FindLaw

FindLaw is a business of Thomson Reuters that provides online legal information in the form of state laws, case law and codes, legal blogs and articles, a lawyer directory, DIY legal services and products, and other legal resources. The company also provides online marketing services for law firms. FindLaw was created by Stacy Stern, Martin Roscheisen, and Tim Stanley in 1995, and was acquired by Thomson West in 2001.^[1]

FindLaw

Type of business	Legal
Headquarters	Eagan, Minnesota
Owner	West (Thomson Reuters)
Founder(s)	Stacy Stern, Martin Roscheisen, Tim Stanley
Key people	⦁ Steve Hasker (President & CEO, Thomson Reuters) ⦁ Wendy F. Gomes (Executive Assistant to the CEO, Thomson Reuters) ⦁ Paul Fischer (President, Legal Professionals, Thomson Reuters) ⦁ Mary Alice Vuicic (Chief People Officer, Thomson Reuters) ⦁ Kirsty Roth (Chief Operations & Technology Officer, Thomson Reuters) ⦁ David F. Wong (Chief Product Officer, Thomson Reuters)
URL	www.findlaw.com
Commercial	Yes
Launched	December 13, 1995

FindLaw.com began in Silicon Valley in 1995 when the original founders compiled a list of attorney resources for a group of law librarians in Northern California. Based on the positive sentiment from the librarians, the founders decided to publish this information as a public legal resource on the domain FindLaw.com. Though there was a formal launch of FindLaw.com on January 9, 1996, the domain was first registered December 13. 1995. The website soon offered a wide array of legal content and resources for both attorneys and consumers, including a lawyer directory, an online career center and message boards like the famous "Greedy Associates" which exists today on the FindLaw.com website as a popular blog.^[2]

History

1995-2001: early years

In 1995, two attorneys compiled a list of lawyer resources for a group of California law librarians and then published that list online. The attorneys registered the domain findlaw.com on December 13, 1995. They had an official public launch of the website in January 1996. By June 1996, there was an interactive online continuing legal education course offering. The following year saw the launch of LegalMinds, followed the year after by JusticeMail (sunsetted in 2021).

FindLaw.com won gold medals for best legal website in 1997, 1998, and 1999.^[3]

By end of 1999, FindLaw had both acquired LawyerMarketing.com to launch FindLaw Lawyer Marketing and made available free access to legal briefs. In 1999 it also launched its FirmSite service, providing website design and content services for attorneys.

In the start of 2000, FindLaw created partnerships with The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN Interactive, Earthlink, Quicken, USA Today, and other media for sharing content.

By midyear of 2000, FindLaw offered the first legal portal to support personalization through “My FindLaw." By October of the same year, FindLaw launched an extensive and comprehensive lawyers and law firm directory for the entire United States.   

2002–present: growth under Thomson Reuters

In 2001, Thomson West (formerly West Publishing company, currently Thomson Reuters) acquired FindLaw.^[4]

FindLaw surpassed $100 million in yearly revenue in 2007, and $200 million in 2012.

It launched Web Advantage and video services in 2008. In 2009, FindLaw expanded internationally by acquiring Contract Law in the UK (divested in 2012). It began providing website services to international law firms the following year.

Between 2010 and 2013, FindLaw significantly increased its footprint in the online legal network and directory space by acquiring SuperLawyers (2010), a business that recognizes the top attorneys in the U.S.,^[5] and LawInfo.com (2013). The LawInfo acquisition included Abogado.com, a Spanish language website that provides legal information and a lawyer directory to Spanish speakers in the U.S.

Also in 2010, FindLaw provided a blog option to its website clients, allowing for consistent, fresh content. The posts were later promoted on Facebook when FindLaw launched social media services (2015).

FindLaw debuted do-it-yourself estate planning and business formation services in 2022, allowing consumers to create simple estate plans and form simple business entities.^[6]

Today, FindLaw.com receives more than 100 million visits a year.^{[citation needed]}  

In October 2024, Thomson Reuters announced it would sell FindLaw to Internet Brands.^[7]

Products and services of FindLaw.com

FindLaw.com is a free legal information website.

