Westlaw training is the best way to prepare for your legal career. Use the information presented here to organize your approach to the legal research assignments that you will receive during your summer legal job.
Create your username and password.
You can create your own username and password for Westlaw to make it easier to sign on. Click Username and Password at the Westlaw sign-on page and follow the instructions. If you need assistance, call 1-800-WESTLAW (1-800-937-8529).
Know the client ID format.
You will always need to type a client identifier in the Client ID text box at the Westlaw sign-on page. The firm may have a certain format or requirement for this.
If the firm uses client validation,
download the guide: Client Validation on Westlaw
Choose between hourly and transactional pricing.
Transactional pricing
With transactional pricing, you incur a charge for each transaction that you complete. Transactions include running a search in a database, retrieving a document using the Find service or a hypertext link, or using KeyCite. Use transactional pricing if you plan to run only a few searches but will spend time browsing documents online.
Hourly pricing
With hourly pricing, you incur charges based on the time that you spend searching databases or browsing results. Use hourly pricing if you plan to run multiple searches, check a number of citations in KeyCite, or retrieve many documents using the Find service but don't plan to spend a lot of time reading documents online.
Set your Westlaw preferences.
You can customize your Westlaw interface using the Preferences pages. Click Preferences at the top of any Westlaw page, then click the link for the feature in the left frame you want to customize.
Download the guide:
Create a tabbed page.
There are more than 200 tabbed pages on Westlaw, customized by jurisdiction, practice area, or other focus. Tabbed pages are organizational tools that help you quickly access databases and research features that are especially relevant or helpful as you research information from a selected jurisdiction or practice area.
- If the firm has a WestlawPRO plan, using a tabbed state page makes it easy to access the included databases for more efficient research on Westlaw
- A tabbed topical page, e.g., Litigation or Bankruptcy Practitioner, organizes materials frequently used in that type of practice.
- The tabbed Summer Associate page organizes materials based on tasks often assigned to summer associates.
Download the guide:
Know how to access plan materials.
If your firm has a WestlawPRO plan, you can quickly determine which materials are in the plan.
- Click Directory at the top of any Westlaw page. The plan materials are listed in the right frame of the Westlaw Directory page.
- Click Preferences at the top of any Westlaw page. At the Preferences-Location and Pricing page, select the Display an asterisk (*) beside databases that are outside of your Westlaw subscription check box, then click Save Changes. You will see an asterisk next to excluded databases listed in the Westlaw Directory and in the right frame of tabbed pages.
Use Getting Started Tips.
Click
Site Map at the top of any Westlaw page, then click Getting Started Tips under Help Center.
Get help with writing.
Pleadings and motions databases provide selected complaints, answers, motions, and trial memoranda filed in state and federal courts. Study filings made in cases similar to yours to learn how other attorneys have analyzed and argued similar facts and issues. Also, practice guides offer expertise on a wide range of legal issues. Many include forms, checklists, practice pointers, and step-by-step instructions.
Download the guide:
Expand your research by using:
West topics and key numbers
The easiest way to find useful topic and key numbers is to start with a case that addresses the issue you are researching. If you retrieved the case from a West reporter or on Westlaw, the issue is likely summarized in a headnote preceding the opinion. The West topic and key numbers assigned to the headnote appear directly above the headnote. Click a topic or key number to create a custom digest of headnotes classified under that topic or key number.
Most Cited Cases
The Most Cited Cases feature retrieves a single document containing a list of cases most often cited for a particular point of law. While you are viewing a displayed case, click Most Cited Cases in a headnote classification hierarchy.
Download the guide:
KeyCite
Use KeyCite to find other cases that cite your case. You can narrow your search with the Limit KeyCite Display feature which restricts the list of citing references by headnote, jurisdiction, date, document type, or depth of treatment or to documents that contain certain terms.
Download the guide:
Use KeyCite to determine whether a case, statute, administrative decision, or regulation is good law.
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See case history in graphical view.
A red flag warns that the case or administrative decision is no longer good law for at least one of the points of law it contains or that the statute or regulation has been amended by a recent session law or rule, repealed, superseded, or held unconstitutional or preempted in whole or in part.
A yellow flag warns that the case or administrative decision has some negative history but has not been reversed or overruled; that the statute has been renumbered or transferred by a recent session law; that an uncodified session law or proposed legislation affecting the statute is available (statutes merely referenced, i.e., mentioned, are not marked with a yellow flag); that a proposed rule affecting the regulation is available; that the regulation has been reinstated, corrected, or confirmed; that the statute or regulation was limited on constitutional or preemption grounds or its validity was otherwise called into doubt; or that a prior version of the statute or regulation received negative judicial treatment.
A blue H indicates that the case or administrative decision has some history.
A green C indicates that the case or administrative decision has citing references but no direct history or negative citing references or that the statute or regulation has citing preferences.
Use the KeyCite History tab and the Citing References tab to access all KeyCite materials related to your document.
Download the guide:
Use the Links tab to find related materials.
Click Help at the top of any Westlaw page.