Legal research databases: Summer 2025 and new grad access policies  

Whether you’re about to graduate from HLS or you’re a continuing student looking forward to a summer job, you may be wondering about your online legal research options.  Read on for information about access to your Bloomberg Law, Lexis, and Westlaw accounts, as well as other library databases. 

Bloomberg Law 

Returning Students’ Summer Use 

You may continue to use your HLS Bloomberg Law account for any purpose. If you haven’t already signed up for a Bloomberg Law account, go to www.bloomberglaw.com/activate (you must use your Harvard email. No activation code is necessary).  

New Graduates 

All graduates have continuous access for six months following graduation, so Spring 2025 graduates will have access through Nov. 30, 2025. This access is automatic (no registration required) and is unlimited and unrestricted. 

Lexis Nexis 

Returning Students’ Summer Use 

You may continue to use your law school Lexis+ ID as usual to access Lexis+ AI with Protégé this summer. This includes research for your internship, externship, clerkship, or summer associate position (but check with your employer first; many firms prefer that summer associates use a firm-issued Lexis ID for client work).

New Graduates

After graduation, you have automatic extended access to your HLS Lexis+ account for six months, through Dec. 31, 2025, with most of the same content (excluding Public Records, Lexis+ AI, Law360, and Practical Guidance). No registration is required; just sign into your account as usual and your ID will change over to a graduate ID on July 10, 2025. This ID also grants you access to the Graduate Home Page and gives you a choice of graduation gift. Remember to redeem your LexisNexis Rewards points by June 30, 2025!  

If you have any questions, please contact our Lexis representative at HLS, Christina DeSanto, at christina.desanto@lexisnexis.com.  

Westlaw 

Returning Students’ Summer Use 

You can use Thomson Reuters products, including Westlaw, Practical Law, and the Practice Ready solutions, over the summer for non-commercial research. You can turn to these resources to gain understanding and build confidence in your research skills, but you cannot use them in situations where you are billing a client. Examples of permissible uses for your academic password include the following:  

• Summer coursework  
• Research assistant assignments  
• Law Review or Journal research  
• Moot Court research  
• Non-Profit work (either required for graduation or as part of a class)  
• Clinical work  
• Externship sponsored by the school  

You do not have to do anything to gain access to these tools over the summer.  

New Graduates

You have access to Thomson Reuters products, including Westlaw, CoCounsel, and Practical Law, for six months after graduation by registering for “Grad Elite” access here (or go to www.lawschool.tr.com; log in, and use the drop-down menu by your name to go to Grad Elite Status). “Grad Elite” access gives you 60 hours of usage on these products per month to gain understanding, build confidence in your research skills, and prepare for the bar exam. You cannot use it in situations where you are billing a client.

If you have any questions, please contact our Westlaw representative at HLS, Mark Frongillo, at mark.frongillo@thomsonreuters.com.  

Other Databases

Continuing students have full access over the summer to most other online library resources at Harvard– from HeinOnline to JSTOR – simply by using your Harvard Key. 

New alumni have access to some databases, including HeinOnline’s Law Journal Library and the CQ Press Library (a great source of information and data on government and politics).  Visit our Library Services for HLS Alumni research guide for information about how to claim your Harvard Key and get access, plus learn about other great resources to help you stay connected.