Posted updated June 2, 2025
The giveaway has officially ended. Thank you to everyone who participated and congratulations to our winner, Robin Bennet!
It’s hard to believe, but 25 years ago, HeinOnline first took flight, and what an incredible journey it’s been! From a small set of scanned law journals and a bold vision, we have grown into a trusted resource for legal researchers, librarians, students, and scholars across the globe.
As we celebrate this milestone, we want to thank the community that made it possible—you, our loyal users. To mark the occasion, we’re excited to announce a very special giveaway! One lucky winner will receive a $500 airline gift card! ✈️
How To Enter
It’s easy to join the celebration. Simply visit the HeinOnline Blog. You will find a pop-up subscription form right on our blog homepage to help you enter.
Already subscribed? You can still participate! Just complete and submit the form.
📅 Giveaway runs from May 12–26, 2025.
🏆 We’ll pick and announce the winner on May 27!
Help us celebrate 25 years of HeinOnline! Share your favorite memory or what you love most about HeinOnline using #25YearsFlewBy on Facebook, LinkedIn, or X.
A Look Back: How It All Began
The idea for HeinOnline was born from a visionary memo drafted in 1995 by Kevin Marmion, who at the time served as Vice President of William S. Hein & Co., Inc. (and now acts as Company Adviser). Marmion dedicated more than 55 years to the company—many of them as President & CEO—shaping its direction and legacy.
Titled the “Electronic Law Review Project,” his proposal recognized a growing challenge faced by law libraries: limited shelf space. At the time, the Hein Company was competing with industry giants like Westlaw and Lexis. Marmion saw an opportunity not just to adapt, but to lead. His memo outlined how advancements in scanning technology, increased computer storage, emerging document organization software, and the rapid development of the World Wide Web could revolutionize access to legal materials.
Kevin attributes many of his accomplishments to two simple trains of thought: (1) listen to the customer and (2) find a way to make the world a better place, principles that clearly guided the creation of HeinOnline and continue to influence the company’s mission today.
It was a transformative move, one that laid the foundation for what would soon become HeinOnline.
Hein Hits the Road
In late 1999 and early 2000, Dan Rosati—known fondly by many as “Dan Dan the Computer Man”—hit the road alongside Hein’s longtime sales representative, Dick Spinelli. Together, they visited law libraries across the country, demonstrating an early version of HeinOnline only containing a few law reviews, which at the time was referred to as “The Old Law Review Project.”
Dan, who would go on to dedicate more than 40 years to William S. Hein & Co., Inc.—many of them as Senior Vice President—played a key role in those early outreach efforts. His technical expertise alongside Spinelli’s strong rapport with the library community were instrumental in introducing the platform and helping shape its early adoption.
Seen above is a picture of the reference card Rosati taped next to the laptop’s keyboard during his demos.
Containing 23 flagship law journals spanning 270,000 pages, HeinOnline launched in May of 2000, with New York University (NYU) as its first subscriber.
Building HeinOnline: Powered by People
The HeinOnline story isn’t just about databases and digitization, it’s about people. Like Marmion, Rosati, and Spinelli, many of the employees have dedicated decades to building and supporting HeinOnline:
Out of a team of just 60 employees, the longevity of Hein’s staff is extraordinary:
- 18 employees with 10+ years of service
- 9 employees with 20+ years
- 4 employees with 30+ years
- 1 employee with 40 years
- 3 employees with 50 years
- 1 remarkable employee with 60 years of service
That means 36 out of 60 employees—60% of our workforce—have been with the company for over a decade. This kind of retention is rare, and it speaks volumes about the culture, values, and shared sense of purpose that drive the organization.
Their dedication has helped HeinOnline stay true to its mission: providing exceptional customer service while delivering comprehensive, affordable, and accessible legal research resources.
A Fun Flashback: The Traveling Hard Drive
In the early 2000s, HeinOnline’s growth was still very hands-on—literally. Before cloud storage and automated updates, monthly releases were loaded onto a Maxtor hard drive and physically shipped to Rich Marisa at Cornell, where they would be added to HeinOnline.
Brett Glose, Digital Production Coordinator, recalls in 2003–2004 when employees would gather around and touch the hard drive box for good luck as it was taken down to shipping, wishing it safe travels! It became a small but meaningful tradition.
From those humble beginnings, HeinOnline has experienced incredible growth over the past 25 years. What started with just 23 law journals has expanded into a platform featuring 3,400+ journals and more than 100 databases—101 and counting, to be exact. While HeinOnline was initially embraced by law schools, its reach has since broadened to serve academic institutions, nonprofits, government agencies, courts, corporations, and public libraries across the globe.
Today, more than 3,600 subscribing institutions in over 175 countries rely on HeinOnline to provide comprehensive, affordable, and accessible legal research resources. This expansion reflects not just technological evolution, but a century-long legacy of service rooted in legal publishing.
Want the full scoop on our history? These articles have all the details.
From First Flight to New Heights: Thank You!
From a big idea to a bold launch, HeinOnline has always been built by passionate people and fueled by loyal users like you. Now, 25 years later, we’re celebrating how far we’ve come and getting ready for the next adventure.
And because time really does fly, one lucky winner will too, with a $500 airline gift card up for grabs! ✈️
Your next flight could be on us. Don’t miss out!
