Use/learn them while they are free

Welcome back to returning students!  Good luck to first years!

New students as well as experienced ones should take advantage of Bloomberg Law, Lexis and Westlaw while they are free (in Law School).  Once you graduate these services cost mega $$$.

First years, make sure to register for all three services before your training session on 8/27 or 9/1.  Second and third years, take advantage of training offered throughout the year.

All students - if you have any questions about registering or using these services ask your favorite reference librarian.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Dockets on Bloomberg Law

Summer interns and recent graduates are often asked by their employers to locate complaints or other court documents from federal and state cases.  Did you know that Bloomberg Law has searchable case dockets, with links to PDF documents from cases in federal and many state courts?  Did you also know that Hofstra law students can continue to use their Bloomberg Law accounts all summer and for six months after graduation with no restrictions, regardless of where they are working?

Dockets on Bloomberg Law can be searched by court, docket number, keywords, case name, parties, attorney, and judge, and can be limited by date and to either open or closed cases.  To search dockets, either click "Dockets" under "Getting Started" on the Bloomberg Law home page, or use the orange "Litigation and Dockets" tab at the top of the page.  Under "Litigation and Dockets" you will also find "Docket Coverage" (a color-coded jurisdictional map with court and date coverage of U.S. and international dockets available on Bloomberg Law) and links to other dockets features.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Bloomberg/Lexis/Westlaw Summer access reminder

Any Law student may use access Lexis Advance or Bloomberg Law during the Summer for any purpose. Graduates, you have access to Bloomberg for 6 months after graduation.  For Lexis, graduates may register for an additional 6 months access at www.lexisnexis.com/grad-access.

For Westlaw Next access, law students may register their ids if they doing Law School work.  You may not use your Westlaw account for your Summer job.  Graduates - you may extend your access for 6 months.  Go to www.lawschool.westlaw.com and sign in with your current user id to register/extend.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

1Ls - Lexis, Westlaw and Bloomberg made easier

WELCOME Class of 2016!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now that you are pretty much "oriented" it is time to get down to business.  Your Legal Analysis Writing & Research professor will expect you to attend training on Lexis, Westlaw and Bloomberg Law provided by one of your favorite librarians.  You need attend only one of the classes.

Sign up at the Library Circulation desk to get your preferred time.   Here is the schedule .

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

For Graduating students - access to Lexis Advance, Westlaw and Bloomberg Law

For those graduating, here are the access policies for Lexis, Westlaw and Bloomberg Law:

Lexis Advance  - Graduating students can register for a new ID that will be provided via email in early July. This new ID will be active until December 31, 2013 for educational, bar review and job search purposes only.  This is not an extension of your law school ID – this is a new ID for which graduates (and graduating LLMs) must apply.   Students cannot use this ID for commercial purposes.  Lexis has emailed graduating students details on the program.  You can register at http://www.lexisnexis.com/grad-access/ .

Westlaw - Graduates who extend their password get 5 hours for June and 5 hours for July.  To extend your password log into Westlaw and click on "Need Your Westlaw Password This Summer" (on the right).  You will have access to Westlaw's job searching databases until May 2014.

Bloomberg Law - You will have access for 6 months after graduation.  Go to Bloomberg Law registration to set up an account if you do not already have one.  Make sure to use your Hofstra email address.

As always, feel free to contact your favorite reference librarian at (516) 463-5908 if you have any questions.

Best of luck on all exams.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

New Westlaw and Lexis Platforms

Both Westlaw and Lexis plan to unveil new platforms this year (Westlaw's will appear first). Both have been designed to be easier to use. This marks a big change for both systems, and it is partially a response to newer competitors like Fastcase and Bloomberg. This ABA Journal article does a good job of explaining this situation.

Hopefully the new Westlaw and Lexis platforms will not be much more expensive to use than the current systems.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat