Lawsonline™ About Us
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
In late 1990 development began on a product designed to answer basic legal questions. Thirty-two areas of law (disciplines) were evaluated and twelve disciplines were selected for the initial product. A glossary of terms, a question/answer format and a series of forms for each of the twelve disciplines were created. Since the program needed to be user-friendly for a wide range of individuals, including those who lacked computer literacy, the initial interface used simple menus and "point and click" access.
The initial product, LAWCHEK™, was designed to assist law offices and library patrons. It was anticipated that people looking for information would begin in a library. In 1991, a study of reference librarians throughout the United States was commissioned by the American Library Association for the purpose of determining the most problematic area for the reference desk of a typical library. It was found that approximately seventeen percent of the library patrons encountered difficulty accessing legal information mostly due to the fact that the legal system of reference and information is uniquely designed for attorneys and the judiciary. LAWCHEK™ was clearly a product that could fill a need.
In 1994, LAWCHEK™ was incorporated after most of the design work had been completed. Today, approximately twenty million library patrons have access to the LAWCHEK™ system. In late 1997, LAWCHEK™ entered into the law office market through the delivery of a robust array of legal products offered by enlighten technologies, inc.™ Presently, enlighten™ operates nine web sites including: www.enlightentech.net, www.lawsonline.com, www.lawchek.com, www.legalconference.com, www.lawyerslistings.com, www.houselist.com, www.z.com, www.medicalonline.com, www.onlineinsurance.com. Offering broadband convergence technology, videoconferencing, teleconferencing, legal research, legal directories, legal portals, forms, web development, web hosting and more...find out how partnering with enlighten™ can make your practice more time and cost effective.
PRODUCT SUMMARY
enlighten technologies. inc.™ (www.enlightentech.net):
With a robust offering of technology, information, services and support, enlighten™ is a premiere partner to law firms, courts, government agencies and consumers of legal information. The crown jewel of the enlighten™ family of products is the e-SDN™ (enlighten™ Secure Data Network), which offers unlimited video, voice and data transfer for a flat monthly fee. The e-SDN™ product also includes access to other enlighten™ products including LAWCHEK™ and Lawsonline™
Lawchek™ (www.lawchek.com):
The LAWCHEK™ is a tutorial that was designed in late 1994 and early 1995 as a result of research development dating back to 1990. The product is presently used as a tutorial in public libraries, law firms and retail markets. LAWCHEK™ contains twelve disciplines of law with a possible expansion to thirty. There are over twelve thousand five hundred state specific forms and approximately twenty-six thousand various state specific documents. The system also contains various glossaries, question and answer formats and forms. State Codes, State Cases, Federal Code and Federal Cases and other legal research links are provided. LAWCHEK™ also contains LetterPro, which consists of one hundred and thirty-three pre-drafted letter templates in twelve different subject areas. The LAWCHEK™ automatically links to Lawsonline™ providing access to an extensive array of legal directories.
Lawsonline™ (www.lawsonline.com):
Lawsonline™ automatically links to LAWCHEK™ as well as Federal and State Statutes, Federal and State Cases, Federal and State Rules, legal research links, law schools, law reviews plus a vast array of other useful legal hotlinks that are used by the legal community on a daily basis. Lawsonline™ contains various law firm directories, law firm homepages, lawyer profiles, expert witnesses, court reporters, private investigators, and links to LAWCHEK™.
Other available services include free e-mail for the attorneys, hosting of URL's for attorneys, a human resources product, special product discounts on various items.
Our Rating System;
UTILIZES MINIMAL TECHNOLOGY2X
UTILIZES BASIC TECHNOLOGY3X
UTILIZES ABOVE AVERAGE TECHNOLOGY4x
UTILIZES ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
President/CEO:
Dick Pundt is the President, a Co-Founder, CEO, and a Director of the Company. Mr. Pundt was also a Co-Founder and has served as President of Lawchek™ since its' inception in December of 1994 and subsequent purchase by enlighten™ in December of 1999. Since the late fall of 1997, he has also served as Chief Executive Officer of Lawchek™. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Iowa and his Juris Doctorate from Drake University. Mr. Pundt is a former FBI Agent and has practiced law in Cedar Rapids, Iowa since 1971 and during that period served as an assistant prosecuting attorney for 4-1/2 years, as well as Chief of the Trial Division for 2-1/2 years. His principle practice involved corporate work, contracts and civil litigation. He has been involved in multi-million dollar cases that included multi-district and complex litigation, as well as a wide variety of jury trials in the States of Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Colorado, North Dakota, California and Wisconsin. He has supervised the various authors of the templates, question-and-answer forms, glossaries and other related materials located at the various Internet sites.
Executive Vice President/COO/VP - Content & Product:
Vincent Pundt is the Executive Vice President, a Co-Founder, COO, VP - Content & Product, and a Director of the Company. He was also the Executive Vice President, a Co-Founder, Secretary, and a Director of Lawchek™, the legal research and listing side of the company. Mr. Pundt received his Juris Doctorate from William Mitchell Law School and obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa. He was a co-designer of Lawchek™, Lawsonline.com™, and the electronic Academy of Law™ systems. He was also principally responsible for the programming done on the initial Lawchek™ CD-ROM and the various company Internet sites. Mr. Pundt is involved on a daily basis with many of the technical aspects of enlighten™ and holds copyrights on the various source codes developed for the underlying programs. The videoconferencing system being developed was conceived and initially designed by Mr. Pundt.