Legal publishing superpowers Westlaw and Lexis have been targeted by a tiny group of small-firm lawyers who claim illegal price fixing and copyright violations are forcing lawyers to pay too much for research material.

Paul J. Ruskin, a solo from Douglaston, N.Y., represents two Virgin Island practitioners in what would appear to be a hugely lopsided David v. Goliath legal battle. Westlaw and Lexis produce electronic legal research products that dominate U.S. legal research.