What is "nolo"

Nolo may refer to:

• Nolo contendere, a plea that can be entered in some courts
• Nolo (publisher), formerly known as Nolo Press, a publisher of legal self-help material
• An abbreviation for New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
• Nolo, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community in Indiana County, in Pennsylvania, USA

Nolo, formerly known as Nolo Press, is a publisher in Berkeley, California, that produces do-it-yourself legal books and software that reduce the need for people to hire lawyers for simple legal matters such as making wills or writing business partnership contracts. In 2011, the company was purchased by Internet Brands, Inc.

The company was founded in an attic in 1971 by Ralph Warner (who received his bachelor's degree from Princeton University in 1963 and his degree in law from the Boalt School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley) and family law attorney Ed Sherman. The company published Sherman's first book, How to Do Your Own Divorce in California, after they discovered that other publishers wouldn't (fearing prosecution for practicing law without a law licence). , Warner remains associated with Nolo, though he relinquished day-to-day control following the company's sale to Internet Brands in 2011. Sherman founded his own legal publishing business, Nolo Press Occidental, a separate company from Nolo.com.

The company's name is derived from the legal phrase Nolo contendere, meaning "it will not be disputed" or "I choose not to dispute". The word "nolo" itself could be taken to mean "I will not", "I choose not", or "I would prefer not to". The company recommends getting professional legal help for disputable or difficult matters.

The company's logo shows the scales of justice tilted (in the favor of the reader). Some older Nolo publications feature an unofficial mascot, a shark depicted wearing a necktie and carrying a briefcase – showing the company's fondness for poking fun at their fellow members of the legal profession. This mascot was often accompanied by the motto "Don't feed the lawyers. Just say Nolo."

The Nolo shark officially retired in 2006 on the company's 35th anniversary.

In 2006, Nolo began publishing a directory of attorneys, which is asserted to operate on the principle that both participating lawyers and consumers are better served by a relatively short list of qualified attorneys under each category (business law, real estate, etc.), with lots of information for side-by-side comparisons.