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Most law firms demand that their employees demonstrate competency in legal research.
Knowing how to navigate print and online information sources is slowly becoming a requirement.
LexisNexis is the leading software platform for legal research.
To help increase the number of expert users, LexisNexis has created several certificates requiring passing an exam.
However, due to the extensive features of the software, several schools have developed LexisNexis certificate training programs to help legal professionals, law enforcement personnel, and students learn the system.
Before enrolling in a LexisNexis certificate training program, it’s important to understand if it’s worth it.
Keep reading to find out!
Program: LexisNexis® Legal Research Certificate
Program Details:- Study at your own pace, anytime with 24/7 access
- Earn a certificate in as little as 4 months*
- Learn to navigate Lexis.com, find legal sources, and verify citations.
- Learn to find, profile, and investigate individuals and businesses.
- Learn to understand library call numbers and classification systems.
- Learn to perform financial and business research.
What Is a LexisNexis Certificate?
A LexisNexis certificate is a credential proving a professional’s mastery of the LexisNexis legal research platform.
While there are many LexisNexis certifications, based on need, the two most common are the Lexis+ certification and the LexisNexis Paralegal Student Certificate of Mastery.
The Lexis+ Certification gives candidates knowledge of advanced search techniques for more efficient searches.
The Paralegal Student Certificate of Mastery is for paralegals and law students.
What Are the Benefits of a LexisNexis Certificate?
Although the benefits of earning a LexisNexis certificate are plentiful, the primary advantages include:
Access to Comprehensive Legal Databases
Those who earn a certificate will have immediate access to an array of legal information, ranging from regulations and statutes to case law, both on a state and federal level.
In addition to being an expert on how to use the system, this will make you a key contact at your employer.
Competitive Advantage
In an increasingly competitive job market, holding a LexisNexis certification gives you an advantage over other candidates applying for the same position.
Earning the certification not only gives you better search efficiency and more legal research expertise but also highlights your commitment to professional development.
Demonstrate Expertise
Those who earn the certificate are showcasing to current and future employers that they hold a deep understanding of how to use the LexisNexis system, making them an in-house authority.
These valuable skills will help colleagues better understand the software’s unique content and features, which benefits the entire organization.
LexisNexis professionals can even train their coworkers on how to utilize the system efficiently.
Extended Professional Credibility
Since LexisNexis is one of the leading legal research programs in the U.S., earning a certificate in the functions and uses increases your authority and professional credibility.
Also, it ensures you remain updated on legal techniques and research tools, which are invaluable to employers.
Improved Research Skills
Enrolling in a certification training program gives a more structured learning environment with curricula including features specific to each platform, citators, filters, Boolean operators, and advanced search techniques.
These skills surpass simply earning a certificate as they are essential for performing accurate and comprehensive legal research.
LexisNexis InterAction+ Access
As part of the LexisNexis access, you can utilize InterAction+, a platform that helps law firms improve client experience by tracking engagements and managing client relationships.
For busy legal professionals, having an encompassing system for legal research and some of the administrative work is highly effective and efficient.
More Search Efficiency
With new content sources seeming to pop up every five minutes, having a relevant, reliable source of information for legal research is invaluable.
By mastering the LexisNexis features and tools, legal professionals will reduce the effort and required time to conduct research, which improves overall productivity.
Knowing how to easily navigate the system and quickly find the information allows you to focus on other legal requirements of the position.
Search efficiency is also highly valuable to employers as it saves the company money by maximizing productivity.
Remaining Current
Since certification materials are regularly updated to reflect more efficient features and tools, LexisNexis professionals will receive notifications on the latest software enhancements, which provide further value to their personal development and the company in which they are employed.
Each improvement helps with search efficiency and the level of detail required to meet the demands of each research request.
Risk Management
From a corporate perspective, those who are experts in utilizing the system can assist with risk management conversations.
Depending on the certificate, LexisNexis systems have tools for identifying and managing different types of legal risks, like compliance, identity theft, and fraud prevention.
Sources
- https://libguides.derby.ac.uk/c.php?g=689242&p=4933404
- https://www.pennfoster.edu/programs/legal/lexisnexis-legal-research-certificate/curriculum
- https://www.lexisnexis.com/community/insights/professional/b/solutions/posts/top-five-reasons-to-take-advantage-of-nexis-instant-free-trial
Frequently Asked Questions
What Do You Learn When Earning a LexisNexis Certificate?
When entering into a LexisNexis certificate program, you learn the fundamental skills necessary to pass the certification exam and master the software.
Students learn how to use the platform and cover foundational topics like computer-assisted research and legal research.
Also, information literacy is a key skill in recording and authoring legal research, which equates to formulating effective and correct questions.
Students also learn how to refine and conduct research for all types of projects.
By the end of the course, students can identify how to formulate specific and focused research questions, explain the types of research tools, how they are used, how to evaluate the quality of the uncovered information, and how to properly cite sources.
Furthermore, students will be able to conduct legal, business, and factual research on the Internet and in LexisNexis, formulate a search request to find documents, and look up statutes and cases with appropriate sources.
How Long Does it Take to Earn a LexisNexis Certificate?
The speed at which you earn a LexisNexis certificate depends on your knowledge, skill set, and the path you choose to take.
A handful of candidates who may already use the system extensively can self-study, take the exam in a few weeks or whenever they are ready, pass, and become certified.
The majority of students prefer to take a certification training course, which is a self-paced, online program, so students work at their own pace.
Using the Penn Foster LexisNexis Certificate program as an example, the coursework is comprised of three courses, five submitted projects, and seven exams, equating to 9.4 Continuing Education Units.
Those who prepare a fast-track approach can complete the program in four months.
However, the average time to finish the curriculum is around five months.
With the average completion track, the learner dedicates a few hours per week to completing the coursework.
Is Earning a LexisNexis Certificate Worth It?
Earning a LexisNexis certificate is a valuable asset for those who are in law enforcement or some type of legal field, such as attorneys, legal researchers, law librarians, law students, and paralegals, and need to conduct research.
Those in unrelated fields would not find this certificate useful for job efficiency, advancement, or to add to their resume.
It’s also important to understand if you need to take a certificate training program.
While legal personnel of all experiences should take a training program to learn about the latest features, those with extensive experience using the system may be able to just take the exam.
Others who have limited or no experience using LexisNexis should enroll in a program to have a comprehensive overview of the functions, as it helps improve search efficiency.
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