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Do you guys agree that since the small firm I've been clerking for this summer expected me to use my student account that it wasn't my place to ask them to pay for my searches. They are paying me salary if that means anything.

I know its wrong, I just didn't feel it was my place and quite frankly didn't think it would be right if I personally foot the cost.

You get charged for your student account?

Anonymous User wrote:You get charged for your student account?

Word is my school has an agreement with Westlaw where they don't pay for it, neither do we so long as we agree to terms of use not to use it in connection with non-educational purposes

KijiStewart wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:You get charged for your student account?

Word is my school has an agreement with Westlaw where they don't pay for it, neither do we so long as we agree to terms of use not to use it in connection with non-educational purposes

They (school/westlaw) will never find out about this...unless you tell them.

There's certainly a little dancing around some ethical lines here, especially if you print a case and in bold letters it says EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY at the top when you hand it to a partner.

That being said, I've seen it done many times before.

Bluem_11 wrote:There's certainly a little dancing around some ethical lines here, especially if you print a case and in bold letters it says EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY at the top when you hand it to a partner.

That being said, I've seen it done many times before.

Not to give 'unethical' advice...but download it as a word doc and delete that top line.

RaceJudicata wrote:

Bluem_11 wrote:There's certainly a little dancing around some ethical lines here, especially if you print a case and in bold letters it says EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY at the top when you hand it to a partner.

That being said, I've seen it done many times before.

Not to give 'unethical' advice...but download it as a word doc and delete that top line.

I just feel there's clearly an ethical violation here.

The firm knows it too because we have many alums from my TT.

Is the purely ethical thing to do to inform the firm I will buy my own subscription (I feel like that even violates the firm's term of use contract because each firm has a firm specific WL contract). Telling the firm, add me to the # of people who use WL seems impossible ..

Idk what to tell you man but come on don't go buying an individual westlaw subscription for three months.

Internship = educational purpose. Surely people can't be this paranoid...

jchiles wrote:Idk what to tell you man but come on don't go buying an individual westlaw subscription for three months.

Ya this. Also, do you have any clue how much that would cost you? I guarantee it's a lot more than you think.

TTTTescapee wrote:Internship = educational purpose. Surely people can't be this paranoid...

I thought it was WestLaw and Lexis official position that you can use your accounts for summer internships (and are encouraged to do so)

DCfilterDC wrote:

TTTTescapee wrote:Internship = educational purpose. Surely people can't be this paranoid...

I thought it was WestLaw and Lexis official position that you can use your accounts for summer internships (and are encouraged to do so)

That's what our reps constantly told us. Even if you "couldn't" an internship is most certainly educational.

Working for a firm isn't an internship, it's a job. Westlaw still doesn't let you use your account when working for a firm. https://lawschool.westlaw.com/marketing/display/MI/473

A. Nony Mouse wrote:Working for a firm isn't an internship, it's a job. Westlaw still doesn't let you use your account when working for a firm. https://lawschool.westlaw.com/marketing/display/MI/473

Unpaid they do.

But I do see that OP is paid

It's against DOL regulations to do an unpaid internship with a private employer, though.

DCfilterDC wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote:Working for a firm isn't an internship, it's a job. Westlaw still doesn't let you use your account when working for a firm. https://lawschool.westlaw.com/marketing/display/MI/473

Unpaid they do.

But I do see that OP is paid

Also, apparently my TT goes apeshit if they find out (it's an honor code violation)

A. Nony Mouse wrote:It's against DOL regulations to do an unpaid internship with a private employer, though.

lol

DCfilterDC wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote:It's against DOL regulations to do an unpaid internship with a private employer, though.

lol

My point is that I doubt Westlaw is saying "go for it at your unpaid internship with a firm" when DOL doesn't allow students to do unpaid internships at a firm.

It's also stupid to work unpaid for a private employer, though.