Introduction to Thomson Reuters Westlaw

Summary

Dave Corbett, a Westlaw trainer, introduces the legal research platform, highlighting its intuitive interface and exclusive features. Westlaw offers a sophisticated search algorithm, 'West Search,' designed for legal research, and provides access to expert attorneys for research assistance. The platform includes jurisdiction selectors, content browsing by practice area, and tools for document delivery and sharing. It also features a history section for tracking past searches and a sign-off process for user convenience.

Takeaways

• 😀 Dave Corbett introduces himself as a Westlaw trainer, emphasizing his role in educating legal researchers on Westlaw's features.
• 🔍 Westlaw's Global Search is powered by a sophisticated algorithm called 'West Search', designed specifically for legal research.
• 📚 Users have access to free research assistance from expert attorneys and customer support, available 24/7.
• 🏢 The Westlaw homepage features a live logo that redirects users to the home page from any point within the platform.
• 🗂️ The platform offers a jurisdiction selector, allowing users to choose from state, territorial, and federal materials for targeted research.
• 📖 The 'Browse' box contains five tabs, including 'All Content', 'Federal Materials', 'State Materials', 'Practice Areas', and 'Tools', for organized navigation.
• 📘 The 'Practice Areas' tab organizes information by legal practice area, providing resources like news, analysis, and standard content sets.
• 📑 The 'Tools' tab provides access to key features like the Key Number System, subscriber pricing guide, and a comprehensive list of included content.
• 📋 Citation searching is made easy with Westlaw's 'Find' function, which suggests and verifies citations for accuracy.
• 💼 Westlaw offers document delivery options including emailing, printing, downloading, and integration with litigation management software like Case Notebook.
• 🗂️ Folders in Westlaw allow for document organization and sharing, with the added benefit of automatic updates to content.

Q & A

What is the primary role of Dave Corbett in the Westlaw training?

Dave Corbett is a Westlaw trainer whose job is to educate legal researchers on the features of Westlaw, helping them become more efficient and confident in their research.

What kind of support do Westlaw customers have access to?

Westlaw customers have access to free research assistance from bar-admitted expert attorneys and customer support available 24/7.

What is the significance of the Thompson Reuters Westlaw logo on the homepage?

The Thompson Reuters Westlaw logo on the homepage is a live logo that brings users back to the home page whenever clicked from anywhere within Westlaw.

How does the Global Search feature on Westlaw work?

Global Search on Westlaw is powered by a sophisticated search algorithm called West Search, designed specifically for legal research, allowing users to enter citations, search terms, or case names, and it suggests results before the search is executed.

What is the purpose of the jurisdiction selector on Westlaw?

The jurisdiction selector allows users to choose from state and territorial materials or federal jurisdictions, and it can be used to limit searches to specific jurisdictions or include related federal materials.

How can users navigate to specific content types on Westlaw?

Users can navigate to specific content types on Westlaw by using the 'Browse' box containing tabs such as 'All Content,' 'Federal Materials,' 'State Materials,' 'Practice Areas,' and 'Tools.'

What does the 'Practice Areas' tab provide on Westlaw?

The 'Practice Areas' tab divides information by practice area, providing users with resources, news, analysis, and content sets specific to their area of interest, such as labor and employment law.

How does the 'Find and Print' feature on Westlaw function?

The 'Find and Print' feature allows users to enter up to 100 citations, which Westlaw will then deliver either as full text documents, key cites, or both, depending on the user's chosen delivery method.

What are the document delivery options available on Westlaw?

Document delivery options on Westlaw include emailing, printing, downloading, sending to Dropbox or Kindle, exporting to Case Notebook, and saving to folders.

How does the folder system in Westlaw benefit users?

The folder system in Westlaw allows users to organize documents and automatically receive updates to the content within the folders. It also provides cost benefits as users are only charged to view a document the first time they look at it, with a 365-day grace period before being charged again.

What kind of research assistance is available to Westlaw users?

Westlaw offers 24/7 research support from bar-admitted legal research experts, who are licensed attorneys and skilled researchers, available via phone or live chat within the platform.