Taking Advantage Of Online Legal Resources During The Pandemic

Taking Advantage Of Online Legal Resources During The Pandemic

Taking Advantage Of Online Resources During The Pandemic

There are a variety of online legal resources available to lawyers, law students, and legal scholars. As the pandemic, and the resulting quarantine, increase the opportunities for stay-at-home legal studies, now is an opportune time to take advantage of these mostly free resources.

Many valuable free online legal resources are available on common, well-known legal websites. The American Bar Association along with state and local bar associations offer a vast amount of useful content. These resources include free educational webinars, ebooks, topical articles, and legal guides that are accessible at no cost to the user.

Legal Research Tools

While Lexis and Westlaw are the staples of the legal research market, they are not inexpensive options for doing legal research online. Relative to their cost, it is difficult to beat the bargains presented by less expensive and free sources.

  • FindLaw for Legal Professionals – An industry staple, FindLaw offers case law, case summaries, statutes, legal news, and court updates.
  • Google Scholar – Aside from using Google to conduct simple searches and legal research, Google Scholar is free, easy to use, and includes databases of state appellate court and federal court case law.
  • Justia – A useful resource for case law, statutes, regulations, articles, and summaries of opinions. The site’s state options provide helpful state-specific resources.
  • Casetext – Legal documents, briefs, memos, and complaints may be uploaded into its into innovative Artificial Intelligence tool, CARA AI, for content analysis and relevant authorities.
  • EVA – This also includes a helpful AI tool that allows users to upload a document into the database and receive information about negative treatment of cited cases, other sources on the relevant question of law, and comprehensive case summaries.

Apps

If you have a smartphone, you have access to some excellent free, legal applications.

  • Fastcase iPad app – This tool offers free access to the Fastcase law library and legal research database.
  • Dropbox – With the inclusion of free options, this file-sharing system allows users to share files between devices and helps any lawyer who strives for a paperless practice.
  • Picture It Settled Lite – This meditation and negotiation tool provides case assessment tools using statistical data and probability sciences.

There is certainly an abundance of free legal resources on the internet. Podcasts allow anyone sitting in traffic or just relaxing on a quiet day to absorb some legal information and insight from learned members of the legal community. There are blogs, written and video, available on any legal topic.

The California Desert Trial Academy focuses on providing an academic experience that emphasizes a practical approach to becoming a lawyer. We believe this is the most efficient and expedient pathway to a successful and rewarding legal career. At CDTA, we train, educate, and develop students to be exceptional attorneys and trial advocates. Call us today at (760) 342-0900 or find out more online here.

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