What is Legal Exchange?
Part of my mission here on One The Docket is to help the legal professionals in the state of Michigan find some clarity in the hundreds of things we use on a regular basis. As it turns out, one of those things is the single sign on Legal Exchange account that most law firms and law school students in Michigan have.
For the majority of legal professionals in Michigan, legal research is done through either Casemaker or WestlawNext. If you’re not sure what those things are, I refer you to our LSAT posts.
Legal Exchange is the hub that brings together these disparate logins. Instead of creating a new account for every site that’s available, Legal Exchange allows you to use your single account to access everything.
Once you’ve logged into Legal Exchange and opted-in to the sites that you’d like to access , using them is as easy as simply selecting the icon from the home page, which will seamlessly pass you through to that site. Pretty cool, right?
One caveat: The database that Legal Exchange uses to instantly pass you through to these sites will sometimes be out of date, making it confusing as to what login credentials are associated with your account. If this happens, there’s always the option to go directly to any of the sites and login from there.
So now you know what Legal Exchange is and what it’s for, but you still don’t understand why it’s important. Here’s the answer:
Having just one account to access any tool I need is amazing.
How to Sign Up for Legal Exchange
To start the process of using the Legal Exchange, you are required to register an account. This may entail some steps that are unfamiliar to relatively new users. When you first attempt to register for an account on the Legal Exchange, the site will simultaneously ask you to log in and ask you to register for an account. To register, go ahead and click Register User, which will be in blue font underneath the Log In box.
Once you click that link, it will prompt you to fill out a registration form. You will be asked for your first and last name, firm name, phone number, email address (where an email containing your Authorized User Code will be sent), password, your concerns, address, and your legal specialty (if any). Once you have entered all of that information, the system will send you an email with an Authorized User Code. You will then need to enter that code in the box on the Legal Exchange that says User Code.
The registration process isn’t complete at that point – the process won’t finish until you verify your email address (which should be done pretty promptly after registering). Once you receive the verification email with the verification link, click it to complete the process.
The Legal Exchange Login Steps
A common way for users to access Legal Exchange is through their organizations and Cadwalader helps various members of our client base with such authentication procedures. In these cases, we verify the user’s identity through a secure administrative process, which includes user name, password, account creation, authentication and security protocols.
Users who have not been through such an administrative process with us still have a direct way to access Legal Exchange. To access the site, you must go to www.cadwalader.com and navigate to Log-in, in the top right corner of the page.
A page will pop up that will ask for your email address, which must be the same email address that you use to log into the Cadwalader site. Once you enter the email address, the next step is to enter your password. If you received an email from us or another firm contact asking you to log into Legal Exchange, the link you receive (the hyperlink) in the email will automatically populate the email address field you must fill out. The hyperlink does not (as has been reported) log you directly into the site; you must at the very least click on the link, go to the site, enter the email address, etc., before getting past the point of the homepage that asks for your email address.
If you are already a member of Legal Exchange and now want to grant access to your colleagues, we highly recommend that you first reach out to an existing member who can assist you in the process or contact Cadwalader Client Services at 212-504-6000.
If you have forgotten your password, you can save some time by requesting a new password instead of repeating the login process. That link is found directly on the Log-in page.
Legal Exchange Security
The platform places a significant emphasis on the security of its user information. Operating under some of the strictest security standards in the industry, Legal Exchange utilizes robust security measures to protect sensitive data as it moves through the system. From the initial signup process through the final stages of regulatory compliance, the system is designed to facilitate the legal exchange of information in a secure and hassle-free manner.
One of the key contributors to Legal Exchange’s high security rating is its use of SSL certificates. The system requires that all communications between the client and server remain encrypted . Data encryption – the method used to encode messages before they are sent – is the cornerstone of online security. It keeps both the information and its transmission channel secure.
Some of the other security features at work in the Legal Exchange system include strong data encryption algorithms, detailed log trackers, firewall protections and network activity reports. With so many cybersecurity measures in place, it might seem like there isn’t much else a user can do to further secure their information. But that’s not quite the case. Legal Exchange provides users with additional options for enhancing security when accessing shared data, including multi-factor authentication and single sign-on convenience access.
Legal Exchange Account Management
It is important to manage your Legal Exchange account to remain in compliance with the rules of the Legal Exchange, the rules of the court, and the rules of the clerk’s office. All Information on your Legal Exchange Account including the contact information for your profile is subject to verification for accuracy at any time the court or clerk may choose to check. Any error that is found on the account may suspend your right to access the account. Therefore It is strongly encouraged that the user keep good records of any changes made to the Legal Exchange account and comply with updating the account immediately if you change firms, change offices, or change partner.
To manage your Legal Exchange Account:
To change your legal exchange profile information:
To change your Legal Exchange settings:
Support and Resources for Legal Exchange
Legal Exchange, a product of Thomson Reuters, offers users a variety of legal support and research resources. These include: In addition, Legal Exchange provides a substantial collection of eBooks, whitepapers, and other resources related to the legal profession. These materials are organized by topic area – like bankruptcy or IP litigation – and can be downloaded or accessed in your browser . (Some require site registration.) The Legal Exchange also offers a collection of recorded webinars. Finally, Legal Exchange users in Thomson Reuters’ WestlawNext service can access 13 separate Butch Wade "quick lessons" to help users make better use of the service.