Legal Databases

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Start your research project with these legal databases.

Databases by Subject

Find the best bets to start your research.

  • General Legal Research

    Lexis, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law


    Full List of General Legal Research Databases

  • Foreign & Comparative Law


    Full list of Foreign & Comparative Law Databases

  • International Law


    Full List of International Law Databases

  • Newspapers & News Collections


    Full List of Newspapers & News Collections

  • Historical Collections


    Full List of Historical Collections

All Harvard Databases

Lexis, Westlaw, & Bloomberg Law

Lexis, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law provide online access to U.S. federal and state law sources, as well as to sources of international law and the laws of a number of other jurisdictions.  Sources vary by jurisdiction and may include:

  • Constitutions
  • Legislation and legislative history
  • Statutory codes and session laws
  • Regulations and regulatory materials
  • Cases
  • Citators
  • Public Records
  • Secondary sources (including law reviews, treatises, digests, and news)

Access

  • HLS Students: New students receive their registration codes to access Lexis, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law at the beginning of the fall semester. Returning students should continue using their accounts from the previous year.
  • Faculty and Staff: HLS faculty (including visiting faculty) and staff may request Lexis, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law accounts by emailing research@law.harvard.edu.

Some exceptions may be made in limited circumstances for users with a temporary HLS affiliation. Possible exceptions include non-HLS students cross-enrolled in an HLS course, HLS program fellows, and participants in the Law School’s Visiting Scholar/Visiting Researcher Program. 

Email research@law.harvard.edu for assistance.

Vendor Contacts & Additional Information

  • Lexis

    The Lexis home page offers a number of useful user training materials and services, including reference literature, research guides, tutorials, product tours, study aids, and outlines.  Please visit or contact Reference & Research Services if you have any questions or need research help.

    Introductory, refresher, and advanced training sessions on Lexis are offered at various times during the academic year. Session dates, times, locations, and sign-ups are available at the HLS Library’s Legal Research Training Calendar.  Student representatives may also offer walk-up tabling sessions during the year.

    For further assistance with Lexis, contact:

  • Westlaw

    The Westlaw home page offers a number of useful user training materials and services, including reference literature, research guides, tutorials, product tours, study aids and outlines. Please visit or contact Reference & Research Services if you have any questions or need research help.

    Introductory, refresher, and advanced training sessions on Westlaw are offered at various times during the academic year. Session dates, times, locations, and sign-ups are available at the HLS Library’s Legal Research Training Calendar.  Student representatives may also offer walk-up tabling sessions during the year.

    For further assistance with Westlaw, contact:

  • Bloomberg Law

    Bloomberg Law offers a number of useful user training materials and services, including reference literature, research guides, tutorials, product tours, study aids and outlines. Please visit or contact Reference & Research Services if you have any questions or need research help.

    Introductory, refresher, and advanced training sessions on Lexis are offered at various times during the academic year. Session dates, times, locations, and sign-ups are available at the HLS Library’s Legal Research Training Calendar.  Student representatives may also offer walk-up tabling sessions during the year.

    Docket Use Policy
    As of 2020, there is a $1,500 per user cap on docket costs accrued each academic year on Bloomberg Law. Thirty days after you reach this level, your use of the dockets database will be restricted and you will not be able to incur further costs until the next year. Once logged into Bloomberg Law, you may track your docket costs by going to My Account > My Dockets Billing. Please contact Research Services or our Bloomberg Law representative if you have any questions or would like recommendations for minimizing your accrual of costs.

     

    For further assistance with Bloomberg Law, contact:

     

Westlaw & Bloomberg Terminals

Located on the 3rd floor of the library (L353) in front of the Reference Room

Bloomberg Terminal

Access financial information, as well as news and law content. Create and use your own login credentials to save documents and search information to your individual profile.

Use of the Bloomberg terminal is limited to current Harvard Law School affiliates.

Westlaw Terminal

Access legal research resources on a platform that is similar to the regular Westlaw law school accounts. Two terminals are available.  No special login is necessary. 

Anyone with library access can use the Westlaw Terminal whenever the library is open.