Small data, tech firms plan merger with media company

Two privately-held northern Nevada technology firms are in contract negotiations to be acquired by Firesky Media Corp, a publicly-traded company based in Irvine, Calif.

Advanced LAN Technologies Inc. in Reno, one of the firms that would be acquired, provides custom programming, sells computers and provides networking for clients.

Pleading Pro, based in Carson City, the other company to be purchased, is an online legal data-mining services for law firms and legal-related entities.

At Advanced LAN Technologies, Christian Peek, president and chief information officer, says growth is the reason he wants to merge the company he founded in 1992.

"I would love to expand what we do," he says. Such as moving into larger corporate markets, providing data security, and taking more companies paperless. After the merger, Peek expects employment, now at four, to double within the next two years.

Advanced LAN Technologies has been working with Pleading Pro to help develop software programs.

Pleading Pro Inc. is a software development company that next year plans to release a program that helps attorneys and law firms to access, file and prepare pleadings.

It's not like Westlaw, says Pleading Pro owner Orren Marren. "Westlaw is a Chevrolet and this will be the Starship Enterprise."

Although the company presently employs only a few at its Carson City location, Marren says eventually he'll bring in house all the staff and independent contractors working on the project.

Customers for the product, he says, go beyond the legal community to include law enforcement agencies and medical firms. Another market is individuals who might want to prepare pleadings for a personal case. And, because Pleading Pro will be used online, individuals can pay a one-time user fee.

Once the acquisitions are complete, both firms would operate under Firesky's publishing division, with Advanced LAN programming for Firesky's online retail and Web site operations.

Firesky formed in Jan. 2005 after a corporate restructuring by Fahrenheit Entertainment, Inc, which was a recording label and distributor. Since restructuring, Fahrenheit changed its name to better reflect its new business model.