The Evolution of Laws & Regulations Research on VitalLaw
What is changing in Laws & Regulations research?
We enhanced the research experience across VitalLaw in 2025 by introducing a centralized Laws & Regulations Dashboard that brings together federal and state primary law in a single, unified interface.
In March 2026, a new box was added to the Practice Area Dashboards with links to the Laws & Regulations Dashboard, where customers can use our full suite of search, browse, filter, redline, and alert features.
Over the next several months, we will redirect all links to primary source laws and regulations on the VitalLaw Practice Area Dashboards to the unified Laws & Regulations Dashboard for a seamless, consistent, and streamlined research experience.
Key Benefits of the New Experience
Continuously updated Laws & Regulations in a centralized dashboard provides a predictable and efficient research experience
Access to multiple versions of statutes and regulations (including future, concurrent, and contingent versions where available)
Redlining tools to easily compare changes across versions
Enhanced alerts and notifications from the Laws & Regulations dashboard that now include Practice Area alerting capabilities
Improved search, filtering, and navigation tools for faster, more precise research
Will I lose any content, or will I have to pay extra?
No. This enhancement does not remove any content from your subscription and is available at no additional cost. In many cases, you may find broader access to primary source materials than was previously available within individual practice area collections.
Does this change apply to caselaw?
At this time, this enhancement applies to federal and state laws and regulations. Other content types, including caselaw, remain unchanged.
The Laws & Regulations Dashboard
Where can I find the Laws & Regulations Dashboard?
A Laws & Regulations box has been added to the upper right corner of the Content Section on most Practice Area Dashboards. If you have previously customized your Dashboard, this new box may appear elsewhere in the Content section; you can reposition the box using the dashboard settings (gear icon).
Access to the Laws & Regulations Dashboard is also available via a link in the persistent blue navigation bar across the top of all VitalLaw dashboards, and that link will be labeled either Primary Source or Laws and Regulations.
How current is the content on the Laws & Regulations Dashboard?
Content on the Laws & Regulations Dashboard is continuously updated as changes occur, ensuring you are working with the most current available information. You can view “current through” details for each source directly within the platform by clicking on the information button in the left navigation pane.
Can I receive training on the new experience?
Yes. Training resources and support are available to help you get the most out of the Laws & Regulations Dashboard. Visit our online Knowledge Base or for complimentary online training with a Wolters Kluwer legal training consultant, register here.
What to Expect During the Transition
What happens to existing links in Smart Charts and Reporters?
Links to laws and regulations have been progressively updated since March, 2026 to point to the Laws & Regulations Dashboard, a process that will continue throughout the year.
During this transition period, you may encounter some links that point to the new Laws & Regulations Dashboard, while others still point to locations on the Practice Area Dashboards. This reflects the ongoing update process that will ensure all content eventually points to our new, enhanced experience.
Will my existing alerts be affected?
No, your existing alerts will be unaffected and continue to function as expected. To learn more about the expanded alert functionality on the Laws & Regulations Dashboard, visit here.
How will Practice Area Dashboards change?
To provide a more efficient and consistent experience:
Duplicate listings of laws and regulations within Practice Area Dashboards are being removed and links are being redirected to the streamlined Laws & Regulations Dashboard.
Explanatory content, analysis, and current awareness materials will remain available. In some Reporters that currently contain a significant amount of laws and regulations, these duplicate versions will be eliminated while maintaining the sections that contain our explanatory and current awareness content.
Links to Acts (and Acts as Amended) will not be removed as part of this process.
In most cases, this streamlining will not change the organization of your Practice Area Dashboard; however, in a few cases, we will eliminate existing content boxes that are no longer needed.
When will these changes occur?
We are implementing these changes on a rolling basis. During this period, users may notice incremental changes as dashboards are aligned with the new experience. Below is a guideline to the changes that you can expect to see:
Week of May 18th
Antitrust Practice Area Dashboard
Links to U.S laws and regulations in the Acts & Statutes and Rules, Regulations & Guides boxes are now redundant with those in the new Laws & Regulations box and will be removed.
The NASAA Uniform Franchise Offering Circular will be moved to the Guidelines & Policies container and the Rules, Regulations & Guides box will be eliminated.
Intellectual Property Practice Area Dashboard
Links to U.S laws and regulations in the Acts & Statutes and Rules, Regulations & Guides boxes are now redundant with those in the new Laws & Regulations box and will be removed, and the Rules, Regulations & Guides box eliminated.
Week of June 1st
Healthcare Practice Area Dashboard
Links to federal regulations in the Rules, Regulations & Guides box are now redundant with those in the new Laws & Regulations box and will be removed.
Intellectual Property – WK Trademark Dashboard
Links to federal regulations in the Trademark Federal Laws & Regulations box are now redundant with those in the new Laws & Regulations box and will be removed.
Life Sciences Practice Area Dashboard
Links to federal regulations in the Food, Drugs & Cosmetics section of the Dashboard are now redundant with those in the new Laws & Regulations box and will be removed.
Week of June 29th
Banking & Consumer Finance Practice Area Dashboard
Links to federal laws and regulations in the Acts & Statutes and Rules & Regulations boxes are now redundant with those in the new Laws & Regulations box and will be removed and these two boxes eliminated.
Energy & Environment Practice Area Dashboard
Links in the Laws and Regulations box in the Environmental Compliance section are now redundant with that in the new Laws & Regulations box and will be removed and the box eliminated.
Need Assistance?
If you have any questions or would like help navigating the Laws & Regulations Dashboard:
Phone: 1-800-955-5217
Training: Register for complimentary online training with a Wolters Kluwer legal training consultant.