Dennis Kennedy

I was a bit surprised when I saw Corel's press release about WordPerfect Office 11, because Corel seemed to have fallen off the radar screen over the past year or so. In the new version, there's a curious mix of old (you can revert to the "classic" WP 5.1 for DOS interface) and new (enhanced XML features).

Although Microsoft Word's march to domination of the legal market has been relentless, there remains a significant core of lingering good feeling and support for WordPerfect in the legal profession. Add to the mix the substantial cost of Microsoft Office and the reluctance of law firms to move up in versions of Microsoft Office because of costs and the unpopularity of Microsoft licensing options. With a lower price point, some built-in legal features and the ability to creat PDF files natively, we might see a comeback of WordPerfect, especially among the more cost-conscious lawyers and firms.