Prevaldi — written practice reviews for solo and small-firm lawyers

The window that is closing

Thomson Reuters is shutting down Casetext and pushing its users toward a Westlaw subscription that runs $750 to $1,000 a month. For Am Law 100 firms, that is a rounding error. For a solo or small firm that built their research workflow around Casetext because it was affordable and good enough, it is unworkable.

The alternatives exist. Paxton.ai, Fastcase through a state bar membership, Bloomberg Law's solo tier, free PACER combined with targeted Westlaw day passes. The question is not whether an alternative exists. The question is which one fits your specific practice, your specific jurisdictions, and your specific research patterns.

What you send

A short intake form describing your current research workflow, the Casetext features you relied on most, your jurisdictions, your monthly research budget, and your willingness to use tools that require more attorney verification in exchange for lower cost.

What you get back in 48 hours

A 4-to-6 page written report with a recommended primary alternative and the reasoning behind it, a recommended secondary alternative for the gaps the primary tool does not cover, and a 30-day migration plan with specific actions.

What this saves you

The default path Thomson Reuters is selling is a Westlaw subscription at $750 to $1,000 a month — $9,000 to $12,000 a year, typically locked in on a multi-year contract. A wrong three-year commitment is a $27,000 to $36,000 mistake, and the migration cost of switching again 18 months in is real attorney time you don't get back.

The right primary tool for a solo's actual research pattern is often $0 (state-bar Fastcase) to $200 a month (Paxton, Bloomberg Law solo tier). The audit's job is to tell you which one fits your jurisdictions and your workflow before you sign anything.

Why this is time-sensitive

The Casetext shutdown is happening now. The migration audit is most valuable in the first few months after the shutdown, when solos and small firms are actively evaluating alternatives. Once the market settles, demand for this specific audit drops sharply. If you are deciding now, this is the right time to get a second opinion before you commit to a stack you will live with for the next three years.

Questions people ask first

Why does this audit exist?

Thomson Reuters is shutting Casetext down and pushing users toward Westlaw at $750–$1,000 a month. For Am Law that's a rounding error. For a solo who built their research stack around Casetext because it was affordable and good enough, it's unworkable. The audit picks the replacement that fits your jurisdictions and patterns, not the most expensive option on the menu.

What's actually in the report?

Your current research workflow, mapped. The two or three alternatives that fit your actual practice (Paxton, Fastcase, Bloomberg solo, free PACER + targeted Westlaw day passes, etc.) with monthly cost and what each loses vs. Casetext. A migration sequence — what to set up first, what to test, what to cut over last.

Do I need to send you my research history?

No. The intake form asks about your jurisdictions, practice areas, and the kinds of searches you ran most often. We don't need access to your Casetext account or your search log.

How fast is delivery?

PDF in your inbox within 48 hours of the intake form. One round of clarifying questions if your intake leaves something ambiguous — the 48-hour clock pauses until you reply.

Will the recommendation work for my state bar?

The audit names which alternatives ship with the state-specific coverage you need. Fastcase comes free with many state bar memberships — if yours is one, that's the first option we'll evaluate. Where coverage is patchy, we'll tell you and propose a fallback.