WHATISTHELAW.COM: First online legal research se service geared toward non-lawyers is launched.

M2 PRESSWIRE-23 August 1999-WHATISTHELAW.COM: First online legal research service geared toward non-lawyers is launched (C)1994-99 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:230899

In an effort to meet the growing need for quality legal information on the internet, a California law firm has recently launched the first online legal research service geared toward non-lawyers, WhatIsTheLaw.Com. While it is true that in recent years there has been an explosion in legal information available through the internet, save for a few good web sites set up by reputable law firms addressing subjects within their area of specialty, there is often no way for the lay researcher to know whether or not he or she is receiving good, up to date information. Even the highly sophisticated online research services that attorneys often pay hundreds of dollars a month for lack the ability to deliver a simple answer to the question "What is the law on ______" ? Instead the researcher must experiment with countless permutations on boolean search commands, such as "law w/12 regard! w/12 Y2K" and then attempt to make some meaning out of the dozens, if not hundreds of cases and statutes that can result from such searches. More generalized information such as practice guides are almost always available only on a subscription basis, with costs running up into the hundreds of dollars for just one treatise on one subject.

It was against this dearth of "ready to order" legal information that the creator of the WhatIsTheLaw.Com Web site saw an opportunity. "This site fills the gap. It offers lay persons, and lawyers, a site at which they can simply ask their legal question, and get an individualized answer, researched by a licensed attorney, for a very affordable price." Indeed, at $39.99, the research would be cost effective for even an attorney to order, given that fees on the popular Lexis-Nexis and Westlaw databases can run that high after just a few boolean searches, with no guarantee of finding anything relevant!

The site is still in its early phase, and because it is personally run by Mr. Swiderski himself, response time is capped at 48 hours from the time the question is submitted by e-mail. When the response memo is ready, the customer is notified by e-mail, proceeds to pay by credit card, and is then sent the memo by e-mail, usually within 5 minutes after making credit card payment.

CONTACT: James Swiderski Tel: +1 619 322-5367 e-mail: JamesSwiderski@law.com

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