Legal Databases
Company research on Bloomberg Law
This landing page, accessible via Business > Business Intelligence Center Home, is a home base of sorts for all sorts of information regarding business transactions, commercial law, securities filings and news about these topics. One can also navigate to certain recent in-focus topics in business law, such as recent SEC rulemaking or the FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act). In addition, one can use and create several types of tools to find out information on companies and transactions.
Each company covered has a profile. This may include financials, a company hierarchy, news, a stock performance chart, a federal litigation chart, filings (including SEC and court filings), management profiles, and credit ratings. Basic information, such as address, phone, number of employees and place of incorporation, is also generally included.
Bloomberg Law has some unique tools in addition to these. These tools include:
Company Screener to find companies that meet specific financial criteria and special news features such as Social Media Watch, and Rumors, Leads and Insights to follow all the latest business news.
From the main screen type "Company Screener"
Both Company Report Writer and Company Screener can be accessed directly under the "Business" tab.
Bloomberg Law contains information on many private companies as well as public companies. However, this coverage is not always complete as some securities and corporate laws, depending on the type of entity in question, require disclosure of only some company information.
Some Databases are Free while Others are Fee-based
Legal databases such as Lexis+, Westlaw, Bloomberg Law may also contain company information.
Company research on Lexis+
Find the Hoover's company info in Lexis+
- In empty search box
- Type Hoover's
- Select from drop down menu
Company Research on Westlaw
The Business Law Center contains a list of business information sources within several topical headings: e.g., SEC Filings, Dual Search, SEC Filings - Section Search, Agreements, Company Transactions, Administrative Materials, Global Filings & Disclosures. Sign into Westlaw Plus > under Content types tab > look under Specialty Areas and Business Law Center. (The Company Investigator contains the subscription version of Hoover's Company Profiles. Note, however, that our law school plan/subscription does not allow access to the Company Investigator database.)
Company & Financial
Lexis+ has numerous company information databases available on the law school plan, including: Hoover's (mentioned & pictured above), D&B Private Company Insight, Guidestar, and, Edgar Online.
All of these can be searched at once.
From main Lexis screen:
- Under Content tab
- Click on Company & Financial
Additional databases are accessible from the Public Records area, including Corporate Filings, Corporate Affiliations and Locate a Business Nationwide. However, the Public Records databases are not part of the Law School's plan/subscription.