Comments on: But then how come I still use it over Lexis? http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/ Whee! Thu, 28 Aug 2008 22:59:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: New to Big Firm http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1496 Mon, 03 Apr 2006 17:03:36 +0000 http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1496 I just joined a large law firm. I'm a very junior associate and I'm going to be litigating. I'm trying to decide whether to go the Lexis or Westlaw route. In law school, I usually used Lexis (in addition to book research). But some of my litigation colleagues at the firm are urging me that Westlaw is better for litigators. Specifically, I've heard there are some cases that are not available on Lexis -- so that if I don't use Westlaw and the competition does, they'll have an edge. I heard that most Reporters are published by West, and all cases are reported in Reporters, anyway -- and that Lexis just doesn't deem certain minor cases to be that important (or something like that?). What about ALRs? And finally, I guess from a given case on Westlaw, you can see the brief and the docket -- but not from Lexis. Can anyone please speak to this? Are there any things I might be missing here? I appreciate it. Thanks. I just joined a large law firm. I’m a very junior associate and I’m going to be litigating. I’m trying to decide whether to go the Lexis or Westlaw route. In law school, I usually used Lexis (in addition to book research). But some of my litigation colleagues at the firm are urging me that Westlaw is better for litigators.

Specifically, I’ve heard there are some cases that are not available on Lexis — so that if I don’t use Westlaw and the competition does, they’ll have an edge. I heard that most Reporters are published by West, and all cases are reported in Reporters, anyway — and that Lexis just doesn’t deem certain minor cases to be that important (or something like that?). What about ALRs? And finally, I guess from a given case on Westlaw, you can see the brief and the docket — but not from Lexis.

Can anyone please speak to this? Are there any things I might be missing here? I appreciate it. Thanks.

]]> by: Ron http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1483 Thu, 30 Mar 2006 21:34:00 +0000 http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1483 Westlaw is way better then Lexis. Westlaw offers more annotations & it's easier to use. Westlaw is way better then Lexis. Westlaw offers more annotations & it’s easier to use.

]]> by: Stephen M (Ethesis) http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1446 Thu, 09 Mar 2006 20:34:07 +0000 http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1446 Well, I've used Lexis and Westlaw as an attorney (and, back in the day, Lexis when there was no Westlaw) and currently Westlaw seems better at searches. I'd note that the version I use doesn't have any pop-ups. At times I've used Westlaw for the searches and findlaw to pull up the cases (since it is faster) and that the other competitors are even worse in the search department. If Westlaw didn't have so many competitors, and if they did a better job in the search engine area (ever try Louislaw?), you could make a better anti-trust argument. Findlaw has the page numbers, as do some other competitors. Well, I’ve used Lexis and Westlaw as an attorney (and, back in the day, Lexis when there was no Westlaw) and currently Westlaw seems better at searches.

I’d note that the version I use doesn’t have any pop-ups. At times I’ve used Westlaw for the searches and findlaw to pull up the cases (since it is faster) and that the other competitors are even worse in the search department.

If Westlaw didn’t have so many competitors, and if they did a better job in the search engine area (ever try Louislaw?), you could make a better anti-trust argument.

Findlaw has the page numbers, as do some other competitors.

]]> by: some guy http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1437 Mon, 27 Feb 2006 15:08:21 +0000 http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1437 i love westlaw. i am closing in on 20,000 points. i know i'm a nerd for answering all their trivia questions and taking all their quizzes but i can live with myself. 30GB video ipod here i come! i love westlaw. i am closing in on 20,000 points. i know i’m a nerd for answering all their trivia questions and taking all their quizzes but i can live with myself. 30GB video ipod here i come!

]]> by: ambimb http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1431 Tue, 21 Feb 2006 03:20:02 +0000 http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1431 I loathe them both equally. And, in fact, anti-trust and copyright lawsuits have been filed against Wexis (aimed mostly at Westlaw, which is the bigger of the two monsters). They have largely failed. The current state of the law is that Westlaw controls via copyright the page numbers essential to legal citation. This was established by a settlement, if I agree correctly, so it hasn't been finally ruled on by a court. Well, it has been, but the settlement was the latest in the attempts to rein in the legal research duopoly we all enjoy so much today. I'll try to post more about this soon b/c the right of the peeps (you, me, and every American citizen) to their own law is a topic near and dear to my heart. I loathe them both equally. And, in fact, anti-trust and copyright lawsuits have been filed against Wexis (aimed mostly at Westlaw, which is the bigger of the two monsters). They have largely failed. The current state of the law is that Westlaw controls via copyright the page numbers essential to legal citation. This was established by a settlement, if I agree correctly, so it hasn’t been finally ruled on by a court. Well, it has been, but the settlement was the latest in the attempts to rein in the legal research duopoly we all enjoy so much today. I’ll try to post more about this soon b/c the right of the peeps (you, me, and every American citizen) to their own law is a topic near and dear to my heart.

]]> by: J http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1419 Sat, 11 Feb 2006 23:55:00 +0000 http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1419 weird, i actually much, much prefer the Westlaw look to that of Lexis, which I find simply unusable. weird, i actually much, much prefer the Westlaw look to that of Lexis, which I find simply unusable.

]]> by: Josh http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1415 Wed, 08 Feb 2006 01:38:48 +0000 http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1415 Yes, exactly. It's gotta take effort to design something that bad. Yes, exactly. It’s gotta take effort to design something that bad.

]]> by: Chris http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1413 Tue, 07 Feb 2006 12:09:12 +0000 http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1413 Yeah, you can still collect points. From the perspective of a software developer who went to law school, the interface for Westlaw shocks me. I mean people pay big money for that crap. The design is oh so '1995'. Seriously, westlaw needs to get their shit together and hire some real developers. I mean the print popup alone on lexis makes me wonder why the hell westlaw didn't even check out their competitors to find out what people actually WANT. Yeah, you can still collect points. From the perspective of a software developer who went to law school, the interface for Westlaw shocks me. I mean people pay big money for that crap. The design is oh so ‘1995′. Seriously, westlaw needs to get their shit together and hire some real developers.

I mean the print popup alone on lexis makes me wonder why the hell westlaw didn’t even check out their competitors to find out what people actually WANT.

]]> by: Chris Borowski http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1412 Tue, 07 Feb 2006 04:34:42 +0000 http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1412 But hey, at least you can collect points to get overpriced Starbucks coffee, right? But hey, at least you can collect points to get overpriced Starbucks coffee, right?

]]> by: Josh http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1411 Tue, 07 Feb 2006 03:29:36 +0000 http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1411 I suppose I mean all of the above, plus the damned popups and the fact that I can never remember what the database names actually mean. If there was any real competition, they might have some incentive to think about usability. I'm still trying to figure out why Lexis doesn't perform that function. I suppose I mean all of the above, plus the damned popups and the fact that I can never remember what the database names actually mean.

If there was any real competition, they might have some incentive to think about usability. I’m still trying to figure out why Lexis doesn’t perform that function.

]]> by: Chris Borowski http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1410 Tue, 07 Feb 2006 02:48:55 +0000 http://blawgcoop.com/badglacier/2006/02/06/but-then-how-come-i-still-use-it-over-lexis/#comment-1410 Hey, I'm a little confused (nothing unusual for a law student). What are you getting at here? You mean the interface sucks? You mean that the damn thing logs you off after a few minutes? You mean it's all a bunch of baloney? Hey, I’m a little confused (nothing unusual for a law student). What are you getting at here? You mean the interface sucks? You mean that the damn thing logs you off after a few minutes? You mean it’s all a bunch of baloney?

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