Lexis+ / Westlaw Overview: Screen Reader Version.pdf

Lexis+ and Westlaw are two legal research platforms with different coverage and features. Lexis+ is owned by RELX Group, while Westlaw is owned by Thomson Reuters.

Key differences in coverage include:
- UK legislation: both have primary and secondary legislation
- UK cases: both have around 50 law reports, with Lexis having transcripts from 1980 and Westlaw from 1967
- UK books and encyclopedias: Westlaw has 349, while Lexis has 5
- Journals: Lexis has 120 full-text journals, while Westlaw has 117
- European Union: Westlaw has more comprehensive coverage, including post-Brexit legislation
- United States: both have vast collections of federal and state cases and legislation, with Westlaw having more journals and books
- International law: both have collections of treaties and international cases, with Westlaw having more arbitral awards
- Foreign law: both have coverage of various countries, with Westlaw having more substantial coverage of Canada and Australia

Search features include:
- Boolean connectors: both use 'and' and 'or', with Westlaw expanding searches to add similar terms
- Proximity connectors: both use '/n' to find terms within a certain number of words, '/s' for same sentence, and '/p' for same paragraph
- Truncation and phrases: both use '!' for variations and double quotation marks for exact phrases

Access to Lexis+ is available on-site to all academic members of IALS Library, while Westlaw is available on-site to all academic members and remotely to IALS staff, fellows, and students.