What Is Legal Research + 10 Best Legal Research Tools

Understanding legal research is like solving a mystery. You dig through documents, piece together facts, and find answers. Whether you’re a seasoned attorney or a newbie in law school, improving these skills is crucial. So, how to do legal research?

Additionally, how can you make legal research easier? This article explains the essentials and shows how you can research and write faster using AI. Meet Otio, your AI research and writing partner. Otio helps you find information, organize your thoughts, and write quickly. With Otio, you'll save time and get better results. Let’s get started.

Table Of Contents

• What Is Legal Research

• Importance of Legal Research

• How to Do Legal Research

• 10 Best Legal Research Tools for Lawyers

• Supercharge Your Researching Ability With Otio — Try Otio for Free Today

What Is Legal Research

Legal research is about digging into the law to find answers that back up a legal decision or argument. Whenever a lawyer argues a point in court, they need solid backing from a law or a past case decision. If there’s a law or precedent, similar cases have to follow that rule.

The Types of Legal Information

Legal information comes in many forms. Not all of it matters for every legal issue. What you need to find depends on the specifics of your case. State laws and regulations usually support legal documents and pleadings. Federal laws often come into play when dealing with novel legal issues that lack precedent.

Generally, legal information falls into three main categories

• Primary Law: These are binding laws. They’re found in constitutions, statutes, regulations, codes, treaties, and case law.

• Secondary Sources: These explain primary laws. They aren’t legally binding, but they help you understand the purpose behind the laws. Examples include articles, journals, practice guides, legal treatises, and annotations.

• Nonlegal Sources: These can support legal advice in some areas. Think investigative articles, news reports, blogs, and other similar material.

How Legal Professionals Use Legal Research

When a lawyer takes your case, they check out secondary sources to see what might apply to your situation. Let’s say you’re dealing with a property line dispute. Your lawyer might examine how similar disputes have been handled in your area. Different counties may have various agencies that oversee property boundaries. Once they know what laws to focus on, they dive into primary law to find the codes and case law supporting their claims. In real estate disputes, for instance, lawyers might need to research older statutes because property cases can hinge on laws in effect at the time of the original deed.

The Role of Legal Research in Your Case

If you go to a law office for help, the legal team will dig deeper into your case. They’ll look for precedent and caselaw to support your claims. Then, a paralegal will likely draft the first legal documents for your case. Take a property line dispute as an example. Your complaint might include your deed with the original survey lines, the original plat map of the development, and a citation to case law about adverse possession claims. If your neighbor’s fence encroaches on your property and you can’t claim adverse possession, the legal research will back that up.

Legal Research in Different Areas of Law

Legal research isn’t just for property disputes. Corporate lawyers use it to see if a proposed policy could expose a company to liability. Businesses have legal departments to research employment laws and safety codes. Government agencies have their attorneys and sometimes work with freelance lawyers to assess the impact of environmental regulations. The work done with legal research is practically endless.

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Importance of Legal Research

Precise Answers Are Your Best Weapon

Legal research can transform a case, providing confidence and clarity. When you've done your homework, you can present the issue with authority, free from doubt. This kind of preparation doesn't just help; it can mean the difference between winning and losing. With solid research, you can counter any argument the opposition might throw your way.

Build a Complete Understanding of the Case

A lawyer must be ready to address any question or statement from the jury. Your ability to answer reflects your competence and helps maintain your reputation with your client and the court. Good legal research ensures you're not just skating by but excelling. It gives you the tools to explain the evidence and details clearly and confidently.

Break Down Complex Issues

Legal research helps you sift through the noise to find what's essential. By doing this, you can identify the different aspects of the issue and learn how to handle them. Matters that initially seem complicated can be broken down into manageable parts, making navigating the complexities easier without unnecessary stress.

Add More Value to Your Case

A well-researched case demonstrates your expertise and dedication. It paints a positive picture of your capability as a lawyer or attorney. Legal research allows you to present compelling evidence and details, giving your case more weight in court. This preparation will enable you to anticipate different scenarios better and show strong, relevant proof. Legal research is essential, but knowledge workers, researchers, and students today face a flood of information with fragmented tools. This is where Otio comes in. As your AI research and writing partner, Otio helps you easily collect, extract, and create. Try Otio for free today!

How to Do Legal Research

1. Streamline Your Legal Writing with Otio

Legal research can be overwhelming, but Otio offers a streamlined solution. As content grows, traditional tools fall short. Otio is an AI-native workspace tailored for researchers. It lets you gather diverse data, from bookmarks and tweets to books and videos, and then extract key insights with AI-generated notes. You can chat with your sources, turning them into interactive knowledge bases. The tool's web scraping capabilities expand your research horizons, making it easier to create and write faster. Try Otio for free and see how it transforms your legal research and writing.

2. Record Case Facts and Create a Research Plan

Before diving into legal research, take time to identify and understand the facts of your case. Start by asking key questions: What is the legal issue at hand? What are the case details? Which jurisdiction is most relevant? Do you need state or federal case law? Record these facts in a case management tool to guide your research and help you develop a plan of action. This step saves time in the long run by helping you efficiently juggle multiple clients and file motions or briefs.

3. Understand Precedent in Your Jurisdiction

As you conduct your research, pay attention to the geographical location where your legal issue will be resolved. Is there a controlling precedent in your jurisdiction? Or is it merely a persuasive precedent that hasn't been adopted yet? Understanding this distinction is crucial for building a strong case.

