Workflow: How to Create a Research Plan in vLex Library

Learn to create an efficient legal research plan in vLex Library. This workflow shows you how to use Folders and other tools to organize your project.

Summary

Structure your legal research by creating a workflow using vLex Library's organizational tools. This process involves using Folders to organize your findings and reference manager integrations to manage your citations.

Why This is Important

A structured research plan prevents wasted effort and ensures you don't miss key documents. By organizing your work from the start, you create a reusable knowledge base for your project, making the brief-writing process faster and more efficient.

A Step-by-Step Research Workflow

Step 1: Create a Project Folder

Before you begin searching, create a dedicated folder for your project.

  1. Go to Folders from the main menu.

  2. Click New folder and give it a name (e.g., the client or matter name).

  3. Create subfolders for different aspects of your research (e.g., "Key Case Law," "Relevant Statutes," "Opposing Arguments").

Step 2: Run Your Searches and Save Documents

As you conduct your research, save relevant documents directly to your project folders.

  1. From the results page or the document viewer, select the documents you want to save.

  2. Click the Add to folder icon and choose the appropriate folder or subfolder.

Save documents to your structured folders as you find them to keep your research organized.

Step 3: Annotate as You Go

As you read, use Notes and Highlights to capture your thoughts and mark important passages. This turns passive reading into active analysis and makes it easier to recall key points later.

Step 4: Export Citations (for academic or formal writing)

If you are writing a formal brief or academic paper, export citations as you find them.

  1. Click the Share icon in the document viewer.

  2. Select your preferred reference manager (RefWorks or RIS (EndNote)) to export the citation data.

Keep a Master Reference List: For complex projects, consider creating a simple text document with links to your most-cited authorities. You can get a direct link to any document by clicking Share and copying the Link to page.

Best Practices & Pro Tips

  • Use Your History: If you forget to save a document, don't worry. Go to your History (clock icon) to find a list of all recently viewed documents and add them to your folders from there.

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