Other changes to the directory include the telephone numbers for three Columbia County judges. The Internet Lawyer - Microsoft Corporation Survey found that the majority of legal professionals use small local access companies. Thirty-two percent use local Internet service providers, while 18 percent use America Online and 6 percent use Counsel Connect, the proprietary online communication service for lawyers. Perhaps the most anticipated study results relate to how often the Internet is used for legal research purposes. Recent technologies, including CD-ROM and the Internet, however, have eroded the market penetration of these two large online services.
Federal information is the most commonly accessed legal material.
Forty-eight percent of respondents are using the Net to retrieve federal court opinions, statutes and regulations. State legal materials are accessed by 34 percent of those who use the Net for legal research. Many legal professionals who use the Net for research are not looking for traditional legal materials like court opinions and state codes, but instead are searching for information. They use the Net to find missing people, to investigate trademark infringement or to conduct medical research. Forty-four percent of those using the Net for research are conducting company research.