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Experiential Learning Resources: Library Access and Policies

This guide provides research tips and links to resources for students who are working for a judge, a law firm, a clinic or a professor. It is similar and related to the Summer Associate Research Guide which focuses more on students working for law firms.

On This Page

This page contains information about library access and policies, specifically:

Chicago Law Libraries--Contact Information

Loyola University Chicago Law Library
25 East Pearson Street
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 915-7205

DePaul University Rinn Law Library
25 E. Jackson Blvd., 7th Floor
Chicago, IL 60604
(312) 362-8701

Northwestern University Law Library (Pritzker Legal Research Center)
357 E. Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 503-8451

IIT Chicago-Kent Law Library
565 West Adams Street
Chicago, IL 60661
(312) 906-5600

UIC Louis L. Biro Law Library
315 S. Plymouth Court
Chicago, IL 60604
(312) 427-2737

University of Chicago D'Angelo Law Library
1121 E. 60th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
(773) 702-9615

Harold Washington Public Library
400 S. State St.
Chicago, IL 60605
(312) 747-4300

Cook County Law Library
2900 Daley Center
50 W. Washington St., 29th Floor
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 603-5423

 

Key Research Contacts

Loyola University Chicago Law Library Reference Desk: (312) 915-7205, loyolalawreference@luc.edu

Circuit Court of Cook County Information: (312) 603-4259

Illinois Legislative Reference Bureau: (217) 782-6625

Post-Graduation and Summer 2025 Access: Bloomberg Law, Lexis, and Westlaw

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 any questions, please contact Colin Caleb (ccaleb@bloombergindustry.com). 

Lexis+ Access

Summer Access: Lexis+ is available to all law students once classes end 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.

Extended Access to Lexis+: Spring 2025 graduates have access to Lexis+ via their law school IDs through December 31, 2025. This access can be used for any purpose. Spring graduates have access to most of the same content and features available during law school, excluding public records, Lexis+ AI®, Law 360, and Practical Guidance. On July 10, 2025, the spring graduates' view of the Law School Home Page will automatically switch to the graduate view. This new view provides helpful information for their careers and job search. 

Aspire Program: The ASPIRE program is dedicated to graduates engaged in non-profit work. It provides 12 months of free access to federal and state cases, regulations, law reviews, Shepard's, and Matthew Bender treatises to graduates who are engaged in verifiable 501(c)(3) public interest work. For more details, visit https://www.lexisnexis.com/grad-access/ or email Donna Ford (donna.ford@lexisnexis.com) with specific questions.  

If you have any general questions, please contact Scott Bernstein (scott.bernstein@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:

  • Summer coursework
  • Research assistant assignments
  • Law Review or Journal research
  • Moot Court research
  • Non-Profit work
  • Clinical work
  • Externship sponsored by the school

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). 

LUC Law Library

Joe Mitzenmacher's picture

Reference Email: LoyolaLawReference@luc.edu