Law firms today are using a new strategy to find information on people, companies and organizations, utilizing paralegal detectives to perform investigation work on the Internet - cyber-sleuthing.

With the click of the mouse, finding information on a witness, debtor or property is speedy, efficient, and cost-effective when it comes to the Internet. Not much is private anymore with Web networks like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and many more sites offering blogs, databases, and news to track revealing information on people.

The Internet is an informal discovery tool that allows paralegals and others the opportunity to locate information such as real estate holdings, bank accounts, vehicle ownership, prior lawsuits, judgments, liens, political contributions, news articles, professional licenses and criminal proceedings. Personal information is also available, such as the name of a person's spouse or information about his/her neighbors, employers, roommates, siblings, parents, children and friends.

To be a cyber-sleuth, one has to build an arsenal of sites that will help you "build your case." Below are many we've found to be helpful.

Address and people locators

• 555-1212.com is a directory-assistance Web site where one can look up addresses and reverse telephone numbers.

• knowx.com is a Lexis Web site that offers public records and background check information.

• accurint.com is a Lexis Web site that offers a more detailed background search, current and past addresses, family members, business associations, criminal activity, and bankruptcy information.

• ancestry.com is a genealogy Web site that helps identify a person's family members.

• anybirthday.com offers information on a person's date of birth.

• allonesearch.com has a useful people-search function.

• choicepointonline.com offers background personal information and public records.

• publicdata.com offers information on voter registrations, criminal records, and vehicle license information.

Business information

• hoovers.com offers company information with detailed business reports and industry profiles.

• Most states have a secretary of state Web site with tools for online searches on corporate business filings, and UCC information.

• edgar.com offers online SEC filings.

Lawsuit tracking and court documents

• pacer.com offers online access to federal courts and bankruptcy courts all over the county. Account registration is required.

• bankruptcydata.com is an online database of case information.

• courts.state.ny.us offers case party information for all counties in New York state.

• trialsmith.com allows plaintiffs' trial lawyers to purchase deposition testimony.

Search engines

In general, search engines allow searches of online information using keywords or subjects. Some of the best-known search engines are Google, Yahoo, Lycros, Alta Vista, Dogpile and Bing.

Cyber-sleuthing can be a limitless task - it's like following a roadway on a map leading to various designation points for searching information. These tools have created a new opportunity for legal professionals to gather revealing information and become their own investigators.

- By Laura Szychowski, paralegal at Phillips Lytle LLP, WNYPA first vice president and director of programming

Nov. 2, 5:30 p.m.
Board of directors meeting - Phillips Lytle LLP

Nov. 6, 8:30 a.m.
Fall Professional Development Seminar - Canisius Amherst Conference Center. Topics: Paralegal ethics; handling Medicare liens in personal-injury settlements; CPLR update; cyber-sleuthing and electronic discovery.

Nov. 17, 12:15 p.m.
General membership meeting - Phillips Lytle LLP. John Bair, president and CEO of Forge Consulting, will speak on structured settlements.