The last day of class is a week away, so it’s time to start thinking about whether you’ll need your law school Lexis and Westlaw accounts this summer. Full access to Lexis and Westlaw is turned off May 31 and does not reactivate until August 1. However, if you meet one or more conditions you can extend your password for the summer. These conditions cover various non-commercial activities, including public interest work, working as a faculty research assistant, journal or moot court research, and bar review. New this year is an additional Lexis extension criterion that allows students to maintain access for “research skill improvement for educational purposes.” This permits all students to extend their Lexis passwords, but keep in mind that commercial use is prohibited.
Passwords must be extended by May 31. Basically, you need to complete an online form indicating to Lexis/Westlaw why you need full access during the summer. Complete extension details for both Lexis and Westlaw are provided here: http://library.lawschool.cornell.edu/WhatWeDo/HelpStudents/Student_Summer_Access.cfm.
