Bridge the Gap:
Research Alerts and Updates
March 26, 2014
Andrew Winston
I. Alerts
Uses of Alerts
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 Receive regular, automatic
updates on legal and/or news
developments on issues
 Be notified of new citations to
a case
 Be notified of pending legislation
that affects an existing statute
 Receive articles on a topic from a
specified publication
Example
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A. Lexis Advance
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 Search Alert
 Shepard’s Alert
 Specific Publication Alert
 Pending Legislation Alert
 Topic Alert
More Information:
http://info.legalsolutions.thomsonreuters.com/westlawnext/a
bout/awareness/alerts/default.aspx
1. Search Alert
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 Run search
 Refine using filters to retrieve desired results
 Click the Alert icon above results to set up an Alert; select
content type, delivery method, and other recipients
1. Search Alert
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2. Shepard’s Alert
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 Shepardize an item
 Click the Alert icon above results to set up an Alert to be
notified of new negative or other analysis of the item
3. Specific Publication Alert
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 Select a publication using Browse Sources and add to search
 Enter search terms and run search
 Click the Alert icon above results to set up an Alert for articles
in that publication that meet search criteria
4. Pending Legislation Alert
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 Retrieve federal or state statute by citation (or otherwise)
 Click the Alert icon to set up an Alert for pending legislation that
could amend or repeal that statute
5. Topic Alert
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 Select Browse Topics
 Search for particular topics and select relevant practice areas
from search results
 Click on a subsection and set an Alert
6. Manage Alerts
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B. WestlawNext
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Set up various alerts via WestlawNext’s Alerts Center (or
when viewing particular search results):
 WestClip
 KeyCite Alert
 Court Wire Alert
 Docket Alert
 Publication Alert
More Information:
https://info.legalsolutions.thomsonreuters.com/pdf/wln2/L-
381793_Alerts_brochure2.pdf
B. WestlawNext
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B. WestlawNext – Alert Center
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 Create new Alert
1. WestClip
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 Name the Alert
1. WestClip
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 Select type(s) of materials
1. WestClip
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 Set search terms
1. WestClip
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 Specify delivery
1. WestClip
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 Schedule Alert
2. Other Alerts on WestlawNext
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 KeyCite – monitor new negative and other citations to cases,
statutes, and regulations
 Court Wire – monitor new cases in multiple courts based on
specified criteria
 Docket – receive updates on new filings on a specified case
 Publication – receive alerts on new documents from a specified
publication that meet search criteria
3. Manage Alerts
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4. Westlaw Classic
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4. Westlaw Classic – Alert Center
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C. Bloomberg Law
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 Search Alerts
 Citation Alerts
More Information:
http://www.bloomberglaw.com/help/AL_Saved_Searches__
_Alerts_Overview.htm
1. Example – Docket Alert
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1. Example – Docket Alert
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2. Example – Legislative Search Alerts
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3. Example – Citation Alerts
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4. Manage Alerts
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D. CCH Intelliconnect
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 Trackers – daily news updates on particular topics via email or
RSS reader
More Information:
http://support.cch.com/productsupport/solution.aspx?id=rp2275&
prodpath=%2FTopics%2Fproduct_support%2Fintelliconnect&pro
dname=CCH%20IntelliConnect
D. CCH Intelliconnect
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D. CCH Intelliconnect
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D. CCH Intelliconnect
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E. Bloomberg BNA
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 Email alerts on various Bloomberg BNA newsletters
1. Bloomberg BNA
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1. Bloomberg BNA
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1. Bloomberg BNA
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2. Bloomberg BNA on Bloomberg Law
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2. Bloomberg BNA on Bloomberg Law
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F. Some Other Databases Offering Alert Services
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 Law360
 Index to Legal Periodicals
 LegalTrac
 JSTOR
 SSRN
II. Legal Blogs
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A. Some Examples
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 SCOTUSBlog
 FCPA Blog
 Concurring Opinions
 Prawfsblawg
 Wall Street Journal’s Law Blog
 Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s VLW Blog
B. Finding Other Legal Blogs
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 ABA Journal’s Blawg Directory
 Justia’s BlawgSearch
 Law Professor Blogs
 Search with Google
 Review blogrolls of
other blogs
C. RSS Readers
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Some examples:
 Feedly
 Digg
 GR2Reader
 NewsBlur
 The Old Reader
Note: Many blogs also post links to new posts on Twitter.

Bridge the gap alerts