REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Approval of a Two-Year Subscription Agreement with Thomson Reuters for Westlaw Online Legal Research Services, and Authorization to Execute Future Subscription Agreements Subject to the Appropriation of Funds
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Deliver and Enhance High-Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure
BACKGROUND
The City Attorney's Office (CAO) requires access to an online legal research service to provide one stop access to research case law, state and federal statues, administrative codes, newspaper and magazine articles, public records, law journals, law reviews, treatises, legal forms and other information resources. This service is required on an on-going basis and historically the City has used Westlaw. Access to a legal research database, and ongoing access to the Westlaw database that the CAO has used at least since 2004 (and within which CAO staff has saved past legal research) is critical for the work of the office.
The City's current Westlaw subscription expired in December 2021, and CAO is currently accessing Westlaw under a "bridge" term of two months. Through the subscription renewal process, it was discovered that the total amount spent on the Westlaw product over the past 17 years exceeded $350,000 and it does not appear that Council has previously approved the subscription.
DISCUSSION
The Westlaw database provides CAO with access to necessary county, state and federal legal materials such as statutes, regulations, caselaw, treatises and public records. Thomson Reuters also provides staff training on using various tools provided within the suite of legal materials.
Access to the Westlaw online legal research database can only be procured through Thomson Reuters, the company that owns the Westlaw product. Thus, the recommendation is consistent with City Code Section 2.105.100(h) "Idle Act" where a formal bidding process would not be useful or produce any advantage for the City, and 2.105.160(b)(2)...
Click here for full text