Our Story
For several decades, the three of us helped build and grow one of the most recognized brands in legal publishing—O’Connor’s. We were a small Texas outfit, independent from big legal publishers such as West and Lexis, and we understood what it took to be successful. To us, the formula was simple: create outstanding products, both in terms of analysis and information design; forge meaningful relationships with lawyers, judges, and librarians by treating them fairly and listening to their needs; and provide a friendly and attentive customer-service department.
This formula made business sense, but it also gave us and our colleagues a great sense of purpose and accomplishment. Working at a company that championed high-quality work and treated its customers right made the commitment easy and inspiring. So, to us, executing on this formula was gratifying, and our success was not surprising.
But things change. After O'Connor's was acquired, we soon realized how important our business ideals and values were. To have meaning, company values must genuinely be at the core of who you are and what you do as a business; they can’t simply be slogans or catchy taglines. We know the value of what we do best, and with Bearings, we’re not just committed to bringing back our old winning formula; we’re committed to going beyond. We are building better tools for Texas attorneys—with greater attention to analytical detail, an emphasis on fair and transparent pricing, and legal resources that go beyond print.
Our mission, quite simply, is to provide lawyers with extraordinary products, build long-lasting relationships with the legal community we serve, and obsess over personal customer service. Texas lawyers deserve the high standards that come from an independent legal-publishing company that understands Texas law and is focused solely on their needs. We are that company.
Kelly Beam
Greg Otterson
Jason Wilson
Meet the Team
Kelly Beam
Co-FounderKelly Beam is a Co-Founder of Bearings Legal Resources and has over 15 years of legal-publishing experience. Before starting Bearings, she was the Operations Director for O'Connor's. She specialized—and delighted—in deadlines, product integrity, and team development. She further embraced the editorial and writing demands of legal publishing as the Executive Editor for that brand’s Texas Family Law Handbook and Texas Family Code Plus. In her not-so spare time, Kelly thinks about how much she would like to be kayaking, hiking, or sailing.
Greg Otterson
Co-FounderGreg is a Co-Founder of Bearings Legal Resources and has over 20 years of experience in bringing exceptional legal resources to market for attorneys across the country. He previously served as the Director of Business Development for O’Connor’s. During his tenure in that position, his team authored and developed many of its beloved titles, including Texas Causes of Action, Texas Family Law Handbook, Texas Family Code Plus, and Texas Probate Law Handbook. When he’s not busy trying to answer legal questions, he spends his time with his family and his wife rescuing (and apparently keeping) boxers.
Jason Wilson
Co-FounderJason is a Co-Founder of Bearings Legal Resources and has over 25 years of experience writing and publishing legal materials. He was the former Vice President of O’Connor’s from its inception to its acquisition. During his time at O’Connor’s, he learned a tremendous amount about developing quality reference materials, building a business, forming productive relationships, and knowing when to let smarter people take over. As a native Texan, Jason is committed to being an independent resource for members of the Texas bar once again.