Did you know that Fastcase's library includes not only Illinois cases but those of all 50 states and the U.S. Supreme and appellate courts – all free to ISBA members?

The ISBA committee that selected the Fastcase member benefit over other vendors' offers could have recommended a less expensive Illinois-only version of Fastcase. But they unanimously concluded that the national plan was worth the investment.

Why? First and foremost, because most ISBA lawyers – even those who don't live out of state or in border counties – have clients whose legal needs extend beyond the Land of Lincoln. More and more clients own real estate in Arizona, spend three months a year in Florida, or have a family business with a branch in Indiana.

Beyond that, though, it's a boon to be able to research the law of other states to see how it's evolving, especially on issues of first impression in Illinois. Without Fastcase, that would be a costly educational enterprise. Because Fastcase searches are free, you can blue-sky to your heart's content without worrying about absorbing the cost or passing it on to a dubious client.

Haven't signed up for Fastcase yet? Click on one of the Fastcase links or banners at www.isba.org or go straight to http://www.isba.org/fastcase/gate.asp.