Fastcase Beyond Research

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Dec 28, 2025, 4:37 PM

Fastcase offers a spectrum of legal software tools to equip law professionals with smarter, more efficient solutions. Fastcase is proud to partner with over 80 national, state, and county bar associations to provide our legal research and solutions as a free member benefit. I am a solo practitioner who loves Fastcase. Almost spent a fortune on Westlaw but now I know that would have been a huge mistake. Fastcase has everything I need. Data is driving a new reality in the practice of law.

We wanted to roll-up our sleeves to better understand the ways we can leverage data to build solutions for clients. Legal tech disruptors vLex and Fastcase merge to form world’s largest global law library. Nov. 20, 2024 – State Bar of Wisconsin members know Fastcase as a legal research tool, accessible as a member benefit. Now Fastcase users have access to enhanced artificial intelligence through a merger with a global leader in legal intelligence, vLex Group. Through vLex Fastcase, State Bar members receive access to a comprehensive legal research platform that includes a vast library of primary legal sources: case law, statutes, regulations, and state-specific legal materials, including attorney general...

Whether searching by citation, keyword, or natural language, vLex Fastcase delivers quick and accurate results and offers a wealth of secondary materials, including practice guides, legal forms, and treatises on topics ranging from employment... A key feature of this enhanced service is the Cert citator, which flags negative treatment and other citations to cases. Cert goes beyond Fastcase’s previous citation service, Bad Law Bot, by offering editorial oversight, improving accuracy and delivering more comprehensive legal research. Also included are advanced capabilities from Vincent AI, the award-winning research assistant from vLex. State Bar Bar members will benefit from automated headnotes, case summaries, and Vincent's ability to identify similar legal documents. Premium features, such as 50-state surveys and argument drafting, are available via subscription.

Fastcase Library gives you confident access to the complete U.S. legal landscape—federal and state cases, current statutes, regulations, and court rules—all updated daily and delivered through intelligent tools designed specifically for legal professionals. Access the complete legal landscape with confidence. Fastcase Library's intelligent tools deliver comprehensive legal analysis, verify case authority, and provide complete U.S. law coverage—ensuring you never miss critical precedents or cite outdated authorities. Cut through complex opinions in minutes, not hours.

Fastcase Library's AI-powered case analysis distills lengthy judicial decisions into clear, actionable insights—helping you identify core legal issues and reasoning without reading every word. Protect your reputation and avoid embarrassing mistakes. Cert Citator instantly reveals when cases have been overturned or criticized, so you never cite bad law in front of judges, opposing counsel, or clients. Research with complete confidence across all legal matters. Fastcase Library's comprehensive coverage ensures you have the legal authority you need, whether you're handling routine cases or complex multi-jurisdictional matters. In this episode of Lawyers Who Learn, David Schnurman, CEO of Lawline, talks with Ed Walters, co-founder of Fastcase and current Chief Strategy Officer at vLex, following a 2023 merger.

The discussion traces Walters' remarkable journey from starting Fastcase with Phil Rosenthal in 2000 to building a legal research platform that disrupted established providers like Westlaw and LexisNexis. Walters shares how Fastcase's mission to "democratize the law" led them to pioneer a bar association subscription model that gave 1.3 million attorneys access to affordable legal research. He details their bootstrap approach - attending more than 1,000 bar association meetings over 15 years - and the importance of building deep, genuine relationships within the legal community rather than simply raising venture... The conversation explores how Fastcase expanded beyond basic legal research to include bankruptcy forms, docket tracking, analytics, and now AI tools through their Vincent platform. Throughout the episode, Walters emphasizes the crucial role his team played in Fastcase's success, particularly highlighting co-founder Phil Rosenthal (a former rocket scientist who worked with Stephen Hawking) and team members who helped build... Walters also discusses the decision to merge with vLex rather than sell, creating a global legal research platform now covering 110 countries with 350 employees across 17 time zones.

He reflects on the importance of timing, luck, and perseverance in entrepreneurship, sharing insights about learning through teaching (he teaches AI and law courses at Georgetown and Chicago Law), and his personal productivity system... The episode provides a thoughtful exploration of how innovation, relationship-building, and team dynamics can transform an industry, even with limited resources and against established competitors. "Fastcase provides excellent value for solo practitioners. The Bad Law Bot feature has saved me from citing overruled cases multiple times. While it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of Westlaw, it has everything I need at a fraction of the cost." "Great research tool that's included free with our state bar membership.

The mobile app is particularly useful for court appearances. Would love to see more secondary sources, but overall very satisfied with the platform." Global legal research company vLex, which last year acquired Fastcase and which now seeks to be known as a legal intelligence provider, has announced today that it has upgraded the Vincent AI platform to... Signup for premium to access this article. In coordination with Fastcase, the Illinois State Bar Association has offered a free legal research member benefit since 2006, providing access to cases, statutes, and regulations. In 2023, Fastcase merged with vLex, a global leader in legal intelligence, raising questions about the future of this essential service.

But rest assured: vLex Fastcase remains committed to democratizing the law and enhancing legal research tools. This member benefit has been substantially upgraded with enhanced features, while keeping the service completely free for ISBA members. This important member benefit is sponsored by the ISBA Mutual Insurance Company. ISBA members will enjoy free access to a comprehensive legal research platform that includes a vast library of primary legal sources: case law, statutes, regulations, and state-specific legal materials. You can expect seamless access to state court opinions, statutes, Attorney General opinions, and more. Whether you're searching by citation, keyword, or natural language, vLex Fastcase delivers quick and accurate results.

In addition to primary law, the service offers a wealth of secondary materials, including practice guides, legal forms, and treatises on topics ranging from employment law to intellectual property. These resources provide invaluable insights and practical advice, tailored to Illinois’s legal professionals. A key feature of this enhanced service is the Cert citator, which flags negative treatment and other citations to cases. Cert goes beyond Fastcase’s previous citation service, Bad Law Bot, by offering editorial oversight, improving accuracy and delivering more comprehensive legal research. Also included are advanced capabilities from Vincent AI, the award-winning research assistant from vLex. ISBA members will benefit from automated headnotes, case summaries, and Vincent's ability to identify similar legal documents included in their benefit.

Premium features, such as 50-state surveys and argument drafting, are available via a member-discounted subscription.

Fastcase Beyond Research

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