If you have logged into your Westlaw account lately, you have probably noticed that Westlaw has a new look. On January 1, 2019, all student Westlaw accounts were upgraded to Westlaw Edge. (Faculty and staff accounts were upgraded in November). Here is a quick summary of what you should know about the upgrade.
The most obvious change is that the welcome screen, after you log in, is now blue.
In addition, Westlaw has added four important features to Westlaw Edge.
- KeyCite Overruling Risk: A new symbol in KeyCite warns that the case you are looking at may be “at risk” of being overruled because it relied on other law that has been treated negatively.
- Statutes Compare: Compare different versions of statutes to see how a statute has evolved over time.
- WestSearch Plus: This upgrade to Westlaw’s search engine uses AI technology to anticipate your research needs before you do by suggesting search queries as you type and providing you with “answers” and supporting law in response to specific legal questions.
- Litigation Analytics: Need I say more?
The new features in Westlaw Edge are great and I encourage you to check them out. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t caution you to perform your own analysis of whatever you find in Westlaw, or anywhere else for that matter.
Additional information regarding the changes to Westlaw, including training materials and videos, can be found on the blue welcome screen after you log into Westlaw Edge, or through the Thomson Reuters’ website. Still have questions? Visit the Westlaw table in the Commons, or ask a Law Librarian.