The website FindLaw.com includes extensive legal information presented in the form of U.S. case law found on caselaw.findlaw.com,^[8][9][10] and in comprehensive review like in the case of Tinker v. Des Moines School District (1969)^{[11][12][13][14]} that helped define first amendment rights of students in the United States. FindLaw.com also presents state and federal statutes like in the legal summary of California Marijuana Laws^[15][16] that details the legality of possession and use of cannabis in the state of California. U.S. codes are published on codes.findlaw.com^[17][18][19] and present common codes like New York’s consolidated laws for labor laws.^[20] FindLaw.com also offers legal articles and blogs on a wide range of historical and new legal cases and codes like the 2022 overturn of Roe v Wade.^[21][22][23]

The website FindLaw.com also includes a free attorney directory on lawyers.findlaw.com^[24][25][26] that allows consumers to browse and select lawyers by their geographical location and practice areas of the law.

The website FindLaw.com also offers DIY services and products for consumers in need of legal assistance.^[27][28]

The company also published the magazine Writ, whose contributors (mostly legal academics) argued, explained, and debated legal matters of topical interest.

References

1. Anderson, Brian (January 2001). "FindLaw.com Founders Discuss Entrepreneurship and FindLaw's Future". U.C. Davis Bus. L.J. 1 (1): 2.
2. "FindLaw Corporate Information: Company Background - FindLaw". FindLaw. July 10, 2023. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
3. Amircani, Maha (April 29, 2020). "The History of FindLaw, Legal Marketing Company". Medium. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
4. "The Thomson Corporation in the Legal Publishing Market Expanding the Value Proposition" (PDF). Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. December 8, 2008. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
5. "Thomson Reuters Acquires Super Lawyers" (PDF). ABA Journal. February 4, 2010. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
6. "FindLaw debuts do-it-yourself estate planning". www.thomsonreuters.com. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
7. "Thomson Reuters to sell FindLaw business to Internet Brands". Reuters. October 4, 2024.
8. "Free online legal research options robust and growing". www.americanbar.org. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
9. "Legal Sources". www.doi.gov. July 1, 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
10. "Resources: NSW Bar Library". library.nswbar.asn.au. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
11. Blanchfield, Patrick (May 4, 2014). "What Do Guns Say?". Opinionator. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
12. "Their District Banned 'Let's Go Brandon!' Shirts. Now Students Are Suing". Education Week. May 2, 2023. ISSN 0277-4232. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
13. "Time To Start A 'Stand Your Ground' Campaign? More Bull About Anti-Gay School Bullying, Hoosier-Style". HuffPost. May 8, 2012. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
14. "Opinion | The case of the cursing cheerleader and the school spat at the Supreme Court". NBC News. June 23, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
15. "What Marijuana (Cannabis) Can Do for Your Health and Wellness". EverydayHealth.com. December 6, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
16. "Man cited for supplying cannabis to high school dealer". Vancouver Sun. May 9, 2022. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
17. "Falvey Library :: Public Administration". library.villanova.edu. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
18. "State Law - College of Law - University of Idaho". www.uidaho.edu. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
19. "Cuomo to Raise Minimum Wage to $15 for All New York State Employees". The New York Times. November 10, 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
20. "Columbia University Non-Retaliation Policy | University Policies". universitypolicies.columbia.edu. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
21. Varney, Sarah (April 27, 2022). "When does life begin? As state laws define it, science, politics and religion clash". NPR. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
22. Varney, Sarah (September 6, 2022). "When Does Life Begin? As State Laws Define It, Science, Politics, and Religion Clash". KFF Health News. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
23. McClain, Linda C.; Huberfeld, Nicole (June 24, 2022). "Roe overturned: What you need to know about the Supreme Court abortion decision". The Conversation. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
24. "Online Resources". California State Library. August 14, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
25. Dahl, Darren (August 22, 2010). "How to Hire Legal Counsel". Inc. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
26. "How to Find a Good Family Law Attorney (with Pictures)". wikiHow. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
27. "Legal Tech". archive.calbar.ca.gov. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
28. "Legal Links". CT.gov - Connecticut's Official State Website. Retrieved August 15, 2023.