New at W&L Law: Legora, a Legal AI platform 

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This Tech Tuesday, we are pleased to announce that W&L Law students and faculty now have access to Legora, an artificial intelligence (AI) platform designed for legal tasks. 

Legora allows users to work with legal information, analyze documents, and develop legal work products. Within Legora, users can access several features, including: 

  • Legal Research: Conduct AI-assisted legal research using legal databases and other sources, with citations to relevant legal authorities. 
  • Document Analysis: Upload documents, ask questions about their contents, and identify relevant information. 
  • Tabular Review: Analyze multiple documents simultaneously, extract key information, and organize findings into structured tables for comparison. 
  • Drafting and Editing: Generate and revise legal documents. 
  • Workflows: Use AI-powered workflows to complete multi-step legal tasks. 
  • App Integration: Access Legora’s drafting and document review capabilities directly within Microsoft Word or Outlook. 

Access to Legora will provide an opportunity for students to explore how AI can assist with legal tasks that they may encounter in practice, including document review, legal research, and drafting. 

Whether you’re exploring these new tools for the first time or you are interested in comparing the capabilities of different AI-powered platforms, we encourage you to explore Legora and consider how its tools may support your work. 

How to Access Legora 

Current W&L Law students and faculty can access Legora through the Okta dashboard. Once logged in, select the Legora app to get started. 

Our AI disclaimer: Avoid relying solely on any AI-powered tool to conduct legal research. Instead, when determining whether an AI tool may be useful for a particular task, please critically evaluate AI-generated outputs, independently verify legal authorities, and remain mindful of confidentiality and data privacy considerations. 

We encourage the W&L Law community to take advantage of this opportunity to explore Legora! Please contact the Law Library with any questions. 

Research Horror Stories: Legal Research Mistakes That Might Keep You Up at Night 

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Some legal research mistakes are more frightening than anything you’ll find in a haunted house. In honor of spooky season, here are a few legal research horror stories and how to keep them from happening to you. 

Horror Story #1: The Case That Was No Longer Good Law

In the middle of a particularly grueling research process, you find the perfect case. The facts are amazingly similar, the court is saying what you need, and there is a quotable sentence you can use for your argument. The problem? The case was overturned.  

Finding a case that supports your proposition is only one part of the research process. Before relying on it, you have to determine whether it is still good law. Citators such as KeyCite on Westlaw and Shepard’s on Lexis can help you identify cases and other authorities that may have treated your case negatively.  

But don’t stop at the warning symbols! Look into why your case received particular treatment. Always update your research before submitting that memo, brief or paper—make checking the citator a part of your research process. 

Horror Story #2: Perfect Case, Wrong Jurisdiction

This is a scenario many legal researchers are familiar with. You forgot to filter before or after your search, you’re reading what you believe to be a useful case, only to discover that your assignment involves Virginia law, and you’re reading a case from California.  

Not every court’s decision carries the same authority, so before getting too attached to a case, make sure you understand where it comes from and whether the court’s decision is binding or persuasive for your legal question. 

For the more experienced legal researcher, knowing whether something is mandatory or persuasive is easy, but mistakes can still happen during the research process! Jurisdiction filters are extraordinarily useful—narrowing your search can keep you from building an argument around an authority that doesn’t work in the way you thought it could.  

Horror Story #3: The Zombie Statute or Regulation

It looks alive and appears in your search results with the language you need. But the version is more than a few decades old. 

Legislatures amend language, renumber sections, repeal provisions, and enact entirely new statutes. An old version of a statute may not be what you need, but if it is, it’s important to know which version you’re looking at and why. The same applies to regulations—updates are made, but historical documents may still be helpful, depending on your project. 

Make sure to check the currency information provided by your research platform, review the document’s history, and confirm which version works for your research question.

Horror Story #4: The Hallucinated Citation

AI research tools have become notorious for producing hallucinations that are perfectly Bluebooked and relevant to the issue you’re researching. Yet, when you search the case, nothing comes up. You might as well have seen a ghost—and may wish you could disappear like one if your professor, judge, or opposing counsel busts you for citing it.

Generative AI tools produce inaccurate information housed in a confident answer. Verification remains essential whenever AI assists with legal research. You must read the authorities yourself and determine whether they actually support the proposition the tool claims they do.

Don’t Let Your Research Become a Horror Story! 

Before turning in your next assignment, ask yourself: 

  • Did I check whether my cases are still good law? 
  • Am I using authority from the correct jurisdiction? 
  • Did I confirm that my statutes and regulations are current? 
  • Did I independently verify sources, quotations, and citations generated or identified by AI? 

If your research starts feeling a little scary, ask a librarian! Stop by the library, visit us during office hours, or email us at LawRef@wlu.edu.

New at W&L Law: Harvey, a Legal AI Platform 

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In this week’s Tech Tuesday, the Law Library is pleased to announce that W&L Law students and faculty now have access to Harvey, an artificial intelligence (AI) platform designed specifically for legal and professional services.

Harvey offers a range of AI-powered tools to support legal research, document analysis, drafting, and other legal tasks. The platform provides access to several sources, including LexisNexis content, CourtListener, and open-web search capabilities. 

Harvey allows users to:

  • Create Agents: Build customized AI tools to assist with specific legal tasks and processes.
  • Utilize Vaults: Securely store, organize, and analyze collections of legal documents.
  • Run Workflows: Use pre-built workflows to streamline legal tasks and processes.
  • Collaborate in Spaces: Work with others on shared projects and legal tasks.
  • Integrate with Other Applications: Access Harvey’s capabilities through applications such as Microsoft Word and Outlook.

As AI continues to impact legal practice, AI literacy is becoming an increasingly valuable professional skill. Law firms and other legal organizations are incorporating platforms like Harvey into their work, making it important for future lawyers to understand both the capabilities and limitations of these tools.

Our first-year law students have already begun exploring Harvey at W&L Law as part of the new AI for Legal Practice course. However, whether you’re encountering the platform for the first time or looking to expand your skills, we encourage you to explore the tools and features available through Harvey.

How to Access Harvey 

Current W&L Law students and faculty can access Harvey through the Okta dashboard. Once logged in, select the Harvey app to get started. 

As with any AI-powered legal research tool, users should avoid relying solely on AI. Instead, when determining that an AI tool may be useful for a particular task, users should critically evaluate AI-generated outputs, independently verify legal authorities, and remain mindful of confidentiality and data privacy considerations. 

Please contact the library with any questions. We hope you enjoy this new platform!

Virginia Association of Law Libraries 2026 Fall Meeting at W&L Law!

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On October 2, 2026, the Washington and Lee University School of Law Library had the privilege of hosting the Fall 2026 Meeting of the Virginia Association of Law Libraries (VALL). 

VALL, a chapter of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL), meets twice a year, bringing together law library professionals and paraprofessionals from across Virginia. The meetings provide opportunities for attendees to participate in educational and recreational programming, hear updates from association leadership, connect with colleagues, and attend VALL’s business meeting. 

This fall’s programs included a panel titled New Law Librarians in a Changing Profession, moderated by Ashley Evans, Head of Collection Services at W&L Law, and featuring Nina-Simone Edwards, Technology and Research Librarian at W&L Law, alongside panelists from the University of Richmond and William & Mary law schools. Jessica Whytock, AALL President and Associate Dean for the Law Library at UC Berkeley Law, delivered remarks as a visiting representative of the AALL Executive Board. Jenny Mitchell, W&L Law’s Archivist and Special Collections Librarian, explored the evolution of legal education and the School of Law in her presentation, From the Colonnade to the Courtroom: W&L Law and the Story of Virginia Legal Education. Attendees also heard updates from the meeting’s corporate sponsors Thomson Reuters, Bloomberg Law, and LexisNexis.

Following the VALL Business Meeting and a group tour of the Law Library, attendees concluded the day with a horse-drawn carriage tour of historic Lexington. 

It was an honor to welcome our colleagues from across Virginia to W&L Law for a day of learning, conversation, and connection. Check out some photos from the meeting below! 

Hidden Gem: HeinOnline Has More Than Law Review Articles 

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Welcome to our first Tech Tuesday, a blog series where we’ll highlight a new tech tool, share useful tips and hacks, and debunk a few tech myths!

This Tech Tuesday is about HeinOnline, a great place to find legal scholarship. But there’s so much more than law review articles on HeinOnline. 

When Should I Use HeinOnline? 

There are many uses, but HeinOnline is useful when you’re: 

  • Writing a seminar paper or journal article.  
  • Looking for historical legal materials. 
  • Comparing constitutional or international law.  
  • Finding older legal sources that may not be available elsewhere. 

You can access HeinOnline through the library’s website or you can log in using your W&L credentials (search for Washington and Lee in the “Access Through Your Institution” box and log in). 

What Can I Find on HeinOnline?

Here are a few databases worth exploring (you have access to 92!):  

  • U.S. Federal Legislative History Library—Includes comprehensive federal legislative histories (including committee reports, hearings, and other legislative materials).  
  • LexBlog Library–In this new library, you can find legal commentary in the form of blogs and articles. 
  • World Constitutions Illustrated–Access constitutions from countries around the world, along with constitutional histories and related documents.
  • Legal Classics –Read rare legal items only found in a handful of libraries around the world. 
  • Civil Rights and Social Justice–Read about the expansion of civil rights in America through documents including government publications, legislation, and Supreme Court briefs. 
  • Pentagon Papers–Contains the U.S. Department of Defense History (of US involvement in Vietnam) from 1945 to 1967. 

