems. Remember the Federal government shutdowns due to budget problems? Offices aren't the only things that closed. During the last shutdown some sites were not accessible; most were up but since no government employees were working nothing new was being loaded. That can cause all kinds of headaches, including the one you'll get when the information you need isn't there.

Ease of use

In my experience the internet is not exactly user friendly. Oh, if you have the URL, getting to a site is no big deal. But if you don't or, worse yet, if you don't even know if a site exists that provides the information you need, finding it is not always a picnic. Search engines are much improved over a few years ago, but every search engine has it's strengths and weaknesses and you really can't afford to rely on one for everything. My personal preference is Alta Vista ( http://altavista.digital.com), but for business information I know I have better luck with Lycos (http://www.lycos.com) or Excite (http://www.excite.com). You can spend (waste?) a tremendous amount of time rummaging around the internet.

Also, the Internet is a ticklish system. Some days it co-operates, some days it doesn't. There's nothing more frustrating than being half way through printing the critical document only to have the system freeze - unless it's when that happens for the third time in a row. Certainly that is not a reason not to use the Internet, but it is a good argument for having an alternate source available at crunch time.

But it's FREE!!!

Well, yes and no. At the moment the vast majority of web sites do not require a subscription. However, that is changing. We saw it first with newspapers: some opened their sites to the public first but now charge a fee for access. In most cases it is a fairly modest fee. (Wall Street Journal is $49 per year - $29 if you already subscribe to the hardcopy: http://wsj.com. The LA Times is mostly free but does charge for some services; $15 for a year's worth of crossword puzzles, for example: http://www.latimes.com. Still free are: The Washington Post at http://www.washingtonpost.com; The New York Times, full version at http://www.nytimes.com or a summary version at http://www.nytimesfax.com; Newsday at http://www.newsday.com, and The Miami Herald at http://www.herald.com.)

There is a hidden cost as well - your time. When you do a Westlaw or Lexis search you are presented with a series of menus to direct you to the proper database. You have a manual you can consult for database coverage and search techniques. You even have an 800 number to call if you need your hand held.

With the internet you're on your own. Browsers will search for sites - but they're not as straightforward as a menu. If any documentation exists (and that's pretty iffy) you have to get to the site to find it. And there's no one to hold your hand because no one owns the internet so no one is responsible for it. Try searching for information on affirmative action. I did: Alta Vista found 100,000 documents and Lycos found 36,908 "relevant pages". Yahoo (http://search.yahoo.com), on the other hand, came back with 3 categories and 53 sites, so there is hope.

I don't mean to downplay the high cost of the commercial services. Still, you have to ask yourself: is it worth the time I'll have to spend or would it be cheaper to use a commercial system?

In spite of all that, I'm a big fan of the Internet. I find it to be an excellent source for many kinds of government documents. I routinely use it to locate information on high tech or Fortune 500 companies. And it's my primary source for infrequently used information. Here are a few of my favorite sites:

California Bar Association -- http://www.calbar.org
Great source for member information as well as bar rules, etc. Other bar associations have sites as well; check out http://www.legal.gsa.gov/legal35bars.htm to find out if your bar is on the web.

Federal Reserve Bank of NY -- http://www.ny.frb.org
My very favorite source for banking and financial information. You can calculate the value of a savings bond, find foreign exchange rates, information on bank mergers and acquisitions - not only a useful site, but one that's easy to use.

American Arbitration Assoc. -- http://www.adr.org
All the rules an arbitrator will ever need. Much easier to find than those little booklets that get misplaced.

Avicenna -- http://www.avicenna.com
Good source for medical information

Hieros Gamos -- http://www.hg.org
One of the more comprehensive sites for legal information.

What I don't do is rely on the Internet exclusively. When faced with an information need, I consider ALL my resources: Westlaw & Lexis, our hard copy library, other libraries in the area, my Rolodex - and the Internet. For any given question, one of these will be the best source. If cost is a primary concern, the internet may be a better choice than Westlaw. On the other hand, if this is critical information for a multi-million dollar deal, it may be worth spending a hundred bucks to be sure I have the right information. The internet is just a tool, like all technology. It is one way to improve your performance - not a magic bullet.

In September 1997, "Legal Assistant Today" listed 20 top internet resources for the Legal Assistant. These sites include indexes that list resources in specialized areas, statutes and case law, professional organizations, legal forms, office resources, and general information (to include mailing lists and newsgroups). In all, the internet contains many resources that provide efficient and cost effective alternatives to aid in your search for information.

INDEX SITES

Findlaw Internet Legal Resources -- http://www.findlaw.com
The legal community's equivalent of Yahoo, it is perhaps the most comprehensive listing of legal information available on the internet. Completely searchable -- a great place to start.

LawSource, Inc. (American Law Sources On-Line) -- http://www.lawsource.com
American, Canadian, and Mexican law sources, searchable by jurisdiction. Contains links to Interstate, multi-state, boundary compacts, uniform laws, and law reviews and periodicals.

