This is a question we hear often—and like any good law school answer, the response is: it depends.
First, consider why you’re conducting research. If your research is academic in nature—whether you’re writing a journal article, assisting a professor, completing work for a class, or simply honing your research skills—you’re free to use your legal research passwords. These platforms are intended for academic use, and this type of research falls squarely within that purpose.
However, if you’re planning to use your password during a summer job or internship, the answer varies depending on the platform:
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Westlaw & Practical Law: These platforms cannot be used in a commercial setting. Westlaw defines “commercial” as any situation where you’re being paid by your employer for your work. That means if you’re receiving a stipend from the Law School (and nothing from the employer), your work is considered non-commercial, and you’re generally in the clear.
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Lexis & Bloomberg Law: These platforms are more flexible. Both allow law students to use their accounts during summer positions, regardless of pay. In fact, they see it as a form of promotion for their services.
That said, there’s an important caveat: Always get your supervisor’s permission before using your school-provided accounts at your summer placement, especially in law firms. Many firms bill back research costs to clients. If a case or project you work on gets transferred to an associate after you leave, and that associate uses a firm account instead of yours, it could raise billing issues. Firms have reported client complaints when legal bills unexpectedly spike—sometimes traced back to transitions like this.