How to set up alerts in Westlaw

This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to set up alerts in Westlaw. It covers different scenarios, including starting from a case, starting from legislation, and starting from a page of search results. The guide also includes information on editing, pausing, or deleting alerts. If you want to stay updated on new content or changes in the legal field, this guide will help you set up and manage alerts effectively.

Charlie Brampton
16 steps
3 minutes

Westlaw

Navigate to <https://signon.thomsonreuters.com/federation/UKF?entityID=https%3A%2F%2Fidp.brookes.ac.uk%2Fidp%2Fshibboleth&returnto=https%3A%2F%2Fwestlawuk.thomsonreuters.co.uk%2FBrowse%2FHome%2FWestlawUK%3FskipAnonymous%3Dtrue>

1. Starting from a case

Click on this alarm bell icon down the right of a case on Westlaw.

Westlaw will have automatically named this alert. You can edit this name if you wish.

Choose what you like to be alerted to. You can tick as many options as you wish.

Double check the email address then click "Save Alert"

When you get an email from Westlaw alerting you to new content, there may be links to that content in the email. Clicking on these links will take you to a log-in screen that does not work with our Oxford Brookes logins. However, if you [log in to Westlaw](https://signon.thomsonreuters.com/federation/UKF?entityID=https%3A%2F%2Fidp.brookes.ac.uk%2Fidp%2Fshibboleth&returnto=https%3A%2F%2Fwestlawuk.thomsonreuters.co.uk%2FBrowse%2FHome%2FWestlawUK%3FskipAnonymous%3Dtrue) in a different tab, *then* return to your email and click on the links, the links will work.

2. Starting from legislation

Go to a section of an Act on Westlaw.

Click on the alarm bell icon down the right hand side.

You can choose to be notified if this section is amended or the status changes.

You can also choose to be notified if another source is published that references this section. Tick as many of these options as you wish.

Double check the email address then click "Save Alert"

3. Starting from a page of search results

If you search for cases or journal articles, you will see an alarm bell at the top of the results. If you set up an alert here, Westlaw will periodically rerun your search for you. You'll then be told about anything new that didn't exist when you ran your first search.

Click on the alarm bell above your search results to set up this alert.

Use the "frequency" dropdown to determine how often you want Westlaw to repeat your search.

Click "Save Alert"

4. Editing, pausing or deleting alerts

From any page in Westlaw, click "Alerts" in the blue bar at the top.

You will see a list of all of your alerts. Tick the box next to any of them

On the right, you can choose to edit, pause or delete any of your alerts.