When people think about legal research, they often focus on Westlaw or Westlaw Edge—tools that provide deep, case-level analysis. But if you want to understand how legal norms evolve, you need to look at Practical Laws. These resources don’t just tell you what the law is; they show you how it’s applied in real-world contexts. And that’s where the future of legal forecasting lies.
Consider the difference between reading a statute and reading a Practical Law practice note. The statute tells you the letter of the law; the practice note tells you how lawyers are interpreting it, how courts are enforcing it, and where the gray areas are. For example, a statute might say that employers must provide “reasonable accommodations” for disabilities, but Practical Laws will show you how that standard is being tested in litigation—and where it’s likely to expand or contract.
This kind of insight is critical for forecasting. If you’re tracking the evolution of employment law, Practical Laws can reveal trends that aren’t yet reflected in case law. Are companies increasingly settling discrimination claims before trial? Are certain defenses becoming less effective? These are the kinds of questions that Practical Laws can help answer—and they’re the questions that will shape the law of tomorrow.
At Norm Atlas, we rely on Practical Laws to ground our forecasts in reality. While Westlaw provides the data, Practical Laws provide the context. Together, they give us a complete picture of how legal norms are changing—and where they’re headed next. For anyone interested in the future of law, that’s a combination you can’t afford to ignore.