We’ve also pointed out a few other new collections this year in a previous blog post:

  • Subject Compilations of State Laws–Helps you locate articles, books, government documents, court opinions, surveys, and other sources that compare state laws across thousands of subjects, making it useful for 50-state surveys and comparative law research. 
  • Air and Space Law–Collects materials on aviation and outer space, including aviation regulation, air traffic, aviation safety, drones, NASA, satellites, space commercialization, international cooperation, and national security. 
  • Environmental Law and Policy–U.S. and international primary-source materials on conservation, pollution, climate change, environmental risk, treaties, and national and international responses to environmental issues.
  • Water Rights & Resources–Covers state and federal laws governing water use and protection, including the Clean Water Act, drought, groundwater, drinking water, hydropower, tribal water rights, and water management.  

Need Help Finding the Right Collection? 

With so many databases available, it can be hard to know where to start. If you’re not sure which database or collection is the best fit for your research, ask a law librarian! We can help you choose the right tool and point you to the collections that will save you time. Stop by the library or reach out to us at lawref@wlu.edu.

Your Research Skills Aren’t Just for Legal Research Class! 

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If you think you’ll only need legal research skills for your first-year Legal Research course, think again! Research is a skill you’ll use throughout law school and your legal career. 

As your coursework becomes more advanced, you’ll encounter research-intensive projects like seminar papers, journal write-on competitions, clinics, externships, and independent research. Summer employers may also ask you to research unfamiliar legal issues or jurisdictions, making strong research skills an invaluable asset. 

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to figure it out on your own. The Law Library is available throughout your law school journey to help you develop a research strategy, identify the best resources for your topic, and navigate unfamiliar legal questions. Whether you’re tracking down legislative history, looking for a secondary source, or trying to determine where to start, we’re here to help. 

Prof. Evans helping a student

No question is too small—and asking for help early can save you time and frustration. Stop by the library, visit us during office hours, or email us at LawRef@wlu.edu.

Research is more than a first-year skill—it’s one that you will build and rely on long after you graduate. The more you research, the more your skills will grow, and the Law Library is here to support you along the way.

New Online Resources from the W&L Law Library

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The W&L Law Library has added several online resources for the 2026-2027 academic year to support your coursework, research, practice preparation, and AI competency.  

Hotshot Legal 

Hotshot Legal offers short, on-demand courses that introduce practical skills lawyers use in practice. Courses cover topics such as corporate transactions, litigation, accounting and finance, AI, and more, with videos, quizzes, written materials, and interactive exercises you can complete at your own pace. 

Aspen Learning Library  

Aspen Learning Library provides digital study aids from Aspen Publishing, including Examples & Explanations, Emanuel Law Outlines, Glannon Guides, and other popular series.

Use Aspen for class review and exam preparation across core law school subjects. Explanations, outlines, examples, and practice questions are all available to help reinforce difficult concepts.

Procertas AI Suite 

The Procertas AI Suite helps build practical, responsible AI skills for legal work, with modules on ethics and professional responsibility, AI fundamentals, and the use of AI in legal practice.

The AI Ethics & Professional Responsibility, AI Fundamentals, and AI and Legal Practice modules address issues such as confidentiality, supervision, bias, privacy, security, and the limits of generative AI, as well as AI use in litigation, transactional work, and in-house practice. Each section includes readings, videos, interactive activities, applied exercises, and a digital certificate.

New HeinOnline Collections  

  • Subject Compilations of State Laws: Helps you locate articles, books, government documents, court opinions, surveys, and other sources that compare state laws across thousands of subjects, making it useful for 50-state surveys and comparative law research. 
  • Air and Space Law: Collects materials on aviation and outer space, including aviation regulation, air traffic, aviation safety, drones, NASA, satellites, space commercialization, international cooperation, and national security. 
  • Environmental Law and Policy: U.S. and international primary-source materials on conservation, pollution, climate change, environmental risk, treaties, and national and international responses to environmental issues. 
  • Water Rights & Resources: Covers state and federal laws governing water use and protection, including the Clean Water Act, drought, groundwater, drinking water, hydropower, tribal water rights, and water management.  

Start Exploring  

You can find these resources, along with the Law Library’s other research databases and online tools, through our Databases and Online Resources directory.

Questions? Stop by the library or contact us at lawref@wlu.edu. We’re happy to help you get started! 

