1/13/04

Michigan Law Online—a new and free research service will soon be available to all active State Bar members. To be launched in March 2004, Michigan Law Online is the result of a collaborative endeavor between the State Bar of Michigan and the Institute of Continuing Legal Education. The new service will feature convenient round the clock daily access from any desktop to the following:

• Michigan Supreme Court opinions from 1942 to the present
• Michigan Court of Appeals published opinions from 1965 to the present
• Michigan Court of Appeals unpublished opinions from 2003
• Michigan Supreme Court orders from 1966 to the present
• Current Michigan Court Rules, and amending orders from 1995 to the present
• Michigan Rules of Professional Responsibility.

Cases will be searchable by key word, date, docket number, case citation, party name and opinion author. Other features include links to the most recent cases as well as official citations.

"I'm very pleased that we can offer this new service to our members. This should be a cost effective research tool for many lawyers, especially small firm and solo practitioners, in their day-to-day practices," said Scott S. Brinkmeyer, president of the State Bar of Michigan.

John T. Berry, the executive director of the State Bar said the collaboration with ICLE significantly enhances the range of services that the Bar provides to its members. "Michigan Law Online is a timely, cost-effective and valuable tool that will help lawyers at their desks. It's a service that reflects the central theme of the Bar's strategic plan, which is to support and help our members in their practices," Berry said.

The Institute of Continuing Legal Education is a not-for-profit organization based in Ann Arbor that has served the educational needs of the Michigan bench and bar for well over 40 years. The institute's director Lynn P. Chard said the organization was "excited to collaborate with the Bar to bring members Michigan Law Online, a significant expansion of our existing electronic practice resources. Collaboration allows us to offer this rich database free to Bar members—something only possible with the Bar's support. We look forward to continued collaboration on behalf of Michigan Bar members."

The University of Michigan Law School, Wayne State University Law School, and the State Bar of Michigan founded ICLE in 1959. It is also sponsored by Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Michigan State University Detroit College of Law, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and Ave Maria School of Law.

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