What is Westlaw? Westlaw is one of the primary legal research databases legal professionals use. During Orientation, you will be given an activation code to create a user name and password to access Westlaw. Once you have registered for Westlaw, you will be able to access TWEN (a course management tool) and databases providing you with access to cases, statutes, law reviews, and other legal materials.
What is LexisNexis? LexisNexis is one of the primary legal research databases legal professionals use. During Orientation, you will be given an activation code to create a user name and password to access LexisNexis. Once you have registered for LexisNexis, you will be able to access Web Courses (a course management tool) and databases providing you with access to cases, statutes, law reviews, and other legal materials.
What is Bloomberg Law? Bloomberg Law is also a legal research database. Bloomberg Law has incorporated the business intelligence and legal news from BNA (Burea of National Affairs) with primary and secondary legal research tools. You will not receive a password for Bloomberg Law. To obtain access, you must sign up for a BloombergLaw ID. Go to the account activation page to create your account. You do not need an activation code, but you must sign up using your famu.com email address.
Do I need to learn how to use Westlaw, LexisNexis, and Bloomberg Law? It is beneficial to learn Westlaw, Bloomberg Law, and LexisNexis along with many other legal research databases. Students taking the time to learn their way around as many legal databases as possible during their law school careers will find legal research in practice much easier to do. This is because not all law firms, courts, or private practioners use the same database. Proficiency in the major research databases, along with tools such as Fastcase and Casetext, will make conducting legal research a less stressful process. Keep your eyes open for the Law Library's many workshops about using legal databases.
CALI is a free resource that offers online tutorials in legal subjects, accessible through on-campus IP authentication, and everywhere else with the passcode! You can find the passcode cards at the library circulation desk. Use CALI lessons to understand legal concepts and strategies in many class areas, including all 1L subjects.