LibGuides: Summer Resources Guide: Database Use Over the Summer

Prepare to Practice Training Session (Recording Available!)
The Law Library hosted a training session focused on lesser-known research resources that you may utilize over the summer. The session reviewed topics including: finding jury instructions, verdicts, forms, dockets, public records, and other tools often used outside of the academic experience. This training session will be useful whether you are going out to your first summer position or starting your permanent job. A recording of the training is now available.

Prepare to Practice Training Session Recording

Research Assistance

Law librarians are available all summer: 9 AM - 5 PM, Monday - Friday and evenings and weekends by appointment.

Stop by or contact us at reference@law.villanova.edu or 610-519-7020 for assistance or to schedule a zoom meeting.

Please note that most other law school departments will be closed on Fridays, May 19th through August 11th.

Westlaw, Lexis & Bloomberg Summer Use by Rising 2Ls & 3Ls

NOTE: Some employer policies require the use of firm accounts.

Bloomberg: Automatic, unlimited access for schoolwork, private study or employment during the summer
Lexis+: Unlimited, unrestricted (for work, fun, or school) access to Lexis+ all summer on your current Lexis ID
Westlaw: Westlaw and Practical Law may be used for non-commercial research but can’t be used in situations where you are billing a client. Examples of permissible uses for your academic password include the following: Summer coursework, Research assistant assignments, Law Review or Journal research, Moot Court research, Non-Profit work, Clinical work, unpaid Externship for course credit

Other Law Databases

All other law databases are accessible remotely over the summer without restriction. See the Law Databases page for a full list that includes:

Aspen Learning Library This link opens in a new window
Access to study aids including the Examples and Explanations series, Glannon Guides, Emmanuel Law Outlines and more including podcasts and videos. Great for getting up to speed on a new area of law quickly. Read online or download and print
Casetext This link opens in a new window
Low-cost alternative to Westlaw and Lexis but offers free access for law school students, faculty and staff (sign up for an account here: https://casetext.com/lawschool). Provides access to statutes, regulations, court rules and case law from Federal and some state courts. Access to some federal administrative agency decisions as well. Use the CARA A.I. to check for additional authorities (upload brief and it will be checked against statutes and case law in Casetext's database for other relevant authorities).
Checkpoint This link opens in a new window
This research system contains the tax materials published by the Research Institute of America (RIA).
HeinOnline This link opens in a new window
Diverse collection of databases including extensive law journals library, current and historical federal materials, specialized collections and more.
Law.com Publications This link opens in a new window
Click on "Publications" tab to see full list of available titles including The American Lawyer, The National Law Journal and Supreme Court Brief as well as city/state legal publications such as The Legal Intelligencer (Phila.) or New York Law Journal.
Leadership Connect This link opens in a new window
View contact information, corporate hierarchies and other information for law and lobbying firms, courts, companies, Congress, federal and state agencies and news/media outlets. Includes information not found in other resources. Can also search by practice area and location.
PLI Plus This link opens in a new window
Extensive database of CLE handbooks, transcripts and sample forms covering many different practice areas and jurisdictions.

Falvey Databases

Falvey Library offers access to many different interdisciplinary resources covering medical, business, news resources, social science materials and many more.

View their Subject Guides to locate resources by topic like:

Falvey Library's News Subject Guide
List of news databases available to Villanova students, faculty and staff. Includes Business Source Premier and Regional Business News databases as well as links to the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, New York Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer as well as international news sources
Falvey Library: Subject Guides: Nursing and Medicine
Falvey Library's Sociology & Criminology Subject Guide
The main campus library has a number of databases related to criminal law.

Can also browse the A-Z list or find a resource by name by searching their catalog.