How to Use Investigative Research Software for Case Research

The facts matter. Research is a critical part of practicing law, and although most litigators are skilled at researching caselaw, public records data is also critical in many kinds of cases. With a variety of free and paid search tools available, it is important to understand the difference between traditional legal research tools and public records or investigative data. 

This program, taught by litigator Josh Taylor and Wendy Nestrud from Tracers, a public records research software, will provide an overview of the differences in records information from different sources, examples of the kinds of investigative data attorneys can obtain, and how to use it effectively. They will also explain how to ethically use public records data for case research, including billing guidelines for invoicing clients. In addition, the presenters will perform a series of sample searches to show types of reports available and discuss examples from real cases where investigative data impacted the outcome. Finally, the program will discuss best practices for staff access management and reporting to ensure compliance with credentialing requirements for sensitive information. 

Note: This program includes a demonstration of the Tracers research software.

Learning Objectives:

1. Review different types of Legal Research 
2. Examine use cases for Public Records in different practice areas
3. Provide examples of different search types and reports, including people searches, comprehensive people searches, asset searches, and social media reports
4. Maintain ethical best practices for researching public records, including a review of the credentials required, employee search access, administrative tools, billing reports and invoicing