We expect all customers to be using the new Westlaw UK as their main research service by the end of November 2019. Around this time all links to the existing service will be redirected to relevant pages on the new service or the new Westlaw UK homepage. The existing Westlaw UK platform will be closed on the 14th of December 2019.
Westlaw UK
Thomson Reuters Training & Support
General questions
You may have noticed the URLs we advised in September 2019 were https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com and https://westlawuk.thomsonreuters.co.uk. We now have a direct URL for Westlaw UK. Please click the link below to access the new platform.
If you use a proxy server, please ensure you update your server with the new URL https://uk.westlaw.com
Please note https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com will direct you to the Practical Law UK website. https://westlawuk.thomsonreuters.co.uk will redirect you to the the https://uk.westlaw.com website.
There is no additional charge for using the new service and the content and features in your subscription. The new service will include add-on content and features that may be outside of your subscription.
We are aware of issues some customers have been experiencing accessing Westlaw UK via IP authenticated links.
Customers experiencing issues have been using Proxy IPs to enable links for onsite and offsite access. Although it has been possible to modify Westlaw UK links to accommodate proxy access in the past, the bespoke nature of the links means that they cannot be supported or tested in the way standard IP links and Single Sign-On can.
Thomson Reuters do not provide support for Proxy services. You will need to contact your Proxy server about configuring your settings. We would like to advise all users of these services that Westlaw UK cannot guarantee the integrity of these links moving forward.
We recommend you take this opportunity to update your access method to Single Sign-On. Should you be interested please contact us.
Other supported seamless access methods include OpenAthens, The Australian Access Federation and The Tuakiri Federation. If it recommended that OpenAthens or Federation links are used for offsite authentication into Westlaw UK.
Using the Westlaw UK sign in page, please enter in your Username and Password and click Sign in. If you have forgotten your OnePass login credentials, please click either Forgot username? or Forgot password? and follow the prompts to reset your details.
If your organisation is set up with IP access and you access https://uk.westlaw.com within the recognised IP network, you will be let into the platform without needing to log in. To login with OnePass please follow our tip sheet here.
6 hours.
During the period of parallel access (September to December) users will continue to receive alerts from current Westlaw UK. When the period of parallel access ends the alerts will be deleted on the closed platform. Users will need to ensure they recreate their alerts on the new Westlaw UK if they wish to continue to receive them.
As the new Westlaw UK service has an improved search and alerts engine, users will need to set up their alerts on the new service. This will ensure users are alerting on the most up to date, relevant content and can make use of the new features on the service. We will not be turning off old alerts until users are happy with the alerts on the new platform.
The document delivery limit is currently 500, pending review. However, customers are reminded that they cannot download more than one or two chapters at a time or risk being in breach of their terms of service. We monitor for excessive usage and accounts can be suspended if this is detected.
We have released a page-level link builder. This works in the same way as the previous site, in that you will be able to generate a link to a given web page. You will not be able to generate a link that then also takes you to a particular paragraph within that webpage.
Westlaw UK Books can be accessed from the product dropdown in the top left-hand corner. There are also links to books from cases, legislation and Practical Law content. The new books service delivers a considerably enhanced experience, tailored for commentary content.
Westlaw UK will be moving to a new platform at the end of 2019. As new features and enhancements are launched on the new platform we expect our users to make new Westlaw UK their service of choice. All users will have a period of dual access when they can use both sites. During this dual running period, users will be able to create deep links to the new Westlaw UK to replace existing links they may have created on their intranet or in documents. This approach allows users to manage how and when they link to the new service. The new service makes it easier to get to certain content types and other content has been improved and restructured. We also know that users have some very old links in outdated formats and links to content that is no longer available. Therefore, a user led approach allows everyone to ensure links to the new service achieve the goal the user originally intended.
Current Westlaw UK is still available and customers can continue to access it in the usual way. Any new features and enhancements from 2019 and beyond will be released on the new Westlaw UK only. There will be a period of dual access where customers can access both the current and new versions of Westlaw UK.
Product questions
The Client ID is used to record billable time against a client or matter. The Client ID is recorded in your History tab within Westlaw. Enter a client name, research topic or a matter number and click the Start new session button to get started with your research.
Update: The Client ID prompt has now been removed for IP access.