4. Gather Sources of Law

The next step is to gather relevant sources of law. Start with secondary sources to learn from legal experts who have previously explored the topic. These materials describe or interpret the law and provide analysis. They can include practice guides, legal treatises, law review articles, scholarly journals, legal news, jury instructions, legal dictionaries, and encyclopedias. Once you have a solid understanding of the topic, move on to primary sources, which establish the law on a particular matter. These include case law, orders, decisions, statutes and regulations, constitutions, and treaties.

5. Ensure You're Using Good Law

The final step in your research process is to ensure you're using "good" law. Check your case citations as you collect them, especially since legal research software can allow a quick view of how your case has been treated in court directly from your search results. However, it's best practice to review your citations once your research process is complete to check for any gaps, changes, or oversights.

6. Report Your Results to Check for Gaps

Compiling your research into a legal memorandum is a necessary part of conducting legal research, as it allows you to identify any gaps in information that may present consequences later. A legal memorandum typically states the facts of the case, identifies the issue, applies "good" law to the facts, predicts any counterpoints, and assesses the case's outcome.

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10 Best Legal Research Tools for Lawyers

1. Otio: Your AI-Powered Research Companion

Otio is a game-changer for legal researchers who face content overload. It combines AI capabilities to streamline the collection and analysis of diverse data sources like bookmarks, tweets, books, and YouTube videos. Otio's AI-generated notes and source-grounded Q&A chat help you extract key insights and create drafts efficiently.

2. Claude AI: Master of Complex Legal Documents

Claude AI, developed by Anthropic, excels at breaking down intricate legal language and extracting insights from documents up to 75,000 words. It's invaluable for contract review, due diligence, and risk management with its ability to navigate regulatory compliance.

Pros  

• In-depth document analysis  

• Precise interpretation of complex language  

• Accurate identification of critical provisions  

Cons  

• Can produce overly detailed responses  

• May miss subtle legal nuances  

3. Casetext CoCounsel: Your Intuitive Legal Assistant

Casetext CoCounsel utilizes advanced machine learning and NLP to enhance legal research and document analysis. It offers a user-friendly interface and a robust alternative for comprehensive jurisdiction coverage.

Pros  

• Intuitive interface simplifies use  

• Comprehensive jurisdictional coverage  

• Exceptional tech support  

Cons  

• Lacks advanced features like case citation checking  

• Occasional functional issues with specific jurisdictions  

4. Lex Machina: Legal Analytics for Faster Research

Lex Machina combines AI with human analysis to deliver insights on case outcomes and resolutions. It's especially beneficial for intellectual property lawyers looking to navigate complex legal landscapes swiftly.

Pros  

• Speeds up legal research  

• Intuitive interface  

• Great for intellectual property cases  

Cons  

• Pricing may be steep for smaller firms  

• Customer service could be improved  

5. Genie AI: Collaborative Document Drafting

Genie AI assists in drafting, editing, and reviewing legal documents with customizable templates and collaborative functions. Its open-source access makes it adaptable for various legal needs.

Pros  

• Easy to use  

• Customizable templates  

• Open-source access  

Cons  

• Reports of biased information  

• Search feature could be better  

6. Diligen: Precision in Contract Analysis

Diligen employs machine learning to transform contract analysis, precisely identifying key clauses and terms. It supports legal departments in reducing errors and enhancing document consistency.

Pros  

• Accurate contract analysis  

• User-friendly interface  

• Comprehensive document management  

Cons  

• Limited public pricing information  

• Potential customization constraints  

7. Auto GPT: Autonomous Legal Tasks

Auto-GPT, an experimental AI agent, automates legal drafting, research, and information gathering. It leverages GPT-4 to execute tasks independently, offering legal professionals unprecedented automation potential.

Pros  

• Autonomously executes tasks  

• Comprehensive research capabilities  

• Flexible integration  

Cons  

• Requires careful verification of outputs  

• API costs can add up quickly  

8. Smith.AI: Virtual Receptionist for Lawyers

Smith.AI uses natural language processing to manage phone calls, screen leads, and schedule appointments for law firms, enhancing client engagement and operational efficiency.

Pros  

• 24/7 client engagement  

• Seamless integration with existing systems  

• Improved lead conversion  

Cons  

• Occasional response relevancy issues  

• Limited customization for specialized practices  

9. CoPilot Microsoft: Streamlining Legal Workflows

Microsoft Copilot integrates AI across the Microsoft ecosystem, streamlining document creation, research, and collaboration within familiar applications, thus enhancing legal workflow efficiency.

Pros  

• Seamless Microsoft 365 integration  

• Efficient research and document generation  

• Regular updates  

Cons  

• Requires an existing Microsoft 365 subscription  

• Variable response quality for complex tasks  

10. Relativity: Legal Data Management Powerhouse

Relativity provides robust electronic discovery and legal data management capabilities, making it ideal for corporate litigation, internal investigations, and compliance management.

Pros  

• Comprehensive e-discovery capabilities  

• Strong security and compliance features  

• Regular platform improvements  

Cons  

• Complex interface requires training  

• Resource-intensive for larger document sets  

Supercharge Your Researching Ability With Otio — Try Otio for Free Today

Legal research can be overwhelming. You’re sifting through endless documents and unraveling complex legal texts. When the task involves collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing diverse sources of information, you need a solution that can keep up. Enter Otio: the AI-native workspace for researchers. Otio offers a comprehensive suite of tools that can help you streamline your legal research process, from collecting data to generating insights and drafting papers.

With Otio, you can easily access and analyze diverse data sources, including bookmarks, tweets, books, and YouTube videos. The tool’s AI-generated notes and source-grounded Q&A chat can help you quickly extract key takeaways and insights from your collected sources. And when it’s time to write, Otio’s AI-assisted writing capabilities can help you draft research papers and essays faster.

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