Compiled and Maintained by F R O L I C & D E T O U R LAW BBS 919-893-5206 400+ downloadable business-oriented files. For legal professionals only. (Last Updated November 10, 1986) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DIRECTORY OF LAW-RELATED BULLETIN BOARDS The following list represents the "compleat" listing of all BBS's specializing in legal matters which we have been able to locate. All are accessible at 1200 bps - many also have 2400bps capability. If you become aware of any new BBS's which should be included on this list (or if you learn of any changes in the status of any board listed here), please leave a omment to the SYSOP when you return to our Frolic & Detour Main Menu. Thank you! - Rick Rodgers (SYSOP). ============ == ============= ======================== ================== NUMBER ST CITY NAME SYSOP ------------ -- ------------- ------------------------ ------------------ 206-742-9757 WA Seattle Husbands Against Disc Div Joe Karl 208-323-8626 ID Boise Boise Police Department Sgt. Mike Worley 212-409-4194 NY New York City Softlaw Ed Wolf 213-553-1473 CA Los Angeles LEGACY Bob Kohn 214-522-1963 TX Dallas Rice & Livingston LAWSIG Gerald Livingstone 214-458-2620 TX Dallas The Inns of Court Arthur Geffen 215-569-6975 PA Philadelphia LEX-PC Lawtech Mark Pinkstone 217-352-6118 IL Champagne LAWBoard Keith Hayes 219-884-9508 IN Gary LANS Phillip Stults 312-280-8180 IL Chicago LAWMUG Paul Bernstein 313-774-7258 MI Detroit Freeform RBBS Craig Stahl 413-783-2714 MA Springfield My BBS Charles Yates 513-721-4902 OH Cincinnati Lawtalk Dave Yaros 612-872-2352 MN Minneapolis LAWCAT Paula Giese 701-293-5973 ND Fargo Law Line Loren Jones 713-665-5556 TX Houston Ed Hopper's BBS Ed Hopper 805-273-8476 CA ?? LAWBOARD Gene Siegel 919-893-5206 NC Buies Creek Frolic & Detour Rick Rodgers - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - In addition to the above, various legal BBS's appear on several "commercial" electronic communication systems. The following represents our "compleat" listing of these: Name: LAW:FORUM Sysop: Jennifer Bankier, Atty. Location: Ann Arbor, MI PH: Telenet, DataPac Interests: Varied legal topics Computer uses and technology Atty/Public Communcations Restrictions: Subscription only = = = = = = = = = = Name: BIX Law Conference Sysop: Barry D. Bayer Location: New Hampshire PH: Tymnet Interests: Computer law related issues Restrictions: Subscription Only $14.00/hr @ 1200 Baud during non-prime time = = = = = = = = = = Name: SOURCE LawSIG Sysop: Paul Bernstein, Atty. Dennis Duffner Location: Philadelphia, PA PH: Tymnet-local number Interests: Atty/Public Communication Restrictions: Subscription Only = = = = = = = = = = Name: COMPUSERVE Law Forum Sysop: Noel D. Adler, Atty. Location: Columbus, OH PH: Local CIS Access Nr. Interests: Atty/Public Communication or Tymnet Lawyer-to-Lawyer Communication Restrictions: Subscription Only $6.25/$12.50 hr. (300/1200 bps) during non-prime time = = = = = = = = = = Name: ABA/Net Sysop: American Bar Ass'n Location: Chicago, IL PH: Telenet, Tymnet, Interests: Atty EMAIL, OAG, Legal Uninet, Dialnet Support Services Restrictions: Subscription Only $10.00/ hr. and up. (300/1200 bps) during non-prime time = = = = = = = = = = - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - S U M M A R Y O F C O N T A C T S November 2, 1986 206-742-9757 WA Seattle Husbands Against Discriminatory Divorce Laws SYSOP: Joe Karl a/k/a "H.A.D.D." Apparently a new board established as part of a nationwide effort to gain equity for husbands in domestic relations disputes. I didn't see any evidence of lawyers getting involved - strange! The BBS file area contains a few sets of domestic relations do-it-yourself forms and even the residence phone numbers of **ALL** the domestic relations judges in the Seattle area (sort of makes you wonder...). - - - - - - - - - - 208-323-8626 ID Boise Boise Police Department BBS SYSOP: Sgt. Mike Worley Now here's a crimestopping idea. BPD is on-line. On this BBS you'll find public reports of stolen vehicles, bulletins re protecting the home, and a few files available for downloading (1986 NFL Schedule was one; are football pools legal in Boise?). The board is well run and seems to be getting much traffic. I'm certain it's also used in "private conference mode" by various officers on the beat w/Model 100's, etc. - - - - - - - - - - 212-409-4194 NY New York City Softlaw SYSOP: Ed Wolf This BBS supports law office software developed (apparently) and marketed by its SYSOP, Attorney Ed Wolf. The software is largely of a "substantive systems" nature and includes such packages as Bankruptcy, Corporate Formation, and Real Estate transfers. Although I haven't seen any, the description of these offerings lead me to believe that they are each "driven" by some form of structured data manager (ie, dBaseIII or its ilk) which merges the data with forms and reports. There's a substantial charge for using the BBS - but it is really for consulting time with the SYSOP, and not simply just for the privilege of calling his computer. - - - - - - - - - - 213-553-1473 CA Los Angeles LEGACY SYSOP: Bob Kohn Obviously a "seasoned board" which has been around some time. It contains a host of do-it-yourself forms (Corporations, Wills, Domestic Relations, etc.) and several "law review" (but more readable) articles about computers, technology and related legal issues. I couldn't