Three main directions emerged:
- Expansion of our core business, improved circulation management, new products
- Building an event division focused on legal events
- Digital reuse of our publishing content and development of practical tools for legal professionals
One thing was clear: success would require significant effort. We adopted a quote from Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice in Wonderland, as our guiding principle:
"Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to stay in the same place. If you really want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!"
From Idea to Implementation
Our top priority: speed. We adjusted the “front wings,” put on the “soft tire compound,” and placed our best “factory drivers” behind the wheel. Equally important was the full support of all stakeholders, including the executive board and board of directors of Orell Füssli AG.
To make our print content digitally available, we needed a platform. Initially, we planned to collaborate with an existing research platform – a shortcut, since “speed to market” is crucial in this business. However, this plan proved unfeasible.
We decided to have the platform developed for us by a third-party provider. With Lex Ferenda GmbH, we found the right partner. In June 2023, we signed the contract, laying the foundation for JusBase.
On March 31, 2025, we went live with JusBase 1.0 – a major milestone.
What JusBase Offers
JusBase is far more than a digital distribution channel for our print products. Using advanced technology, we create an intuitive and professional user experience. In addition to our own content, we’ve integrated federal and cantonal court decisions, updating them daily. This ensures legal professionals won’t miss any important developments.
The core of our offering is simple and clear access to legal information through a keyword search designed specifically for legal content, with extensive filtering options and a relevance ranking that ensures that the relevant hits appear at the top – a product with strong market potential.
Challenges and Future Plans
The competition is fierce. Making the platform known and positioning it where we have the best chance of attracting customers requires hard work: marketing and sales that actively reach out to customers, communicate the product’s benefits, and close deals.
To maximize our chances of a successful launch, we’re already thinking several steps ahead. Just one week after launching JusBase 1.0, we’re already working on the next version, with many ideas for tools that will enable our customers to work more efficiently and effectively in their day-to-day practice.
The AI Revolution
The way we search for and process information has changed drastically with the rise of generative artificial intelligence – especially since the launch of systems like ChatGPT. The use of large language models, neural networks, and methods such as Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) is opening up entirely new possibilities in the search for relevant information.
Keyword Search vs. Retrieval-Augmented Generation
The traditional keyword search in JusBase involves condensing a legal issue into a few terms that best describe the problem – for example, “termination,” “employment contract,” and “unjustified.” The search engine then finds documents containing those terms.
There are some tricks: you can create relationships between terms by specifying that they appear close together in the text. This increases the chances of relevant hits.
Nevertheless, problems remain. With the terms "interest" and "filing," we think of tax law. However, a search result might be a document describing someone showing "no interest in the case," with mention of "filing their nails during the meeting" later in the text – technically correct matches, but entirely useless.
Additionally, documents using alternative terms won't be found. In the termination example, a document discussing the “dissolution” or “ending” of an employment contract would be overlooked, even if it holds the desired solution.
The Future with RAG
Retrieval-Augmented Generation combines keyword search with a large language model. A query no longer accesses documents in a linear way, but instead reaches into multi-dimensionally processed, so-called vectorized content. This allows comparison of similar cases and statistical identification of commonalities – even in documents that don’t contain the entered keywords but describe analogous situations with valuable insights.
It’s like browsing a library: you search the catalog for a book, find it on the shelf – and realize the one next to it is actually more useful. Traditional search engines prevent such serendipitous discoveries. A system that can “think” beyond basic algorithms brings these lucky finds back into the results list.
That's exactly what we want to develop, creating a USP – a selling point few can resist.
Outlook
We’re not the only ones with innovative ideas. Once again, it’s all about “Speed to Market.” Conditions are right: the weather is good, the asphalt is freshly laid, the car is tuned for racing – and we’re on pole position.
Our brand claim for JusBase is no coincidence:
JusBase: Not using it is negligent.