Smart searching. (President's Page).

Lobbying, education, and research: These are the three core elements of a full-service professional association. And that's exactly what ATLA is for us.

Each year, ATLA more fully serves member needs. Our Public Affairs and State Affairs efforts continue to defeat the enemies of civil justice in Washington and the state legislatures. Our National College of Advocacy (NCA) keeps us prepared to confront an increasingly biased jury pool in cases arising in dozens of practice areas. And the new Exchange--our cutting-edge online research service--offers new features that represent some of ATLA's most dramatic improvements in member benefits.

If you haven't used the Exchange recently, you're missing an important, upgraded litigation-support resource that's designed specifically for--and limited to--ATLA members. Last January, the new Exchange Web site, www.exchange.atla. org, was launched with new features that make it easier to tap into its database of pleadings, pretrial and discovery documents, articles, expert witnesses, depositions, and other vital information that will help members prepare--and win--clients' cases.

No other legal research service offers resources so carefully tailored to trial lawyers' needs. This treasure trove--especially valuable because the information comes from cases of our ATLA colleagues--is available 24 hours a day.

These are some of the many ways in which the Exchange is new and better:

Improved searchability. The site has full-text search capability, not just abstracts, so you can find every document containing the word or phrase you want.

In the new Exchange, you can cast a much smaller net that's more likely to snare the documents you really need. You can narrow your search by indicating a case citation, date, or jurisdiction. And unlike the old version, the new Exchange includes NCA reference materials and Law Reporter case abstracts in the search.

Once you have your search results, the new Exchange lets you preview your "hits" and view a portion of each document before you purchase it. This feature ensures that you order only the documents that serve your specific need.

Document libraries. The Exchange now houses private document repositories for many ATLA sections and litigation groups, whose members may access their libraries free of charge. For the first time, many of these documents are available to ATLA members who are not members of the section or litigation group. Like everything else on the site, these documents are fully searchable. You won't find them in any other legal research database.

Reference service. Even the longstanding Exchange Reference Service has something new to offer. For years, ATLA staff attorneys have conducted Exchange searches for individual members. Now, these researchers comb not just the Exchange database but the entire Internet for recall notices, government reports, consumer complaints, and other pertinent, publicly available information. This is a vital tool for sole and small-firm practitioners--two-thirds of our members. When you don't have the time, staff, or expertise to find these gems, the reference service can help.

Litigation packets on "hot topics." Like the reference service, litigation packets--which include court papers, corporate documents, expert testimony, and other resources according to litigation area--have been refreshed and expanded. New packets include one on nursing home cases and one on black-box issues in auto litigation, to name just two. Many more are in development.

Litigation-support services. ATLA has established alliances with several companies to provide high-quality products and litigation-support services at discounted prices. The Exchange site includes links to special "alliance" Web pages, where we can take advantage of the ATLA discounts. We have formed alliances with seven companies that offer services ranging from online depositions and settlement services to customized medical research.

Greater affordability. In the past, paying for documents individually could add up fast. Now users can select one of two value plans. Each offers significant discounts on products and services (and in some cases, free access to certain parts of the database) for a flat annual fee. In many cases, just one or two orders will cover the cost of a value plan.

The database has five times the number of documents and records it housed before the new service was launched. The credit for much of this remarkable growth belongs to you. Last year, you responded to an organized "drive for documents," greatly expanding and updating the content of the Exchange. We now begin phase two of the drive, which will develop specific areas of the database that are particularly useful to members. I know you'll respond with the same enthusiasm and generosity you showed in last year's effort. Remember, our database is only as strong as we make it.

The Exchange is the place to find the building blocks of your case. Don't consider your research complete until you've logged on, explored, and discovered what you need. It may be the key to winning your next case--and justice for your client.