EAGAN, Minn., June 2, 2003 – Through an agreement with the Foundation of the State Bar of California, West and FindLaw, California attorneys can now read the news, check their calendars, research a case and browse an online catalog of continuing legal education courses – all during their first cup of coffee. Members of the state bar of California – a full 15 percent of U.S. attorneys – now have free access to their own customized Web portal for legal research resources, legal news, calendaring, dockets and practice forums.

mycalbarfdn.com brings the power and convenience of a personalized desktop to law offices and firms of all sizes, enhancing productivity and cost-effective service, while strengthening the California bar community. This unique, highly customizable tool includes a court forms finder and links to state resources.

Herbert Rosenthal, president of the Foundation of the State Bar of California board of directors, noted that "mycalbarfdn.com brings new resources to our bar members, allowing them to be more productive. The portal also builds community among California practitioners, connecting legal professionals to one another via the Internet."

The new portal is the result of a partnership between the Foundation of the State Bar of California; West, the foremost provider of integrated information solutions to the U.S. legal market and a Thomson business (NYSE:TOC; TSX:TOC); and FindLaw, the highest-trafficked legal Web site. Through the Foundation, West is now the exclusive corporate sponsor of legal information and related services for members of the California bar.

"California's legal community is a critical component of our nation's system of law, with 190,000 attorneys in some of the country's largest business, technology and population centers," said West President Mike Wilens. "Our relationship with the Foundation of the State Bar of California showcases the collective power of West and FindLaw to help practitioners drive results, save time and deliver the depth and variety of solutions necessary to meet the diverse and complex demands of California practice."

Scholarship Support, Member Discounts Also Announced

In addition to creating mycalbarfdn.com, West is providing important scholarship dollars to the California Bar Foundation and offering discounts to California bar members on many products and services, including powerful research, practice management and marketing solutions for attorneys in offices and firms of all sizes.

California bar members who wish to establish a customized business portal should visit www.mycalbarfdn.com.

About West

Headquartered in Eagan, Minn., West is the foremost provider of integrated information solutions to the U.S. legal market. West is a business within The Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC) and was formed when West Publishing and Thomson Legal Publishing merged in June 1996. For more information, please visit the West Web site at www.westgroup.com.

About FindLaw

FindLaw (www.findlaw.com) is the leading provider of online legal information and solutions for the legal community, businesses and individuals. The FindLaw Internet portal is the highest-trafficked legal Web site, according to leading independent Internet-traffic-monitoring services. The site provides comprehensive, plain-English legal information to businesses and individuals. These resources include West Legal Directory®, the Internet's largest directory of lawyers and legal professionals. FindLaw also offers comprehensive information, resources and services for law practice and legal career development, including free case law, an online career center, breaking legal news, newsletters, message boards, service directories, continuing legal education and legal search tools. In addition, FindLaw provides access to tools and services that help connect legal professionals with potential clients. FindLaw is a division of West, a Thomson business (NYSE: TOC; TSX:TOC) and the foremost provider of integrated information solutions to the U.S. legal market.

The Thomson Corporation

The Thomson Corporation, with 2002 revenues of $7.8 billion, is a global leader in providing integrated information solutions to business and professional customers. Thomson provides value-added information, software tools and applications to more than 20 million users in the fields of law, tax, accounting, financial services, higher education, reference information, corporate training and assessment, scientific research and healthcare. The Corporation's common shares are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges (TSX: TOC; NYSE: TOC).

About the Foundation of the State Bar of California

The Foundation, which is the educational and charitable arm of the State Bar of California, is a non-profit corporation established in 1990. Each year the Foundation provides scholarships to deserving law students. Most recently, it established the Legal Heritage Institute, which provides a weeklong "legal literacy summer camp" and scholarships to high school students. Grants are provided by the Foundation to local bar associations and nonprofit organizations for educating the public about their rights and responsibilities under the law and for improving equal access to the legal system. Its mission is to champion full and equal access to our system of justice by all people; foster confidence in the rule of law, the role of lawyers, and the importance of an independent judiciary; and encourage altruism among members of the legal profession and the general public.