LexisNexis vs. Westlaw: Which is Best for Legal Research?

LexisNexis vs. Westlaw: Structuring Your Legal Research Article

This guide outlines an effective article structure for a comparison of LexisNexis and Westlaw, focusing on clarity, objectivity, and usefulness to the reader.

Introduction

Begin by immediately addressing the core question: LexisNexis vs. Westlaw. Avoid lengthy, generic introductions about legal research in general. Instead:

• Briefly explain what LexisNexis and Westlaw are – leading legal research platforms used by lawyers, paralegals, and law students.
• Acknowledge that both are powerful tools, but have distinct features, pricing structures, and user interfaces.
• Clearly state the article’s purpose: to provide an objective comparison to help readers determine which platform best suits their specific needs.
• Include a disclaimer that the "best" platform depends on individual factors like budget, research focus, and personal preference.

Overview of LexisNexis and Westlaw

LexisNexis: Key Features

• Provide a concise summary of LexisNexis, including its history, primary data sources (cases, statutes, secondary sources), and notable features.
• Use bullet points to highlight key features, such as:
  • Shepard’s Citations Service
  • Lexis Advance interface
  • Extensive collection of international legal materials
  • Practical Guidance modules
• Briefly mention specific content strengths (e.g., particular areas of law where LexisNexis has a stronger collection).

Westlaw: Key Features

• Offer a similar overview of Westlaw, including its history, main data sources, and defining functionalities.
• Again, use bullet points to list key features:
  • KeyCite Citations Service
  • Westlaw Edge interface
  • Integrated drafting tools
  • Coverage of federal and state law
• Mention content specializations where Westlaw excels.

Content Coverage Comparison

This section should delve into the specific types of legal materials available on each platform.

Case Law

• Compare the depth and breadth of case law coverage on LexisNexis and Westlaw (federal, state, and international).
• Discuss the currency of case law updates.
• Note any differences in case law headnotes, digests, or annotations.

Statutes and Legislation

• Compare the availability of statutes, regulations, and legislative history materials on each platform.
• Discuss the timeliness of updates and the availability of annotated statutes.
• Compare the ease of accessing legislative documents.

Secondary Sources

• This is a critical comparison point. Detail the types of secondary sources available on each platform:
  • Law reviews
  • Treatises
  • Legal encyclopedias (e.g., American Law Reports (ALR), American Jurisprudence (AmJur), Corpus Juris Secundum (CJS))
  • Legal forms
  • Practice materials
• Note the specific titles available on each, focusing on widely used and respected publications.
• Highlight content that is exclusive to one platform or the other.

Technology and User Interface

Search Functionality

• Compare the search capabilities of LexisNexis and Westlaw.
• Discuss the availability of natural language searching, Boolean operators, and advanced search filters.
• Analyze the effectiveness of their search algorithms in retrieving relevant results.
• Note if one has better search features for specific tasks (e.g., finding cases with specific factual patterns).

Interface and Usability

• Compare the user interface of each platform, considering ease of navigation, clarity of design, and overall user experience.
• Discuss personalization options, such as customized alerts and saved searches.
• Consider the accessibility of mobile apps.

Analytics and Visualization Tools

• Discuss if and how each platform offers data analytics, legal analytics or visualization tools.
• Examples include judicial analytics, litigation outcome prediction, or case law trend analysis.

Citations Services: KeyCite vs. Shepard’s

This section requires a detailed, side-by-side comparison of each platform’s citator service.

KeyCite (Westlaw)

• Describe how KeyCite helps users determine the current status of a case or statute.
• Explain the different KeyCite symbols and their meanings.
• Discuss KeyCite’s features for tracing the history of a legal authority.

Shepard’s (LexisNexis)

• Similarly, describe how Shepard’s works and how it helps users evaluate the precedential value of legal sources.
• Explain the Shepard’s signal system and its meanings.
• Discuss Shepard’s features for identifying cases that cite a particular legal authority.

Comparative Analysis: KeyCite vs. Shepard’s

• Offer a direct comparison of KeyCite and Shepard’s, focusing on their strengths and weaknesses.
• Address any known differences in their coverage or analysis of case law.

• For example, use a table:

  Feature	KeyCite (Westlaw)	Shepard’s (LexisNexis)
  Symbol System	[Explain Symbols]	[Explain Symbols]
  Coverage	[Discuss Coverage]	[Discuss Coverage]
  User Interface	[Describe Interface]	[Describe Interface]

Pricing and Subscription Options

• This section is critical. Provide as much detail as possible about pricing structures.
• Acknowledge that pricing is often complex and depends on factors like the size of the organization, the number of users, and the specific content required.
• Discuss the different subscription models offered by LexisNexis and Westlaw (e.g., flat-rate pricing, usage-based pricing).
• If possible, provide price ranges for common subscription packages.
• Emphasize the importance of contacting each company directly for a custom quote.

Customer Support and Training

• Compare the customer support options offered by LexisNexis and Westlaw (e.g., phone support, email support, online chat).
• Discuss the availability of training resources, such as tutorials, webinars, and in-person training sessions.
• Note any differences in the responsiveness or helpfulness of customer support.

So, have you figured out your winner in the lexisnexis vs westlaw debate? It really comes down to what you need and what feels right for your workflow. Happy researching!