Guides and databases: Law: Databases

Key databases in your subject area

The two most comprehensive legal databases are Lexis Library and Westlaw UK. These contain a vast amount of information, including legislation and case law from a number of jurisdictions, hundreds of full-text journals, and an extensive selection of legal texts.

Lexis+ UK
Formerly known as LexisLibrary, Lexis+ UK provides access to key primary materials such as The Law Reports, The English Reports, and consolidated versions of all UK legislation in force, as well as resources not available elsewhere such as the All England Law Reports, New Law Journal, and Halsbury's Laws of England.
Westlaw UK
Provides access to a similar range of primary materials as Lexis Library. Content unique to the database includes the Common Market Law Reports, Criminal Appeal Reports and European Human Rights Reports, as well as major academic journals such as the Law Quarterly Review. Users will need to register with their UCL email address the first time they login.

Most people develop a preference for one database over the other, and provided you find what you are looking for, it doesn't really matter which you use. However, although there is considerable overlap between the two, it's important to realise that no single database will provide you with everything you need, and it's well worth spending time learning how to use both effectively.

vLex Justis
As well as the full text of all UK Acts as enacted from 1235 to the present day, vLex Justis also contains the largest collection of transcripts of UK court judgments available online, some of which date as far back as 1852. However, perhaps the most useful aspect of the database, especially for new law students, is the integrated legal index and citator, which provides links to the full text of case reports and consolidated versions of legislation in other databases, including Lexis+ UK and Westlaw UK.
Law Trove
Provides online access to approximately 200 legal textbooks published by Oxford University Press.

Library Databases

Library databases A-Z
Browse or search our databases by title, or use the Subject drop down box at the top to narrow down to databases in your subject area.

UCL LIBRARY SERVICES

Law

Key databases in your subject area

Library Databases

What is a database?