“To America, one schoolmaster is worth a dozen poets, and the invention of a machine or the improvement of an implement is of more importance than a masterpiece of Raphael.” – Benjamin Franklin

“America is a nation that conceives many odd inventions for getting somewhere, but it can think of nothing to do once it gets there.” – Will Rogers

America has always prided itself as a land of innovation, with numbers to back up that claim. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office approved more than 167,000 utility patents in 2009 – a rate of more than 19 patents an hour, 24 hours a day.

If your work involves patent prosecution or litigation, Westlaw Patents has the content and tools to help you keep pace. And now there’s a quick, easy way to get up to speed on Westlaw Patents content and tools: Short online lessons for our most popular products.

We came up with the eLearning series after hearing a handful of customers confess that they don’t always understand what some of our patent products are intended to do or how to use them. And we took their advice and kept the lessons short and sweet: Most lessons require just 2 or 3 minutes of your time.

To access these lessons, sign on to the West eLearning Center, then click on the Westlaw Patents link on the left side of the page. (It’s the last item in the list.)

We’ve divided the self-paced lessons into two categories – litigation and prosecution – with several choices in each list. Two of the most popular modules include

• Using KeyCite to Verify and Expand Patent Research – Learn how to use KeyCite to go beyond the text of a patent and view its context.
• Searching Markman Orders – Save hours of work and frustration by searching and finding claim construction orders on Westlaw.

And check back later this summer for a new self-paced lesson on Claims Locator, our latest “invention” that will enable you to search for claims without knowing the exact terminology.

More info on Westlaw Patents is available on the West website. And we didn’t invent the quotes above – we found them in Uncle Anthony’s Unabridged Analogies, which is available at a 10% discount to Westlaw Insider readers. Check it out!

Take this lesson on West eLearning Center to earn a free Starbucks gift card:

Judicial Reversal Reports

Judicial Reports will save you time finding information on how a specific judge has responded to a motion, his or her reversal information, and in determining your strategy to help manage your client’s expectations. In this lesson, you will learn about where to access Judicial Reports, how to run a Judicial Report, and details about Judicial Reversal Reports.

Westlaw customers can earn a $5 Starbucks card just for completing a short eLearning lesson! Take one, two, or all of the featured lessons, and receive a complimentary Starbucks card for each completed lesson. Eligible lessons are listed below. The links will first take you to the West eLearning Center login page. After you login or create an account, you will be routed directly to the lesson. Your card(s) will be sent to you within a month after completing the lessons.

• Using Westlaw PeopleMap for Your Public Records Searches
• PeopleMap: Using the Dynamic Display to Browse Results
• Customizing Your Westlaw PeopleMap Reports
• Judicial Reports Overview
• Judicial Motion Reports
• Judicial Reversal Reports

Take this lesson on West eLearning Center to earn a free Starbucks gift card:

Customizing Your Westlaw PeopleMap Reports

Westlaw PeopleMap reports compile and save the results of your public records research and provide an organized summary providing a complete view of the information available about an individual. In this brand new lesson on WeC you will learn about:

• The Westlaw PeopleMap report options
• Report Manager
• Creating reports from public records documents

Take this lesson on West eLearning Center to earn a free Starbucks gift card:

Westlaw PeopleMap helps you quickly uncover relevant information about people along with their connections. In this brand new lesson on WeC you will learn

• Why to use Westlaw PeopleMap for your public records research
• How to search using Westlaw PeopleMap approriately

To get to the lesson just create an account on http://www.westelearning.com

Basic Westlaw Skills–Searching, Browsing and Navigation

• Use book-like access to statutes, regulations and treatises
• Print with official citations – Copy with Reference
• Search with National Language
• Cost effective tips to access content outside your Westlaw subscription

Free WeC Course of the Week: The Westlaw Case Law Advantage West has approximately 90 attorney-editors, each averaging more than 10 years of experience editing case law, so you can be confident in quality and accuracy. In this lesson, you’ll learn the advantages of researching case law on Westlaw and the four step process for researching case law.

Taking the course is free, all you need to do is:

1. Visit the West eLearning Center
a. Enter your account info or
b. Create an account (all you need is an e-mail address)

In September 2009, West eLearning will add new courses for the following Westlaw topics:

Westlaw customers can earn a $5 Starbucks card just for completing a short eLearning lesson! Take one, two, or all of the featured lessons, and receive a complimentary Starbucks card for each completed lesson. Eligible lessons are listed below. In the course catalog, eligible lessons are designated by a coffee-cup icon next to the lesson name. See rules below for details.
Visit the West eLearning Center and take one of the following lessons.

• Using ResultsPlus
• Using KeyCite to Verify Good Law
• Accessing West CiteAdvisor and Setting Options
• Verifying Citation Formats and Creating a Table of Authorities

Rules:

GIFT CARD eLEARNING OFFER
Terms and Conditions
The Gift Card eLearning offer (as herein described, “Offer”), sponsored by Thomson West (“Sponsor”) is open only to Westlaw customers with an active Westlaw password and who are lawful residents of the United States and the District of Columbia who are at least 18 years of age. The Offer is void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited or restricted by law.

THE OFFER IS NOT OPEN TO MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

Employees, officers, directors of West, a Thomson business, their respective staff persons and affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising/promotional agencies and members of their immediate families (parent, child, sibling and spouse of each) and those living in their same households, are ineligible to enter and participate in the Offer. An individual employee representing his/her employer/principal in this Offer is responsible for reviewing, understanding and abiding by his/her principal’s or employer’s policies regarding eligibility to participate in activities such as the Offer described in these Terms and Conditions, communications and publications.

If you are participating in violation of your principal’s/employer’s policies, you/the registered participant may be disqualified from registering for and/or participating in the Offer and being awarded/retaining prizes. Released Parties disclaim any and all liability or responsibility for disputes arising between an employee/agent and his/her employer (or other principalagent relationships) related to this matter.

To participate in the Gift Card eLearning Offer that begins on July 1, 2007 (12:00:01 AM CT) until December 31, 2009 (11:59:59 AM CT) or when the supplies of gift cards are exhausted. Participants truthfully complete as directed all mandatory elements for the
West eLearning Center registration online at www.westelearning.com click on the ‘Register’ button. Following eLearning registration, a Participant (who is additionally an enduser who uses Westlaw during his/her professional job for purposes of the Offer) will have the opportunity to elect to complete training lessons with an available Card offer.

Completion of an eligible lesson or Webinar and display on the Website of a completion message entitles a Participant eligible for the Offer to receive a Starbuck’s Card (ARV: $5.00 each) (“Offer Prize”), subject to verification at Sponsor’s reasonable discretion, and further constitutes consent to and agreement with the Terms and Conditions of this Offer and official Offer communications and publications by Sponsor, including on the Website.

Limit one (1) Offer Prize per lesson per eligible Participant (supplies of prizes are limited and will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis). Prizes will be shipped within two to four weeks of successfully completing the eLearning training module. Offer is nontransferableand will expire when Offer Prizes are exhausted.

GET MORE FROM YOUR SUBSCRIPTION
The West eLearning Center (westelearning.com) is West’s newest online training resource available to all Westlaw® customers. Once registered – it takes only
seconds – you’ll have free access to dozens of short Westlaw lessons & Webinars. Pick and choose the lessons you want to take and learn at your own pace, whenever and
wherever it’s convenient.

EASY TO FOLLOW
Demonstrations and practical examples make it easy to learn. Lessons are conveniently and logically categorized by practice area and by Westlaw expertise.

CUSTOMIZABLE
Every lesson offers: