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* ELECTRONIC BAR ASSOCIATION (EBA) ANNOUNCED BY PAUL BERNSTEIN *
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A NEW ERA IN BAR ASSOCIATION ACTIVITIES COMMENCES
Paul Bernstein announced in Sept. the formation of the Electronic
Bar Association, commonly known as the EBA. The EBA will be the
first bar association to rely primarily on telecommunications,
electronic mail and teleconferencing for communication among and
with members and to provide a forum for the discussion of topics of
interest to attorneys across the country. Paul Bernstein, as
sponsor of the EBA believes that the EBA marks the beginning of a
new era in lawyers associating among themselves for their mutual
benefit and for the benefit of the public at large.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EBA -- WHY IS SUCH AN ORGANIZATION NEEDED?
Why was the electronic bar association formed? The following
detailed questions and answers serve to focus on the perceived need
for such an organization.
QUESTION #1. WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF THE ELECTRONIC BAR ASSOCIATION?
ANSWER # 1. The goals of the EBA are:
To serve as a method of instant communication among attorneys,
vendors and those in need of legal services so as to provide
the ultimate in electronic communications, electronic mail,
discussion groups, information for lawyers and members of
the public and a legal referral service, as well as providing
significant membership benefits to participating attorneys.
QUESTION #2. BUT, WHY AN ELECTRONIC BAR ASSOCIATION?
ANSWER #2. The EBA is needed because:
Lawyers are being dragged kicking and screaming into the
1990's. More and more law firms are bringing computers
into the law office, but far too few attorneys are using
computers. Everything points in the direction of
lawyers using computers (as executives in other types
of businesses do) in order to become more productive
and better serve their clients. The EBA is essential
as participation requires that a lawyer not only learn
a lot about microcomputers and how to use them, but also
to learn to telecommunicate. We believe telecommunications
is the KEY to law firms acquiring the computer capability
and efficiency that is required in order to effectively
deliver legal services to the public.
QUESTION #3. WHAT MAKES THE EBA DIFFERENT FROM OTHER BAR
ASSOCIATIONS?
ANSWER #3. There are many things that make The EBA different:
A. The EBA is the only electronic bar association.
B. The EBA will forge relationships with vendors on a
first come, first served basis. We believe vendor
participation is critical as the vendors know best
about their products and services. If vendors are
available on-line in conferences and via e-mail,
they can quickly educate lawyers on the value of
their products and services, respond to inquiries,
and quickly fill orders by on-line order forms.
C. EBA will quickly offer many, many savings and benefits
to member attorneys, such as discounts on software,
Public Domain Software, Freeware (User Supported
Software), free goods and services such as
Automated Legal Forms and the LAWyers Microcomputer
Users Group newsletter and much, much more. We
are also talking to insurance industry executives
about discounts on malpractice insurance because
computerized attorneys are less likely to engage
in malpractice.
D. The EBA will be the ultimate in a democratic
organization. Concepts and policy issues will be put
to votes of the full membership! All lawyer-members
will have the opportunity of voting and having the
results of the vote count. Never before has this
flexibility and latitude been brought to any association
of attorneys.
E. Politics will be non-existent! Conferences will allow
everyone, from any place and at any time to have their
voices and opinions heard. On-Line communications ring
true and personalities are not important -- substance
is. That alone should mean much to attorneys everywhere.
QUESTION #4. CAN YOU GIVE US MORE DETAILS ON MEMBER BENEFITS?
ANSWER #4. Yes, here are a few examples:
A. The LAW MUG (<LAW>yers <M>icrocomputer <U>sers
<G>roup Lexis/Nexis Membership Group Subscription will
be a member benefit. Lexis normally costs $125.00
per month for access. Via our membership group, and
as a member of the EBA, lawyers can now have access
to Lexis with no monthly access fee. Over the course
of the first year, this amounts to a savings of
$1,500.00.
B. NorthEdge Software Corporation, the publishers of
TimeSlips, are providing EBA members with a discount
of 35% off of list price on their excellent time
and billing packages.
C. Automated Legal Forms is a series of legal forms
that were formerly sold by Callaghan & Company,
a portion of said forms appearing in the Law/Mart
of ABA/Net as a value-added service. Those legal
forms will be provided without charge except for
normal telecommunications costs over the first
year of membership.
D. The LAWyers Microcomputer Users Group Newsletter is
the only newsletter directed to attorneys relating
to law office automation that is available
electronically. The hard-copy cost of the newsletter
will be $199.95 per year, effective September 30,
1987. The electronic version of the newsletter will
be free, on-line, to EBA members.
E. Further, at an early date, the back issues of the
newsletter will also be available and are a true
data base. This has already been recognized
by InfoMaster and SearchLink. Thus, a lawyer's
"Encyclopedia of Computer Knowledge" will be
available as a searchable data base.
F. Consultants on law office automation and expert
help and assistance will be an important part of
the EBA. We are soliciting specialists on
hardware, software, networks, legal research and
more. These consultants will be available on-line
in conferences to discuss law office automation
topics. There will be no charge to members
for this expert help and assistance.
QUESTION #5. WHY CAN'T PRESENT BAR ASSOCIATIONS SERVE THESE NEEDS?
ANSWER #5. Here's our opinion in answer to this question:
A. Why couldn't our steel mills and auto industry
compete with foreign manufacturers? EBA represents
new technology and new delivery systems. Existing
bar associations represent old technology and the
old ways.
B. I have been active in many bar associations since
1959. I thought quality of work and paying ones
"dues" would allow one's voice to be heard. I
found out that such is not the case. In the EBA
EVERYONE'S VOICE AND OPINION will be heard.
Everyone will be able to participate.
C. The cost of running the EBA will be less expensive
as compared to other bar associations. Our meetings
will be on-line. Benefits will be available
on-line and quickly. As vendors hear about us,
they will immediately see the benefit of working
with us and join in.
D. Committees will meet on-line. Accordingly,
you won't miss meetings -- you dial up and
join in when it is convenient for you to do so.
E. We are inviting vendors to participate in the
EBA, not to discuss legal matters, but to
provide information, discounts and immediate
ordering capability. Conventional bar associations
do NOT invite vendors into their hallowed halls.
We are not saying that existing bar associations couldn't do
the same thing. We ARE saying that they have not. Clearly,
our expertise in telecommunications, teleconferencing and
data bases ought to serve as a foundation for various bar
associations to participate in our program. We anticipate
that many bar associations will want to join in and we will
cooperate fully to have them join our group.
F. We believe our costs will be much lower than
any other facility and with a much broader
base of capability. We will do everything to
help lawyers minimize their on-line time and
maximize their pay-off from being a member.
QUESTION #6. HOW WILL YOU DO THIS? WHAT NETWORK WILL YOU USE?
ANSWER #6. LEGAL EXCHANGE (Called LEGALEX) on The Source
will be our home. LEGALEX has worked for almost
two years with the folks at The Source to work
out a series of menu structures, initial conferences,
and other capabilities so that the EBA could have
a sound and time-tested foundation. The Source (STC)
offers the full range of electronic mail, conferencing,
Bulletin Boards, file transfer and a wealth of
other on-line services and software. STC has
demonstrated a commitment to attorneys and the
legal profession and at very reasonable rates.
QUESTION #7. WHAT IS THE ESTIMATED FIRST YEAR VALUE OF MEMBERSHIP?
ANSWER #7. Assuming a lawyer wants all our initial benefits:
A. Yearly savings on Lexis/Nexis access: $ 1,500.00
B. Automated Legal Forms (nine areas of law): 750.00
C. The LAW MUG Newsletter, electronic version: 39.95
D. STC Subscription fee waived: 49.95
E. STC free on line time: 15.00
F. A free ad in the legal referral section: 50.00
G. Discount on TimeSlips III of 35%: 70.00
MINIMUM PRESENT ANNUAL BENEFIT: $ 2,474.90
We suggest you read the accompanying article in this, the October,
1987 issue of our newsletter entitled:
SPECIAL LEXIS/NEXIS MEMBERSHIP GROUP OFFER FROM LAW MUG
for more information about additional benefits, including free
searching on Lexis/Nexis for the month of December, 1987 if you
register under this program during the period October 1, 1987 to
November 30, 1987.
QUESTION #8. TELL US MORE ABOUT THE LEGAL REFERRAL NETWORK.
ANSWER #8. Here's how that will work:
A. The referral network will be on-line and accessed
via a series of menus. A charge will be assessed via
registration by a lawyer in different areas of law.
B. For example, an attorney will register for an area of
law in which he/she is expert -- for example,
Estate planning.
C. The first listing will cost $50.00
D. The second listing will cost $30.00
E. The Third listing will cost $20.00
F. One free listing will be provided each Charter
Member of the EBA.
G. Someone looking for a lawyer will go into the
"Legal Referral Network" and see a First menu:
PLEASE SELECT THE STATE YOU ARE INTERESTED IN
H. The next screen after selecting the State is:
AREA OF LAW YOU ARE INTERESTED IN
1. Administration of estates.
2. Adoption.
3. Corporations.
4. Divorce.
5. Estate Planning
6. Etc., etc., etc.
I. Next will be an alpha list of lawyers who signed up
for that area. There will be their name, address,
phone, school, year of graduation, rates, courts
admitted to and five to eight lines of
text for the lawyer to enter information.
J. New lawyers joining the referral network can be
placed in the data base quickly and lawyers may
make prompt changes to the data base. Compare
this to hard-copy publications that may come
out once a year or perhaps twice a year at best.
QUESTION #9. WHAT WILL THE COST OF ALL THIS BE?
ANSWER #9. We anticipate that the cost structure will be as follows:
A. "Charter Memberships" will be $250.00 per year.
Charter members are those subscribing via The Source
on or before November 30, 1987.
B. Of course, normal on-line charges and other charges
of The Source will apply.
C. A special vendor's membership will cost $250.00
per year, for which we will also provide a
customized on-line order form and conferences
on the vendor's products and/or services. This
vendor membership does NOT provide any of the
above benefits but is solely a method
whereby vendors can obtain special services
form LEGALEX and be in close contact with present
and prospective customers.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, DIAL US UP ON THE SOURCE
For more information on this progressive and new program, please
join us on The Source. Paul Bernstein can be located at EX1005
and you will want to join many of the present conferences going on in
LEGALEX. On other networks, you can inquire of us at:
ABA/Net: ABA1125
CompuServe: 72466,3137
MCI Mail: 107-5685
LAW MUG BBS: (312) 661-1740
Law:Forum: Paul Bernstein
The WELL: pbern
STC: EX1005 --- We log on daily here. Less often on
all other networks.