What links the Arkansas state court and the New Mexico court to Quebec? Both use technology from Montreal-based Lexum to host and distribute their legal information.
“We took the model we developed in Canada and replicated it for the American market, where we have been well established for two years and are continuing our efforts to grow further there,” says Pierre-Paul Lemyre, Vice President business development at Lexum.
For example, the company will showcase its technology at the eCourts trade show to be held in Las Vegas from December 5-7. “We participate in a dozen events in North America each year,” adds Mr. Lemyre.
What is this technology that has revolutionized the world of legal information management and dissemination?
PHOTO CHARLES WILLIAM PELLETIER, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Pierre-Paul Lemyre, vice-president of business development at Lexum
“Before, we had the user-pay model in Canada,” says Pierre-Paul Lemyre. There were databases, for example with court decisions, and lawyers paid to have access to them. We went to the institutions to tell them that there was no reason to charge people for access to this public information and that they should help us make it accessible to everyone on the internet. . »
To achieve this vision, the Federation of Law Societies of Canada created the not-for-profit organization CanLII in the early 2000s. It is on the website www.canlii.org that all legal information has gradually become accessible thanks to the technology developed by Lexum. It should be noted that at the time, it was very innovative, and moreover, Lexum was a research laboratory of Daniel Poulin, now professor emeritus at the Faculty of Law of the University of Montreal. The company went private in 2010.
Working conditions worthy of big companies
While all companies struggle to attract and retain employees, Lexum employees have been with the company for an average of 12 years. “Our retention rate is very high,” notes Pierre-Paul Lemyre.
What explains this loyalty?
Our employees want to work with us because of our vision. We have transformed the legal information distribution market in Canada and are now taking that idea to the United States. It is a very mobilizing element.
Pierre-Paul Lemyre, vice-president of business development at Lexum
Lexum also strives to offer attractive working conditions. Since the company, which now has 37 employees, was spun off by the Université de Montréal, it has kept many of the advantages offered by this major employer.
“For example, we have a pension fund that we have even improved over the years, health and dental insurance, a mental health program, a coach who comes twice a week for us at Mount Royal Park. which is next to the office, a competitive salary of course and support to set up a home office with high-speed Internet”, lists Pierre-Paul Lemyre.
Lexum, acquired by CanLII in 2018, is the winner of the Performance Québec awards this year.