Law Journal Extra -- http://www.ljx.com
Up-to-date information on current news stories; electronic versions of New York Law Journal, National Law Journal, and Law Technology Product News; and an extensive listing of legal jobs from around the country.

Legal Engine -- http://www.legalengine.com/
For attorneys, educators, and students -- a great place to look for links to thousands of legal resourses available on the Internet.

SUBSTANTIVE LAW

V. by Versuslaw, Inc. -- http://www.versuslaw.com
A "for fee" site with an extensive library of appellate level court opinions of all states, all Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court.

The LOIS Law Library -- http://www.pita.com
A "for-fee" site that offers a collection of case law, statutes, administrative codes, court rules, jury instructions, and attorney general opinions from all the states. Federal resources encompass U.S. Supreme Court Reports, the U.S. Code, and all 13 Circuit Courts of Appeal.

Substantive Law on the World Wide Web -- http://www.mother.com/~randy/law.html
Statutes and case law for all ststes and all federal and territorial jurisdictions, links to specific areas of practice (bankruptcy, patent, criminal, environmental), and links to some more obscure areas of practice.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

American Bar Association -- http://www.abanet.org
Find out the benefits of ABA membership, check out their print publications, view breaking news about the legal community, and get information on continuing education.

National Association of Legal Assistants -- http://www.nalanet.org
Find out about NALA and their special programs to further the legal assistant profession. Check out definitions, get information about NALA's professional certification programs, learn about continuing education programs and events, and find updated news and information of interest to the legal assistant.

Association of Legal Administrators -- http://www.alanet.org
Geared toward law office managers, but also relevant to the legal assistant. Get general information about ALA, check out employment opportunities, and join in discussions about management and issues involving legal assistants.

National Federation of Paralegal Associations -- http://www.paralegals.org
A key site for information of interest to legal assistants and paralegals. Breaking news; directories for expert witnesses, court reporters, and recruiters; Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam information; and curriculum and schools to consider in becomming a paralegal.

LEGAL FORMS

Findlaw's Forms Collections & Indexes -- http://www.findlaw.com/16forms/index.html
Find links to numerous forms collections and indexes, listing of forms in specific practice areas, and a collection of government forms.

The 'Lectric Law Library's Forms Room -- http://www.lectlaw.com/form.html
A huge collection of forms -- both business law and law practices; plus comments on filling them out.

Online Legal Forms from Versuslaw -- http://www.versuslaw.com/versuslaw/forms/index.html
Another great collection of forms, both litigation (complaints, answers, ex-parte motions, discovery pleadings, etc.) and transactional (settlement agreements/releases, incorporation articles, guarentees, loan agreements, promissory notes, etc.).

OFFICE RESOURCES

FedEx -- http://www.fedex.com
UPS -- http://www.ups.com
DHL -- http://www.dhl.com
Airborne-Express -- http://www.airborne-express.com

These overnight delivery companies, and others, have sites that allow you to track the movement of your packages; get rates and pick-up times/locations; and in some cases, complete and process forms online.

Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory -- http://www.martindale.com
Essentially, an electronic version of the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. Allows you to search by attorney/firm name, location, practice area, department, or government agency. Print-out options include full-text information, or lists of names and addresses.

West's Legal Directory -- http://www.wld.com
While this site covers more attorneys and law firms than Martindale-Hubbell, the information presented is not as extensive. The site is searchable, and even allows for the use of Boolean search terms.

Post Office Zip Codes -- http://www.usps.gov/ncsc/lookups/lookup_zip+4.html
Here you can get the entire zip code, plus the standardized address form, for any address in the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. territories, and armed forces locations. You can also track Express Mail shippments.

GENERAL INFORMATION

The IncSpot -- http://www.incspot.com
This great site for corporate legal professionals has legal technology news and information, UCC filing information and forms, and links to many legal and non-legal Web sites.

MAILING LISTS AND NEWSGROUPS

These resources allow you to "discuss" popular issues/topics with others using e-mail. In a mailing list, responses by individuals are retransmitted to everyone on the mailing list by a central computer (server). In a newsgroup, responses are processed and posted on a server by a moderator for all participants to access.

NET-LAWYERS@peach.ease.lsoft.com -- A moderated mailing list for lawyers, librarians, law professors, paralegals, law students, and others to discuss the use of the Internet in the study, practice, development, and marketing of law. To subscribe, send the following in the body of an e-mail message to listserv@peach.ease.lsoft.com: "subscribe net-lawyers [your name]" (omit brackets/quotes).

LAWSRC-L@listserv.law.cornell.edu -- A national daily mailing list about Internet law resources for teachers, lawyers, and paralegals. To subscribe, send the following in the body of an e-mail message to listserv@listserv.law.cornell.edu: "subscribe lawsrc-L [your name]" (omit brackets/quotes).

misc.legal
misc.legal.moderated

Two general newsgroups covering all different areas of law. For a more complete listing of law-related mailing lists and newsgroups, see the "Law Lists" page at http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/law-lists.