[co-author: Abby Hadidian]

Across the United States, thousands of attorneys rely on law libraries for the resources they need to effectively practice law. Law libraries provide CLE seminars, reference support, and free legal research, allowing attorneys to provide quality representation to clients while keeping their costs down.

But as COVID-19 threatens our communities, many law libraries are unable to safely keep their doors open, cutting attorneys off from these services.

With record levels of unemployment, medical care needs, and small business closures, lawyers will be invaluable in helping us recover from the effects of this pandemic. Their ability to provide effective and affordable representation will be more important than ever.

To support the legal community during this time, Casetext has been trying to bridge the gap left by the closure of these institutions.

First, we are providing free legal research for any attorneys who can’t access their usual resources while sheltering in place. Since we announced this program last week, hundreds of attorneys have applied for access.

It has been inspiring to see how many attorneys are still working tirelessly to represent clients facing challenges brought on by the pandemic. We will continue to offer access to anyone who needs access to legal research until shelter in place orders have been lifted in the U.S.

Second, we will continue to offer free access to our library of CLE’s. They are a fantastic resource for anyone looking to strengthen their legal research skills. You can sign up for courses individually https://casetext.com/cle-program/

If you or someone you know is restricted from accessing their legal research resources during this time, go to casetext.com/covid-access today.