My primary search tool for case law research
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
I use Lexis Advance for my state specific and national legal research, and it is my primary search tool for case law and secondary materials. I have limited my subscription to state-specific and Supreme Court cases, because I mainly use it for state-level criminal law practice. I began using the entire Lexis Advance platform during law school and much prefer it to other platforms, so I sought it out for myself.
Pros
- Intuitive search bar with easy to use limiting functions
- Far more ways to refine results than other platforms
- Direct quotes of rules within case law so you can find usable quotes faster
- Best visual search features and qualitative assessment of search results
Cons
- Sometimes difficult to save material and then go back to task
- Does not automatically open a new window for new search
Likelihood to Recommend
Lexis Advance is highly customizable and intuitive, perfect for solo or small practitioners who lack the patience for extended training and too much searching. The contracts are also customizable and can be graduated for new practices so you don't go broke in year one paying for research. I do wish there was more contact with a dedicated account rep, and perhaps not with sales. In a larger firm, you can stack more features and content as needed. I probably would go back in time and renegotiate my contract, which stepped up quite a lot in year two and will step up again in year 3 to what I think will be an uncomfortable level. Also, Lexis has maybe one too many brands and could stand a redesign of the main home page.
