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Currently a first year. Started as a stub in September. Just received a call from a partner on the other coast. I had used Westlaw a few times to look up some people I know in court dockets. Westlaw flagged this to the firm. The call was letting me know and wanted to confirm but said it’s “no problem” and to just be aware of privacy rules next time. Obviously am horrified. Has this happened to anyone else before?

plenty of people in biglaw firms use westlaw for personal stuff, like writing articles. you just have to make sure you're not billing a client when you put your client number in - just use the firm generic client number

Using normal Westlaw for personal purposes is very common (call it "professional development"), but using the public records features (like People Search, Criminal Records search, etc.), which it sounds like you were doing, is more of a no-no, because there are only certain circumstances where you're legally allowed to run those type of records searches (e.g., researching in connection with litigation, etc.).

Barrred wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:28 pm

Using normal Westlaw for personal purposes is very common (call it "professional development"), but using the public records features (like People Search, Criminal Records search, etc.), which it sounds like you were doing, is more of a no-no, because there are only certain circumstances where you're legally allowed to run those type of records searches (e.g., researching in connection with litigation, etc.).

OP here. Yes, it was through public records searches. I think the call was supposed to be the warning/slap-on-the-wrist and I know now. Just unclear how severe of an offense this is in the eyes of a firm.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:36 pm

Barrred wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:28 pm

Using normal Westlaw for personal purposes is very common (call it "professional development"), but using the public records features (like People Search, Criminal Records search, etc.), which it sounds like you were doing, is more of a no-no, because there are only certain circumstances where you're legally allowed to run those type of records searches (e.g., researching in connection with litigation, etc.).

OP here. Yes, it was through public records searches. I think the call was supposed to be the warning/slap-on-the-wrist and I know now. Just unclear how severe of an offense this is in the eyes of a firm.

No one will care if your work and hours are decent.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:36 pm

Barrred wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:28 pm

Using normal Westlaw for personal purposes is very common (call it "professional development"), but using the public records features (like People Search, Criminal Records search, etc.), which it sounds like you were doing, is more of a no-no, because there are only certain circumstances where you're legally allowed to run those type of records searches (e.g., researching in connection with litigation, etc.).

OP here. Yes, it was through public records searches. I think the call was supposed to be the warning/slap-on-the-wrist and I know now. Just unclear how severe of an offense this is in the eyes of a firm.

Not a big deal. Just don't make a habit of it.

Barrred wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 6:43 pm

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:36 pm

Barrred wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:28 pm

Using normal Westlaw for personal purposes is very common (call it "professional development"), but using the public records features (like People Search, Criminal Records search, etc.), which it sounds like you were doing, is more of a no-no, because there are only certain circumstances where you're legally allowed to run those type of records searches (e.g., researching in connection with litigation, etc.).

OP here. Yes, it was through public records searches. I think the call was supposed to be the warning/slap-on-the-wrist and I know now. Just unclear how severe of an offense this is in the eyes of a firm.

Not a big deal. Just don't make a habit of it.

I think the right advice, after a partner at the firm called OP for engaging in this conduct, is don't do it again, not to avoid making it a habit. But obviously OP can take their chances and just do it here and there, non-habitually.

avenuem wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 7:54 pm

Barrred wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 6:43 pm

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:36 pm

Barrred wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:28 pm

Using normal Westlaw for personal purposes is very common (call it "professional development"), but using the public records features (like People Search, Criminal Records search, etc.), which it sounds like you were doing, is more of a no-no, because there are only certain circumstances where you're legally allowed to run those type of records searches (e.g., researching in connection with litigation, etc.).

OP here. Yes, it was through public records searches. I think the call was supposed to be the warning/slap-on-the-wrist and I know now. Just unclear how severe of an offense this is in the eyes of a firm.

Not a big deal. Just don't make a habit of it.

I think the right advice, after a partner at the firm called OP for engaging in this conduct, is don't do it again, not to avoid making it a habit. But obviously OP can take their chances and just do it here and there, non-habitually.

I think that using the public record search feature on Westlaw after receiving a warning not to do so would constitute "making it a habit," but point taken that I may not have been as clear as I could have been. OP is over-thinking this, he should just say "lesson learned" and move on--even that partner will forget about this in a couple months.

Yeah, when a partner unprompted say it’s not a problem, that generally means it’s not a problem.

If you're trying to practice features in Westlaw, then seek out a rep to walk-through a tutorial for you. Or use yourself as the person being searched.

Anonymous User wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:36 pm

Barrred wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:28 pm

Using normal Westlaw for personal purposes is very common (call it "professional development"), but using the public records features (like People Search, Criminal Records search, etc.), which it sounds like you were doing, is more of a no-no, because there are only certain circumstances where you're legally allowed to run those type of records searches (e.g., researching in connection with litigation, etc.).

OP here. Yes, it was through public records searches. I think the call was supposed to be the warning/slap-on-the-wrist and I know now. Just unclear how severe of an offense this is in the eyes of a firm.

I thought that Westlaw requires the user to select the specific purpose for these searches from a handful of permitted purposes, none of which is for personal use.

That’s why I use Lexis. We have unlimited searches on there. I think my firm actually got rid of Weslaw.

But in the grand scheme, no one cares or will care. Just go make some money for the firm.