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Summer Resources Guide: New Grads

Law librarians are available all summer long, 9 AM - 5 PM. Contact us at reference@law.villanova.edu for assistance. Please note that most other law school departments will be closed on Fridays throughout the summer.

As a new grad, your @law email account will continue until May 2027. However, even though your email address remains active, you will not have access to most subscription legal research databases with the exception of those noted below. If you wish to continue having a Villanova email address after 2027, you can request an Alumni Gmail account.

Westlaw, Lexis & Bloomberg Graduate Access

NOTE: Some employer policies require the use of firm accounts. You may continue to use your @law email address as your ID as your law school email will still be active. You can also still complete Certifications in these products. See the Develop a New Skill tab for links.

  • Bloomberg: Access for 6 months after graduation; use Bloomberg for research related to bar preparation, interview preparation, private study or employment. Do not need to register for extended access.
     
  • Lexis+: Unlimited, unrestricted (for work, fun, or school) access to Lexis+ through December 31, 2025. Graduates have access to most of the same content and features available during law school, excluding public records, Lexis+ AI®, Law 360, Practical Guidance, and LMO. On July 10, 2025, your view of the Law School Home Page will automatically switch to the graduate view, providing information for their careers and job search.

    G    raduates can also select a “Graduation Gift” from the new Graduate view of then Law School Home Page. This year’s gift choices include: Intelligize (6-month from date of redemption), Law360 (6-month from date of redemption), Practical Guidance (6-month from date of redemption), Lexis for Microsoft Office (6-month from date of redemption) or one of 13 LexisNexis eBooks (must be redeemed prior to December 31, 2025). LexisNexis Rewards Points must be redeemed by June 30, 2025.

    ASPIRE Program: The ASPIRE program is dedicated to graduates engaged in non-profit work and provides 12 months of free access to federal and state cases, regulations, law reviews, Shepard’s, and Matthew Bender treatises to graduates who are engaged in verifiable 501(c)(3) public interest work.  For more details, check out this webpage or email Donna Ford (donna.ford@lexisnexis.com) with specific questions. 

  • Westlaw: Access to Westlaw and Practical Law, for six months after graduation by Grad Elite Access. “Grad Elite” access gives you 60-hours of usage on these products per month. Cannot be used in situations where you are billing a client but can be used to build knowledge of the law and prepare for the bar exam. 

Databases available when you visit Villanova Law Library

Alumni and visitors may access the following databases from the computer terminal next to the library Reference Desk, no additional passwords required. These databases are not accessible remotely. Descriptions of each database can be found on the Law Databases page.

  • Aspen Learning Library (study aids like Examples & Explanations series)
  • Foreign Law Guide
  • Gale: The Making of Modern Law (Multiple collections of foreign resources, 1600 - 1970)
  • HeinOnline
  • International Encyclopaedia of Laws (Wolters Kluwer)
  • Law360
  • Leadership Connect
  • The Legal Intelligencer
  • Lexis Digital Library (study aids including the Understanding Series)
  • The Max Planck Encyclopedias of International Law
  • Nexis Uni (formerly Lexis Nexis Academic)
  • PLI PLUS
  • ProQuest Congressional
  • ProQuest Statistical Insight

LinkedInLearning

All Villanova Law grads have access to LinkedIn Learning for 12 months after graduation. Graduates can access any number of the 15,000 courses on many different subjects including Microsoft Office and other tech skills, project management, entrepreneurship, video editing, data analysis and visualization. 

Browse by topic or search for keywords in the search box at the top. There are courses on the basics of GDPR, Music Law, computer crimes, privacy laws, data breach notification laws and more. You can also view their learning paths to determine which courses might help you reach a specific goal. Read more and access this alumni benefit on Villanova's LinkedIn Learning page.