Welcome Nina-Simone Edwards, Technology and Research Librarian

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Nina-Simone Edwards

Nina-Simone Edwards, W&L Law’s new librarian

The Law Library is delighted to welcome Nina-Simone Edwards to our professional staff and the W&L Law community! 

Professor Edwards holds the new position of Technology and Reference Librarian, where she will support the integration of emerging technologies into the school’s research, information access, and teaching missions, as well as provide expert research and instructional support to faculty and students. She will also teach the Legal Research course in our first-year curriculum.

Prior to becoming a law librarian, Professor Edwards worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown Law’s Institute for Technology Law & Policy on the Redesigning the Governance Stack Project. Before attending law school, she was a Fulbright Scholar and a City Year AmeriCorps member. She earned her Master of Science in Library and Information Science from The Catholic University of America and her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

Please join us in welcoming Professor Edwards! Her office is 354, on the corner just across from the Circulation Desk.

5 Things Every 1L Should Know About the Law Library

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W&L Law Library Entrance
W&L Law Library 3rd Floor Main Entrance

You can’t make your way through the law school without passing through the Library at least once! As you grow more familiar with the building, you’ll discover that the Library is more than just a place that houses books—it’s also a space to study, work on a puzzle, connect with classmates, or ask for help. Here are five things every 1L should know about the Wilbur C. Hall Law Library at W&L Law! 

  1. What are some quick facts about the Law Library? 

The Wilbur C. Hall Law Library provides expert research support, programming, and access to more than 500,000 print volumes and extensive digital resources. Our team of law librarians and staff are dedicated to teaching students to become ethical legal researchers while supporting the research needs of faculty, alumni, and the broader legal community. Our Library also houses the Lewis F. Powell Jr. Archives—be on the lookout for the fall display and spring exhibit! 

  1. Who works in the Law Library? 

There are currently four law librarians—Professors Christensen, Cosby, Edwards, and Evans. Professor Cosby leads the Law Library (as the Assistant Dean of Legal Information Services), and you may have one of the other professors for your legal research class. We are always ready to help you with your research needs.

Professor Mitchell is the Archivist and Special Collections Librarian in charge of our Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Archives. We also have amazing staff who are glad to help you if need to check out materials, need carrel assistance, or help with other administrative needs. (Please note that this does not include IT help!)

  1. What is the Reserve Room?

The Reserve Room is your go-to spot for many of the resources you’ll need throughout the semester. Here you’ll find: 

  • Study aids (two-day checkout), including popular exam preparation materials.
  • Course Reserves (two-hour checkout), which include materials your professors have placed on reserve for specific classes. These are intended for short-term use so all students have access when needed.
  • Puzzles, board games, pickleball, frisbees, and other recreational items available to borrow for a study break.
  1. What are some other resources in the Library? 
  • You can reserve a study room. Six study rooms are available for law students during the academic year. Rooms 305–309 seat up to two people, while Room 304 accommodates larger groups (up to eight) for collaborative work. Rooms can be reserved through 25Live (or by scanning the QR code on the door) for up to four hours per person per day. During winter break and the summer, study rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
  •  You can print, scan, and copy. BizHubs (printers/scanners/copiers) are located throughout the Library for student use.  
  • You can find your ideal study space. Whether you prefer a quiet corner for focused work or a collaborative area for group projects, the library has a variety of study environments! 
  • Be sure to use our research guides. Online research guides provide curated resources, database recommendations, and research tips for courses, legal topics, and practice areas.  
  • Ask a librarian. Whether you’re stuck on a research assignment or just aren’t sure where to start, the law librarians are here to help! 
  1. How do I get help? 

Your professor should be your first point of contact for questions about any course assignments. If you need additional research support, the Law Library’s Reference Team is here to help. Our law librarians can assist you with planning your research strategy, identifying relevant legal resources, and locating materials for your coursework and other research projects. You can stop by our offices in the Library or send an email to LawRef@wlu.edu. 

New Washington and Lee Law Journal Rankings Released

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The 2025 Washington and Lee Law Journal Rankings are now available at go.wlu.edu/lawjournals.

Maintained by the W&L Law Library, the Rankings are a world-recognized resource for identifying and comparing law journals by subject, country of publication, or rank across several categories relevant to scholars and publishers.

Data for 2025 includes the top 400 U.S.-published law journals and the top 100 law journals published outside the United States, based on citation counts and publication statistics for a 2021-2025 survey period.

New Rankings are released annually based on data up through the preceding calendar year. Historical data from the 1996-2003 to 2020-2024 survey periods remains accessible on the site for reference and comparison.

For more information about W&L Law Journal Rankings, please visit the the How to Use and Methodology pages of the site. Questions and comments are welcome at LawJournalRankings@wlu.edu.