FFLA has added Westlaw Precision with AI-Assisted Research to its statewide subscription that provides legal research tools to its grantees. FFLA’s subscription allows more than 20 Florida legal aid organizations to access Westlaw’s many tools at a reduced rate.

Westlaw, an online legal database platform, provides case histories, form builders and research tools for lawyers. As the account holder, FFLA manages payment to Westlaw and is reimbursed by each legal aid provider. FFLA’s investment in Westlaw reduces the cost of it for legal aid providers, allowing them to put more funds toward other services.

The Florida Bar Foundation was one of the first statewide IOTA programs in the nation to facilitate this type of agreement more than 20 years ago. FFLA believes legal aid clients benefit from having lawyers who have access to cutting edge research tools.

According to Thompson Reuters, which owns Westlaw, their AI-Assisted Research tool uses reliable information from its library of materials, which reduces the risk of AI-generated hallucinations, or faulty information.

FFLA is committed to exploring projects that promote complementary, not competing, technology tools that can coordinate efforts, avoid redundancy, reduce costs and share best practices.