This article provides quick answers to the most common questions about Westlaw Deep Research in Archie. If you're just looking to get started with Westlaw Deep Research, please see the below resources:
Troubleshooting
| Issue | What to try |
| I do not see Westlaw in the Research menu or Legal Research. | Check that your firm has the Archie add-on and an active Westlaw Advantage or CoCounsel Legal subscription, and ask your firm owner to confirm that Westlaw Deep Research has been activated. See Setting up Westlaw Deep Research. |
| I was asked to sign in again. | Westlaw signs you out every 24 hours. Sign in again from Legal Research. |
| Westlaw is not selected for my question. | Select Research above the chat box and choose Westlaw. |
| I can’t start a new report. | You may have 3 reports running, or you may have reached 50 reports for the day. Wait for a report to finish, or try again tomorrow. |
| My report is taking a while. | Concise reports take about 3 minutes and Expanded reports about 15 minutes. You can carry on with other questions while it runs. |
| I skipped the report options. | Skip cancels research for that question. Ask your question again and choose Generate. |
| Westlaw asks me to sign in when I open a citation. | Citations open the source in Westlaw. Sign in to Westlaw, and choose a client ID if asked. |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who can use Westlaw Deep Research?
Firms with the Archie add-on plus an active Westlaw Advantage or CoCounsel Legal subscription.
Does it cost extra?
No additional Smokeball charge applies for qualifying firms. For questions about Westlaw Advantage or CoCounsel Legal, including pricing, contact your Smokeball representative. Thomson Reuters manages those subscriptions.
We have an older version of Westlaw. Does that qualify?
The integration needs Westlaw Advantage or CoCounsel Legal. Contact your Smokeball representative to talk about your options.
We already have CoCounsel Legal. Do we still need Archie?
Yes. Archie handles drafting, automation, and your matter. CoCounsel and Westlaw handle legal research. They work together.
How is this different from LawY?
LawY provides everyday legal guidance. Westlaw Deep Research provides authoritative, citation-backed research from Westlaw. See Using Westlaw Deep Research in Archie for Legal Research.
What is the Client ID field?
An optional Thomson Reuters Client ID, used to track your reports with Westlaw Advantage. It is not a Smokeball client number.
Does Archie change the Westlaw report?
No. The report is Westlaw’s own output, shown exactly as returned.
Is it legal advice?
No. It is a research tool. Review the sources and apply your professional judgment.
What happens to my information?
When you sign in, Thomson Reuters asks you to authorize access to your profile and email.Â
Will my Westlaw Deep Research reports show up in my Westlaw history?
Yes. Each report runs under your own Thomson Reuters account, so it appears in your Westlaw history like a report you ran in Westlaw directly. Other questions you ask Archie, such as searching your matter or drafting, don’t appear there. Each report you run also counts toward your 50 reports a day, along with any you run directly in Westlaw or CoCounsel Legal.
How is this different from running Deep Research in Westlaw or CoCounsel Legal directly?
The research is the same, and the report is shown exactly as Westlaw returns it. The Smokeball view shows the report only, so it doesn’t include the table of contents, follow-up questions, the Verify tab, the Enhance tab or the research steps tab. Cited sources are linked inside the report and listed at the end. To read a full case, select its citation to open it in Westlaw. If you need those extra features, run the question in Westlaw or CoCounsel Legal directly.
What happens if my sign-in expires while a report is running?
Your report keeps running. Sign in again from Legal Research and the report will be there, and you don’t need to ask your question again. If you start a long Expanded report and your sign-in would run out before it finishes, Archie asks you to sign in first.
How do I turn Westlaw Deep Research off and back on?
To skip Westlaw for one question, select Research above the chat box and untick Westlaw. To turn it off for all your questions, go to Legal Research and untick the box on the Westlaw AI Deep Research card. Tick it again to turn it back on. Your account stays connected, so you don’t need to sign in again. Selecting Sign out disconnects your account, which is different from turning Westlaw off.
For how Smokeball AI protects your data, see How Smokeball AI keeps your data private and secure: https://support.smokeball.com/hc/en-us/articles/41226626717079-How-Smokeball-AI-keeps-your-data-private-and-secure
Westlaw terms
| Term | What it means |
| KeyCite | Checks whether a case, statute, or regulation is still good law, and flags authority that later decisions have overturned or weakened. |
| Headnotes | Short summaries at the top of a case, written by Thomson Reuters editors, showing what the case decides. |
| Key Number System | Thomson Reuters’ topic classification for the law, so you can find cases on a point across states and years. |
| Annotated statutes | Statutes with notes linking each section to the court cases that have interpreted it. |
| Secondary sources | Expert explanations of the law, such as books, articles, and commentary. |
| Practical Law | Practice notes and guidance from Thomson Reuters. They can appear as supporting sources in a report. |
| CoCounsel Legal | Thomson Reuters’ legal research AI, paired with Westlaw and Practical Law content. It includes Westlaw access. |
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Need more help? Submit a support request at https://support.smokeball.com/hc/en-us/requests/new.
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