§2.2
		Introduction
		Paralegal Perspectives
		Lecture Notes
		Commonly Asked Questions

Introduction
Online legal research is, in a word, seductive. It seems so easy, especially when you are using Westlaw and Lexis without being billed for every minute. But as a working paralegal, these services come at a cost. A very expensive cost.

Pay attention to the comments in the manual. It is even more important for a paralegal to have balanced research skills (including the law library) than for lawyers.

It will be tempting at various points in the program to slack off and just do as much as you need to get by. The most tempting target for taking it easy will be the law library. Do not give in to that temptation. You have a chance during this program to lay an incredible foundation in legal research skills. Take advantage of this opportunity.

Paralegal Perspectives . . .

BIG BILLS, AND BIG PROBLEMS
During one point as a paralegal, the firm hired two attorneys just out of law school. As beginning lawyers, it was not unusual that both were given quite a bit of research to perform. The law firm had a "membership" in a law library across the street, so those attorneys spent much of their first couple of months in that facility.

Then came the Westlaw bills. Between the two of them, over $11,000 in legal research fees had been generated using online research. Basically, they were at the law library using the computers there, with the books at their back. When asked about it, both basically used the excuse that they did not know how to research in the books, and just assumed they should use Westlaw, which (of course) had been free in law school.

Both attorneys were fired. Not so much for the $11,000 bill (Westlaw forgave about two-thirds of the charges), but for the lack of common sense they displayed.