By Julie Bays, OBA Management Assistance Program Director

Our members receive free access to vLex Fastcase, a legal research tool that includes cases, statutes, regulations, and more. You can search by keyword, citation, or natural language, and the platform’s new Cert Citator helps you quickly confirm whether a case is still good law. Limited AI-generated summaries are also available as part of the member benefit.

After logging in, the search bar appears at the very top of the page. Refer to the image below. To change jurisdiction, select the option located to the right of the search bar. New users often encounter issues with the two buttons at the top labeled Vincent AI and Upgrade. Vincent is an AI tool designed to analyze documents and generate summaries; however, it is not included as a free benefit for members. Clicking Vincent or Upgrade takes you to a subscription sales page, so ignore these buttons if you don’t want to make a purchase. They’re the ones marked with the red box below.

Now, for those who greet every new interface with suspicion (and maybe a few choice words), here’s the secret: you can still go back to Fastcase 7. Just click the little person icon next to the Upgrade button, scroll down, and select Return to Fastcase 7.

If you ever need help or run into a tech hiccup, just give me a call at (405) 416-7031 or send an email to julieb@okbar.org. I’m here to help lawyers stay competent with technology, so you can focus on your practice without getting bogged down by buttons and screens.