This Guide is intended to provide basic answers on how to find certain types of resources in the Law Library's print and electronic collections. For more in-depth research questions, we encourage you to contact one of our Reference Librarians by email at loyolalawreference@luc.edu or by phone at 312-915-7205. Our current Law Library reference hours are:
Although we are happy to assist you with reference questions, please remember that our reference librarians will not answer questions that require performing research for you, providing legal advice, or assisting with legal procedures. For details about available reference services, see About Loyola Law Library Reference Services.
Bloomberg Law Access
There are no academic restrictions on your Loyola-issued Bloomberg Law account. Graduating students will continue to have full access to the platform for six months following their graduation. Continuing students can use their academic accounts during their summer employment/activities for ANY purpose.
If you have questions, please contact Stefanie Schuette (sslavens@bloombergindustry.com) or Debra Ngcobo (dngcobo@bloombergindustry.com).
Lexis Access
Summer Access terms: LexisNexis is available to all law students once classes end for the semester/academic year, for the summer months of May, June, July and August. LexisNexis believes a student's participation in a summer associate, internship or clerkship program is a valuable part of your legal education. For that reason, during this period the permissible uses of their LexisNexis law school educational ID are expanded to include use at any law firm, government agency, court or other legal position, internship, externship or clerkship.
Graduate Access: In addition to summer access for 1Ls and 2Ls, spring graduates have continued access to Lexis upon graduation to keep their skills up to date and use for job and interview preparation. The Graduate Program gives extended access to Lexis+ to spring graduates via their law school IDs through December 31, 2023. Spring graduates have access to most of the same content and features available during law school. In addition, they also gain access to the Graduate Home Page and a graduate gift which they can redeem via the Graduate Home Page. The transition from a regular law school ID to a graduate ID happens on July 10, 2023.
In addition, spring graduates who are engaged in verifiable 501(c)(3) public interest work can apply for a Lexis ASPIRE ID. Graduates who qualify for a Lexis ASPIRE ID will receive 12 months of free access to federal and state court cases, statutes, regulations, law journals, Shepard's, and Matthew Bender sources through Lexis. The application for an ASPIRE ID is available at https://www.lexisnexis.com/grad-access/
If you have any questions, please contact Tianna Gadbaw (tianna.gadbaw@lexisnexis.com).
Westlaw Access
Non-Graduating Students (Summer Access)
You can use Thomson Reuters products, including Westlaw and Practical Law, 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:
You do not have to do anything to gain access to these tools over the summer.
Graduating Students
You have access to Thomson Reuters products, including Westlaw and Practical Law, for six months after graduation by registering for “Grad Elite.” “Grad Elite” access gives you 60-hours of usage on these products per month to gain understanding and build confidence in your research skills. While you cannot use it in situations where you are billing a client, Thomson Reuters encourages you to use these tools to build your knowledge of the law and prepare for your bar exam.
YOU MUST OPT IN TO GRAD ELITE Access:
1. Go to https://lawschool.thomsonreuters.com/; log in; use the drop-down menu by your name to go to Grad Elite Status
2. Or Click on this link: https://lawschool.westlaw.com/authentication/gradelite
If you have any questions, please contact Elan Kleis (elan.kleis@ThomsonReuters.com)
Reference librarians at the Law Library provide assistance with selecting and using resources for legal research. Our primary patrons are: current law students, law faculty, and law staff. If time and resources permit, we also provide reference services to: Loyola University Chicago non-law students, faculty, and staff; Loyola law alumni; and Illinois attorneys. We also assist those seeking access to federal depository materials.
For reference services for law faculty, see the Faculty Services Guide.
For reference services for law students, see the Law Library Student Services Guide.
For resources for alumni, see the Law Library Alumni Services Guide.
For access to federal depository materials, please contact LoyolaLawReference@luc.edu.
What kinds of questions may I ask the reference librarians?
Although we are happy to assist people doing legal research, the reference librarians may only provide help with selecting and using library materials and online resources. For example, we can:
Reference librarians will not conduct legal research for patrons, give legal advice, or answer specific questions about interpreting the law. For example, librarians will not:
Examples of acceptable questions:
Examples of unacceptable questions:
Resources for finding legal advice
People seeking legal advice should visit the Web sites of institutions that specialize in helping people find legal representation, such as the Illinois State Bar Association or the Chicago Bar Association, or consult with Illinois Legal Aid Online.
Selected books on legal research in the Law Library collection. Unless otherwise indicated, these books are located in the Law Library Main Stacks. You can search our Library Catalog to find more books about Legal Research in our collection.
Impeccable Research, a Concise Guide to Mastering Legal Research Skills, 2d by 
Internet Legal Research on a Budget, 2nd edition by 
Legal Research (Examples & Explanations) by 
Legal Research Demystified: a Step-by-Step Approach, 2nd ed. by 
Where the Law Is, 5th edition by 
Loyola University Chicago
School of Law Library
Philip H. Corboy Law Center
25 E. Pearson Street
Chicago, IL 60611
Access and borrowing questions:
Law-Library@luc.edu
Research questions: LoyolaLawReference@luc.edu
Main: 312.915.7200
Circulation: 312.915.6986
Reference: 312.915.7205
Interlibrary Loan: 312.915.7202
Fax: 312.915.6797
The resources listed below are compiled and published by professional associations for Law Librarians. While they are intended for use by non-lawyers, they contain tips on conducting legal research that can be of value to any researcher.
