MICROSOFT MAKES $250,000 DONATION TO ASSIST LAW SCHOOLS IN UPDATING STUDENT
COMPUTER LABS

More Than 60 Schools Request to Participate Within the First Weeks

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - FEB. 8, 1996 - Microsoft Corp. announced the donation
of $250,000 worth of MicrosoftR Office Professional for the WindowsR 95
operating system to members of the Association of American Law Schools
(AALS). The donation will enable law schools to upgrade application
software in their student computer labs at a time when computers are
becoming increasingly important in many lawyers' business activities. The
donation of Office for Windows 95 reflects Microsoft's commitment to
providing industry-leading applications to institutions of higher
education and the legal community.

"Many schools are investigating new ways to integrate the practical use of
technology into their curricula," said Carl C. Monk, executive director of
AALS. "Law firms today want graduates who have computer skills on the
leading software applications." AALS is very enthusiastic about
Microsoft's donation and the opportunity it provides law school students
to learn and develop their skills on state-of-the-art technology.
According to Monk, more than 60 schools asked to participate in the
program within the first two weeks after the offer was announced.

The inspiration for the donation grew out of successful implementation of
Microsoft Office for Windows 95 at Campbell University, a small law school
in North Carolina. As an early user of Office 95, Rick Rodgers, Campbell
law school professor and technical editor for The Perfect Lawyer
Newsletter, decided to offer an elective computer course on Office for
Windows 95 last fall. Enrollment expectations were surpassed, and more
classes were added to meet student demand. "The response to the class was
tremendous," said Rodgers. "Our classes focus on using the power of Office
for Windows 95 to increase the quality and speed of routine legal-document
preparation as well as on tasks that include financial analysis, contact
management and presentation techniques. We are thrilled to graduate
students with these real-world legal service delivery skills. It's
remarkable how quickly you can see the difference technology can make when
it is placed squarely in the hands of a lawyer."

Since the formal announcement of the software donation at the AALS national
convention, held in San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 3-6, requests from member
schools have been strong. "The frontier of legal automation has moved
beyond the walls of law firm word-processing centers, and beyond the walls
of law firms themselves," said Henry H. Perritt Jr., law professor,
Villanova University School of Law. "Both Microsoft and Villanova Law
School have been pioneers in different aspects of this new environment for
learning, practicing and reforming law. Microsoft's generous grant of
Office for Windows 95 should be the beginning of a useful synergy to adapt
computing and networking to the needs of law students, law professors,
practicing lawyers, judges and legislators."

For law schools seeking more information on this offer, a dedicated home
page on the World Wide Web (http://www.microsoft.com/industry/legal) is
available under the "What's New" section.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in
software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of
products and services for business and personal use, each designed with
the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take
advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
 
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