Using Computers in Legal Research: A Guide to LEXIS and WESTLAW.

Christopher G. Wren and Jill Robinson Wren Adams & Ambrose Publishing, 1220 South Park St., Madison, WI 53715 0684. 771 pp., S19.95.

Reviewed by Charlotte W. Smith

Finally, a legal research book that emphasizes the value of computers but at the same time does not devalue the continued use of law books! Since that is my philosophy (and the way I teach legal research), Using Computers in Legal Research by Christopher Wren and Jill Wren was a pleasure to read. It is not too technical in "computerese" nor boring in the usual "bookish" sense.

The authors' approach is to present legal research as a process, organizing the work according to the needs of a research project. For example, you know you must update a citation but do not know what computer resource to use.

The authors also discuss the substantial similarities between LEXIS and WESTLAW (the two major systems taught in law school and used in law firms or corporations) and spot the infrequent points where the two services diverge.

Part I of the book explains the basic principles of searching computer databases as well as the functions and terminology of hardware and software.

Part II emphasizes the basic points you should remember when starting a computerized search. Having a "game plan" minimizes frustration and avoids wasted efforts.

Part III describes how to use a computer to

* find the law,

* read the law and preserve the ma serials you retrieve with the computer,

* update the law, and

* incorporate material from nonlegal databases in your legal research.

Part IV gives pointers on making research cost-efficient and tips on blending books and computers into a comprehensive research strategy.

Part V closes the book with appendixes containing lists and other reference materials that are worth checking before completing a research project.

Each chapter is subdivided to cover LEXIS and WESTLAW separately. If you know how to work only one system, you need to read those pages only. Through out the book are little charts or "Quick Guides" that summarize key points of computer research. These "refreshers" are useful because you can quickly scan them while using one of the systems.

In my opinion, Chapter 15, "When Do You Stop Searching?" is especially important. According to the authors, you should stop information gathering when you achieve your goal, before you overspend for excess data (a caveat law students who access WESTLAW and LEXIS for free during law school should remember when they join the work force), or when you stop making any progress online.

When lack of progress occurs, the problem may be that your search request does not reflect the exact information you want to locate. (Again, the importance of planning a strategy before beginning research--by book or computer--is paramount.)

The authors point out in a footnote that it is not malpractice to forebear going online every time there's an issue to research. Sometimes computer-assisted legal research service adds to the client's costs--not to the researcher's knowledge.

Unfortunately, even in a book of this size, there is no easy way for the authors to present fully up-to-date material at the rate LEXIS and WESTLAW add databases and files. For instance, although the book discusses WIN, WESTLAW's natural language retrieval method, LEXIS's Freestyle was not available at the time of publication. Similarly, West Publishing and Kolvox Communications will soon offer LawTalk--the first speech recognition product. LawTalk will provide WESTLAW users a way to dictate documents, commands, and searches directly into the computer without touching the keyboard. The book also does not focus heavily on the pricing differences or the contract issues so important to a lawyer's purchasing decision.

Overall, the book is quite useful and user-friendly. I would recommend it as a teaching aid for law students, paralegals, and law librarians, as well as a desktop daily reference for serious researchers.

The authors' philosophy is that LEXIS and WESTLAW are not perfect tools; their great value is their ability to get at information in a new and quick way that complements traditional book-based research. Without an orderly thought process to organize research projects, an attorney or law student is unlikely to be any more skilled at legal research online than with print sources.