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Cost-Effective Legal Research: Practice Materials, AI, and More

To Do Items

Welcome to Week 9!

This week, you will learn about cost-effective legal research, including free websites, where to find helpful practice materials & dockets, and how to use the new generative AI tools in Lexis+ and Westlaw.

Before Class:
  • Test whether you can access Lexis+ AI and Westlaw's Ask Practical Law AI.
    • If you are unable to access Lexis+ AI, contact Katie Riordan (katie.riordan@lexisnexis.com).
    • If you are unable to access Westlaw Ask Practical Law AI, contact Mark Frongillo (mark.frongillo@thomsonreuters.com).

  • Complete: Scavenger Hunt exercise. This exercise covers dockets, practice materials, and other secondary sources. These are important tools that can help you to be a cost-effective legal researcher by leading you to example arguments, forms, sample letters, checklists, drafting tools, and other expert guidance on your topic.

  • Watch: Video on how to access the resources needed to complete Scavenger Hunt exercise.

  • Review: Selected Research Databases and Websites (located at the bottom of this page).

During Class:
  • Students will complete an in-class exercise to gain familiarity using generative AI tools for legal research and writing. You do not need to complete the exercise before class. A PDF of the in-class exercise is below, and paper copies will be provided during class.

  • The legal research librarian will review the in-class exercise and lead a discussion about the pros and cons of using generative AI tools for legal research and writing.
After Class (optional): 
  • Review: Infographic: Generative AI Tools and Legal Research. See PDF below.

  • Review: PowerPoint presentation. See PDF below.

  • Review: Bibliography: Cost of Doing Legal Research & Cost-Effective Methods. See PDF below.

  • Watch:
    • Video on how to complete Scavenger Hunt exercise. A link to this resource will be added after class.
    • A Discussion About Cost-Effective Legal Research in the Real World with Suffolk Law Alums and a 3L (25:08). This video features recent SULS grads and a 3L discussing approaches to cost-effective research on the job. The speakers talk about things like the cost of doing legal research, restrictions on access to Westlaw and Lexis, and using other relevant databases and secondary sources. They also share legal research advice. For more information about the speakers, you can read their bios here.

Selected Research Databases and Web Sites

This chart lists free and fee-based resources. Some lead to primary law, some lead to secondary law and practice materials; others are comprehensive and lead you to a broad range of legal resources.

We encourage you to become familiar with all of these resources, always consider accuracy and cost, and use all the research tools that are available to you.

Name of Research Database / Web Site Needed for Scavenger Hunt? Description Availability
Lexis+ CourtLink Yes Docket searches on Lexis+. Learn about the status of pending cases and locate filings. Contains documents in PACER and selection of other court dockets. Suffolk Law School community members with Lexis+ access credentials
Westlaw Precision Dockets   Docket searches on Westlaw Precision. Learn about the status of pending cases and locate filings. Contains documents in PACER and selection of other court dockets. Suffolk Law School community members with Westlaw access credentials
Court Listener RECAP Archive   Free docket searches. Contains a subset of documents in PACER and selection of other court dockets. Free, public access
Massachusetts Trial Court Libraries Yes Use the “Massachusetts Law About” section for time-saving research guides that list key primary and secondary materials on your topic

Free, public access
Massachusetts Practice Series   Series of treatises on Massachusetts law, including substantive analysis of major areas of law as well as forms and trial practice materials. Available on Westlaw Precision and in print. Suffolk Law School community members
MCLE OnlinePass Yes eBooks, webcasts, and audio files on mostly Massachusetts law for practicing attorneys. Practice Portals contain self-guided development plans on specific practice areas. Browse or search to locate materials. Extensive search filters are available (e.g., limit to forms, webcasts, etc.). MCLE practice guides are also available on Westlaw Precision and Lexis+. Suffolk Law School community members
Social Law Library
  Massachusetts primary resources, such as cases, statutes, regulations, and administrative decisions. Includes some state-specific content unavailable on Lexis+ or Westlaw Precision. Suffolk Law School community members
Lexis+ Practical Guidance Yes Practice notes, forms, checklists, drafting tools, and more. Suffolk Law School community members with Lexis+ access credentials
Westlaw Practical Law Yes

Checklists, forms, articles, and other practice materials available on Westlaw Precision. Materials are arranged by practice area.

You can use Thomson Reuters products, including Westlaw, Practical Law, and the Practice Ready solutions, over the summer for non-commercial research. You can turn to these resources to gain understanding and build confidence in your research skills, but you cannot use them in situations where you are billing a client. Examples of permissible uses include the following: summer coursework; research assistant assignments; law review or journal research; moot court research; non-profit work; clinical work; externship sponsored by the school.

 Suffolk Law School community members with Westlaw access credentials
Caselaw Access Project   More than 6.5 million decisions published by state and federal courts throughout U.S. history. Free, public access
Google Scholar  

Case Law: Published opinions of US state appellate and supreme court cases since 1950, US federal district, appellate, tax, and bankruptcy courts since 1923 and US Supreme Court cases since 1791.

Articles: Scholarly articles, theses, books, and abstracts from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities, and other web sites.

 Free, public access
Decisis   Cases, statutes, administrative materials, and court rules. Exact content varies by state depending on the preferences of the state bar association. Massachusetts Bar Association members