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Technology

How having the best research tools help attorneys punch above their weight

· 5 minute read

· 5 minute read

When it comes to taking on bigger cases, better cases, more cases – it’s not always about being the larger firm. It doesn’t mean you have to have more associates and paralegals. You also don’t need to be working insane hours. 

There’s one thing you will need to make this happen: the right legal research tools that save you time. 

Now imagine you have those resources. Here’s what it looks like when your technology resources help you compete upward. 

Make informed decisions 

One of the most important ways attorneys service their clients is by providing solid legal guidance. They count on your experience and expertise to help them make the best decisions for their situations. The more you deliver in that regard, the more they come to count on you. 

While any attorney can recall previous personal experiences with certain judges, you rely on data-driven insights on judges, courts, and other attorneys. You build your case strategy based on context that your competition doesn’t have. 

You’re familiar with your judge (even when you’re not) 

Having the best legal research technology means that while you and your opponent both found cases with similar holdings, you were able to find the cases your judge was already familiar with. Choosing cases your judge already knows shows you’ve done your research, and that can leave a lasting impression. 

You also have key data to make better decisions. Litigation Analytics means you have stats on your judge’s ruling tendencies, case type experience, and appeals, among other information. 

This data also helps manage client expectations. From cost to timing to outcome probability, the tools you have mean more transparency with your clients. You help them understand what to expect when making (and awaiting) decisions, and that helps clients feel more empowered and less anxious. 

The online legal research tools you use combine data-driven analytics, gleaning insight that is rooted in history, combined with human expertise and AI. And don’t forget the 100+ years of editorial enhancements like headnotes and Key Number System that you know you can trust and have been using since law school. 

You can see things they can’t 

Because you’ve invested in the right legal resources, you have a level of insight that your competition can’t match. They can’t quite wrap their heads around the fact that you consistently beat them or find things they didn’t. And once again, this isn’t luck. This isn’t an army of associates burning the midnight oil. This is a strategy based on data and analysis. 

Using Quick Check, you can upload a brief to receive a report that surfaces any bad law, additional highly relevant authority, and authority contrary to what your opponent cited. This gives you better insight into their case strategy. Quick Check, along with the other unrivaled capabilities within Westlaw Precision, allows you to research faster than ever before, without sacrificing results.  

It doesn’t hurt that you always manage to find the perfect cases to support your argument. Opposing counsel still can’t figure out your uncanny ability to find conflicting higher authority, no matter what they cite. 

Punch above your weight with Westlaw Precision 

More than just getting bigger and better clients than your competition, you keep them. Relying on data through legal research tools you can trust gives you unparalleled insight, and that’s how you keep your clients (big, small, and otherwise). Satisfied, returning clients are your accolades and what set you apart as you continue to grow your practice. 

Westlaw Precision helps keep you ahead of the competition. 

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