find any "freeware" but there is plenty of full-text recent legislation material, product reviews, and other useful stuff. I suspect one purpose of the BBS is to market the services of its sponsors - but, if it is, it's a very low-keyed pitch. - - - - - - - - - - 214-522-1963 TX Dallas Rice & Livingston LAWSIG SYSOP: Gerald Livingston Here's a marketing board, pure and simple. It's very user-friendly, open to the public, and contains good editorial and informational content. The downloadable file areas need a little cleaning up, but what's there are the most current versions of PC-WRITE, PROCOMM, etc. It apparently gets a lot of DFW traffic and is doubtless providing good service to the public and good exposure to its lawyer sponsors. Lawyers trying to decide between publishing yet another ho-hum firm brochure and establishing a BBS should look at this one. - - - - - - - - - - 215-569-6975 PA Philadelphia LEX-PC Lawtech SYSOP: Mark Pinkstone This Board is run by two law office consultants and is full of goodies for their clients and anyone else who wants to log on. Perhaps the high point of this BBS is the Pinkstone & Margueres Newsletter, which is an excellent survey of what's happening in the PC world of interest to lawyers. There's also an abundance of downloadable files. This is a first-rate effort - and deserves more attention. Who knows, lawyers visiting this BBS may discover that consultants can be practical, too. [QUESTION: What does a steer do in a herd of cows? ANSWER: Not much. He's just a consultant.] Here may be your chance to discover otherwise.... - - - - - - - - - - 217-352-6118 IL Champagne LAWBoard SYSOP: Keith Hayes This is a multi-purpose BBS. It's operated by Grosser & Hayes - a small firm with two offices (and the perennial problem of communication between them). The BBS was installed to allow the lawyers to keep in touch with each other, trade trial notes, workload, and generally eliminate the need for them to be in the same room with each other in order to get the benefits of a "group" practice. They use Radio Shack Model 100's, PC's on their desks, and PC's at home - and the BBS holds it all together by allowing them to swap text files, EMAIL, etc. And then the clients started using it to avoid the inevitable telephone tag syndrome - and then the firm opened it to the general public (although they really haven't made a big publicity push in this area). From little acorns.... - - - - - - - - - - 219-884-9508 IN Gary LANS SYSOP: Phillip Stults - - - - - - - - - - 312-280-8180 IL Chicago LAWMUG SYSOP: Paul Bernstein Alas, this (the first known BBS run by a lawyer) is currently off-line. Paul says he's looking for hacker-proof software (Paul: try our choice - PCBoard) and is also putting his time into establishing LAWSIG on The Source. - - - - - - - - - - 313-774-7258 MI Detroit Freeform RBBS SYSOP: Craig Stahl WOW! Here's one with something for everyone. It's both a marketing board (public bulletins include "DUI - What to Do When Arrested", "How To Make an Effective Consumer Complaint", "Starting a Business", "Incorporation Outline", "Corporate Pension Guide") and a collection of downloadable forms suitable for lawyers. I hope to get more time to spend on this one. - - - - - - - - - - 413-783-2714 MA Springfield My BBS SYSOP: Charles Yates A PCBoard ver. 10 system run by a second year law student from Western New England College School of Law (Class of '88). The BBS is a "general purpose" one open to all callers. But there is a specific "Law Conference" into which everyone is invited for forum discussions (many about the liability of SYSOPS who have illegal messages and copy righted material posted on their BBS's). - - - - - - - - - - 612-872-2352 MN Minneapolis LAWCAT SYSOP: Paula Giese Truly an "exciting" BBS run by someone loaded with effervescence. Paula is in the business of consulting with law firms - and I'd love to sit in on one of her visits. There's a ton of "current events" reporting in the various bulletins she maintains - and plenty of software to download. The BBS is often busy - but it's worth the wait. - - - - - - - - - - 701-293-5973 ND Fargo Law Line SYSOP Loren Jones This is an active "hobbyist" BBS which happens to be run by a lawyer, Loren Jones. There's a special Law Conference on it, but the thrust of the board is general purpose. Access to Law Conference is limited, so don't forget to ask for entrance by leaving a MSG to the SYSOP. - - - - - - - - - - 713-665-5556 TX Houston Ed Hopper's BBS SYSOP: Ed Hopper This board, although run by a lawyer, is largely a BBS designed to help people using AT&T microcomputers. As such, it's more of a "UG" (Users' Group) than it is a BBS devoted to lawyers. There is, however, a specific "Law Conference" going on - run by New York Softlaw BBS SYSOP, Ed Wolf. The BBS runs on PCBoard ver. 10 software. It contains relatively few downloadable files but, being in metro Houston and having a certain AT&T "calling", it seems pretty active. - - - - - - - - - - 805-273-8476 CA ?? LAWBOARD SYSOP: Gene Siegel Here's a free-wheeling California-style BBS open to anyone (use aliases, CB handles, anything goes) system run largely as a public service (but possibly with some marketing motives) by a firm that apparently enjoys controversy. The filespace isn't too well organized (many of the entries have no description) but the reason you go is to read the "editorials."