5 tips for efficient legal research using Westlaw Edge

With the arrival of Westlaw Edge, legal researchers have new tools at their fingertips that can help them work more efficiently than ever. I thought it would be a good idea to share some strategies for getting the most out of this newest Westlaw platform.

Here are 5 ways you can use Westlaw Edge to conduct fast and efficient online legal research.

WestSearch Plus

Whether you’re an expert researcher or a novice, no one is going to turn down controlling authority that clearly addresses your question with accompanying case law. WestSearch Plus leverages artificial intelligence to serve up law summaries containing the most relevant information for your query. You can then dig down further by clicking directly in to the underlying authority.

Save your searches

Half of the battle when doing legal research is coming up with a search query that is going to bring back the desired results. While using WestSearch Plus or a Boolean (terms and connectors) search, you can now save your favorite searches for quick reference and easy access. Simply click the star next to your search in the drop-down menu from the global search box.

Table of contents for cases

Quickly navigate to the relevant portions of the case, including the synopsis, headnotes, opinion and order. The faster you can determine if a case is going to be helpful, the faster you can complete your legal research. Use the table of contents to decide if a case has what you are looking for by drilling down to the relevant sections from the start.

Case synopsis in search results

Want to decide if a case is right for you without leaving your result list? You can now view the case synopsis right from your search results. This will provide the context and ruling so you can determine if the case applies the law favorably, without having to browse through the entire document.

Reference Attorneys 

Confidently complete your legal research faster with the premier team of legal research support professionals. Every Reference Attorney is a bar-admitted legal research expert with a deep understanding of our legal solutions products, including Westlaw Edge. They understand how to utilize the latest tools and features to help you accelerate the process and confirm that your research is as comprehensive as possible. A brief call or chat could save you hours of research time.