The context: Over the month of June, LSNC is evaluating whether to move from the old school version of Westlaw to the more “Google-y” WestlawNext. We’re only a few days in, so I have not even gotten to the point of soliciting feedback from the multiple testers across the different offices. But this morning I got this message from one of them: “I’m sure you intended for me to work with this new Westlaw interface longer before providing feedback, but I can tell you already that it is significantly better than ordinary Westlaw for me. Searches are much easier, it is very simple to change the viewing options for a case (hiding West Headnotes) and it seems much faster. I’ll tell you more later, but so far I think it’s great. Please tell me we’ll be able to keep it.”

Actually I can’t say that since we don’t yet know what it will cost us to make a change. But this is an early sign that Westlaw’s modernization of its search algorithms, rethinking of the user interface, and recognition that legal (re)search paradigms have shifted significantly, are paying off at some basic level. This may be just a first-date crush, but I suspect a longer engagement is in the offing.

Other posts of possible interest...

• Legal research and the need to be “more like Google”