A. Research for practising lawyers
Example 1
In one of our first overseas projects, we helped a lawyer to draft a 30,000-word closing submission and a 15,000-word closing reply. Our client, a barrister, represented a defendant being sued for more than $200 million. The case raised novel issues of expert evidence and corporations law, among other areas. The submissions we helped the lawyer to prepare were based on more than 20 volumes of transcripts and exhibits. As well as helping with the submissions, we prepared an accompanying bundle of cases comprising some 5000 pages in 14 volumes, which we indexed and cross-referenced.
Our client described the result:
"It is a masterpiece and will be a total and formidable surprise to our opponents. It is really great to be able to wrap up this case with such a learned, detailed, and complete document. It will hit the other side for six ... I am truly enthusiastic ... this work together with our input and refining here will be hard to honestly and legally surmount."
Example 2
For an Australian client, we trawled through industry publications to show that a design was not "new and distinctive".
Our research meant that the lawyer for whom we worked could produce evidence that his client had not infringed a protectable design.
B. Government projects
Example 1
In one of our first government projects, we researched and wrote a 30,000-word discussion paper that analysed in detail an important area of legal policy reform. In addition to the text, the discussion paper included examples, tables, graphs, and other illustrations. As well as comprising an important resource in its own right, the discussion paper provided a lead-in to further research through its references and appended bibliography, which included some 250 sources.
In the result, the discussion paper assisted policymakers to assess the potential benefits, drawbacks, and practicalities of policy alternatives, and, in our client's words, represented "an excellent value-for-money service".
Example 2
In 2004, we searched libraries and archives for photographs that depicted an important aspect of Australian legal and general history. As well as the photographs, we researched, obtained, and organised all the necessary copyright permissions so that our client could publish the photographs. This example demonstrates the diversity of projects we undertake.
C. Research for academics
In 2005, our client (a law Professor) wanted to find all the reviews that had been written about a book he and his co-editors had produced. We found around 40 such reviews in scholarly journals, professional magazines, newspapers, newsletters, and websites. The project involved not only searching for and retrieving the reviews, but also designing the layout of the compilation and producing an index.
Our client said we did the work "in a very timely and effective manner".
The above services are just a few examples. We tailor our services to clients' individual needs. We also provide legal research training and specialise in plain legal language. To find out how we can help you, please contact us.