Why hire legal research?

Legal research is both a skill and a tool. It combines the study of legal knowledge, logic, and communications in order to develop the mind of an adept legal researcher.

Legal research is performed by anyone with a need for legal information, including lawyers, law librarians, and paralegals. Sources of legal information range from printed books, to free legal research websites and information portals to fee database vendors. 

Law libraries around the world provide research services to help their patrons find the legal information they need in law schools, law firms and other research environments. Many law libraries and institutions provide free access to legal information on the web. This is either individually or via collective action, such as with the The Free Access to Law Movement .

The processes of legal research vary according to the country and the legal system involved. Legal research involves the usual tasks such as:

• Finding primary sources of law, or primary authority, in a given jurisdiction (cases, statutes, regulations, etc.).
• Searching secondary authority, for background information about legal topics. Secondary authorities can come in many forms (for example, law reviews, legal dictionaries, legal treatises, and legal encyclopedias such as American Jurisprudence and Corpus Juris Secundum).
• Searching non-legal sources for investigative or supporting information.

What is a Legal Researcher?

The profession of legal researcher is one in which the primary focus is the investigation of legislation, briefs, and previous case files. Such researchers are frequently employed by law firms, but they can also be found working for colleges, government agencies, newspapers, courts, and corporations, among other organizations. The majority of the time, their research is focused on locating earlier case law that is relevant to the current case.

In many circumstances, an attorney preparing a case would use the services of a legal researcher to unearth relevant legal precedent that either enhances his position or that could potentially be used against him in court. Research is time-consuming and is most efficiently carried out by those who are experts in the field; therefore, employing the services of a researcher can free up the attorney’s time so that he or she can devote it to other activities, such as preparing witnesses for court and working with his or her client. Other sorts of companies may hire legal researchers as consultants to study specific issues, or they may hire them on a regular basis if they frequently confront situations that necessitate this type of specialized knowledge and expertise.

The fundamental responsibility of a legal researcher is to locate pertinent material. She must be able to distinguish between facts that can be detrimental to a client’s case and information that can be beneficial. Legal scholars spend a significant amount of time at law libraries, whether in person or online, doing searches of court records, case documents, ordinances, law books, and databases. After a period of time, a skilled legal researcher will have gained enough knowledge to be able to identify the resources that are most likely to contain the information she requires. The majority of such professionals subscribe to professional magazines, which keep them up to date on new trends and technology that can make their duties easier while also assisting them in keeping an eye out for fresh sources of knowledge and information.

Once a legal researcher has discovered the material she is looking for, she must provide her findings to the attorney or client in a format that is easy to understand and use. All such summaries should include the fundamental information that the researcher wishes to convey as well as pertinent information, such as the type of resource that provided the information, the specific name of the website or book where the information was found, and the information’s relevance to the case. When providing information regarding case law, the summary should typically include the case’s name, date, and jurisdiction, as well as any other pertinent information.

Legal scholars are frequently hired as direct employees by large law firms. All of the attorneys at the firm benefit from the assistance of these researchers. It is possible for a legal researcher to work as a self-employed consultant who accepts clients on an as-needed basis. Legal researchers frequently have some type of professional legal training, and they may be certified paralegals or even attorneys in their field of practice.

Why is Legal Research important?

Legal research is a method that can be used to find answers to a variety of legal questions. It is aimed to assist you in checking for legal precedents and may be used to find solutions to various legal concerns. It is critical to conduct legal research if you wish to determine whether or not a certain legal issue has been addressed previously. It is necessary to conduct legal research for almost every type of case, and it will most of the time aid in the progression of the legal process.

As you will see in the section below, there are numerous reasons why legal research is vital. First and foremost, legal research assists you in focusing on the facts of the case, as well as identifying the legal point of contention in the contested subject. Research will also assist you in preparing arguments that you can use in court, and you will be required to lay out the evidence in that case, which will be supported by research as well as other sources.

Furthermore, Legal Research is a valuable addition to the field of practice because it supports everything with reputable sources, facts, and even historical data. You will get comprehensive knowledge of the subject matter, and you will be able to use that knowledge in a professional manner. Regardless of the intricacy of the situation, Legal Research will assist you in providing thorough answers, investigating any applicable statutes, and even ensuring that all legal problems are handled in accordance with applicable regulations.

What is legal research outsourcing?

Have you ever done any online research for a particular topic? E-discovery is exactly what it sounds like.

e-discovery is an abbreviation for electronic discovery, which you would have gathered from the name. In the same way that email is an abbreviation for electronic mail.

Researching on the Internet is, as its name implies, the process of looking for information. A common reason for doing so is for legal reasons, such as in preparation for a court trial.

When e-discovery is completed, the resulting material is referred to as electronically stored information (ESI). The appropriate electronic evidence is then used as evidence in court or during investigations.

E-discovery is a type of legal study that takes place online. So, legal research outsourcing might be used to finish the research process in some instances. Rather than doing it yourself, you employ someone to acquire legal information for your case. This service is typically outsourced to independent contractors or outsourcing organizations.

With legal research outsourcing, you may devote your time and energy to developing your case. Furthermore, your outsourced crew would be equipped with the appropriate legal research tools. ESI, electronic documents, and electronic records are all handled in a safe manner by these individuals.

The best strategy is to hire legal research 

Legal research is known to take much time and effort. Furthermore, access to online legal research databases can be costly. This results in law firms and other practitioners turning to third-party legal research providers for their legal research needs.

Below is the common research strategy that Magellan Solutions can customize for your firm:

• Preliminary Analysis
• Organization
• Secondary Sources
• Primary Sources
• Updating Research
• Identifying an End Point

The process of applying the law to the facts of your case. Moreover, arguing for a specific outcome requires more training than any single guide can provide. 

If you plan to represent yourself, consider hiring a private attorney. They can help provide limited scope representation or unbundled legal services. This is a more affordable way to get help from an attorney in private practice. But not all attorneys offer this service. So outsourcing with us might be a good option for you. 

Where is the best location to hire legal research?

As lawyers, you should not be deprived of the focus and concentration that you need to properly solve the cases that fund your very firm. Here in Magellan Solutions, we understand the gravity of your work and reputation. Therefore, we offer not only the best of our agents but also other legal process outsourcing (LPO) services:

Legal transcription

A service for transcribing audio or audio/video recordings. It can also cover interviews and court hearings. The resulting transcript is already formatted for legal use. 

Legal collection

Collect bills from your clients efficiently. No need to collect bills yourself. You don’t have to worry about missed payments anymore, as well.

Legal appointment service

Receive calls and set appointments 24/7. This service also equips you with a virtual receptionist, who’s available round the clock.

Magellan Solutions LPO services

Is it safe to outsource abroad? You might find yourself asking this question when thinking about outsourcing. The answer is “yes”, especially if you know where to outsource. Offshoring is even proven to increase the market growth of law firms.

At Magellan Solutions, we are eager to help your legal practice. Would you like to outsource any of these services to us? Fill out the form below!

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