ABSTRACT
The legal profession has a reputation for conservatism and a strong resistance to innovation. The establishing of the Law Technology Centre based at the University of Warwick, funded by the University Funding Council and the Computer Board, has greatly increased the profile of technology as an integral part of academic teaching and research. Developments in online legal databases have naturally reflected the greater unification of United Kingdom and European Community law. LEXIS® is the market leader in British legal databases and achieves that position by virtue of the sheer bulk of material which it contains. The lawtel screen is a little harsh on the eyes combining, as it does, a number of different colours to identify different headings and text. The breaking down of traditional barriers between national and international law, public and private law and criminal and civil law suggest that the LEXIS® approach is correct.
