Studying law has never been just about books, lectures, and late-night case reading. Today’s law students are navigating an increasingly digital academic environment—where staying organised, informed, and efficient often depends on having the right tools.

LegalTech isn’t just for practising solicitors or law firms anymore. From AI-assisted legal research to citation management and digital revision tools, a range of software now exists to support students in every stage of their legal education.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the best legal and productivity tech tools for law students looking to sharpen their skills, manage their workload, and prepare for the legal profession of the future.

1. Westlaw and Lexis+ UK

Best for: Legal research and case law
Why it matters: These platforms are staples of legal education in the UK and provide access to up-to-date case law, legislation, academic commentary, and legal journals.

Both platforms offer advanced search functions and tools to help you analyse case histories, understand precedents, and cite correctly. Most universities offer free access via student logins.

Tip: Make use of their training certificates—they look great on your CV and prove your research skills.

2. Jus Mundi (Academic Access)

Best for: International law students and mooters
Why it matters: Jus Mundi provides access to public international law resources, investment arbitration decisions, and global legal commentary—all with a clean, user-friendly interface.

It’s particularly useful for students interested in arbitration, international human rights, or comparative legal research.

3. Zotero or Mendeley

Best for: Managing citations and building bibliographies
Why it matters: Legal writing demands rigorous citation, and tools like Zotero and Mendeley help you keep track of your sources and generate footnotes in OSCOLA or other academic styles.

You can store, tag, and search articles and automatically create reference lists in seconds—perfect for essays, dissertations, and seminar prep.

4. Notion or Obsidian

Best for: Organising lecture notes and revision
Why it matters: Law involves managing a lot of information. Both Notion and Obsidian allow you to build a personal knowledge base with linked notes, case summaries, and revision trackers.

Notion’s flexibility and templates make it ideal for planning and collaboration, while Obsidian’s markdown-first approach suits students who like clean, distraction-free writing.

5. Black’s Law Dictionary App

Best for: Understanding legal terminology
Why it matters: Ideal for first-year students or those tackling unfamiliar areas of law, this app offers quick, authoritative definitions of complex legal terms.

It’s a valuable companion during reading weeks, seminars, or while drafting your own legal arguments.

6. Grammarly (Premium for Formal Writing)

Best for: Polishing essays and applications
Why it matters: Law students must communicate with clarity and precision. Grammarly’s advanced grammar, style, and tone suggestions are especially useful for drafting cover letters, personal statements, or scholarship applications.

Remember: it won’t help with legal content, but it can improve how you express your argument.

7. Speechify or NaturalReader

Best for: Audio revision and accessibility
Why it matters: These tools convert legal texts and notes into audio files, allowing you to listen to cases or revision notes on the go—perfect for commutes, walks, or when screen fatigue hits.

They're also a helpful accessibility aid for students with visual impairments or neurodiverse learning needs.

8. Trello or Todoist

Best for: Task management and assignment planning
Why it matters: Legal studies come with heavy reading loads, multiple deadlines, and often a few extra-curriculars. Trello’s visual boards or Todoist’s to-do lists can help you track assignments, prep for exams, and break complex tasks into manageable chunks.

9. Law-focused YouTube Channels & Podcasts

Best for: Supplementary learning and career insight
Why it matters: While not tools in the traditional sense, curated digital content is an invaluable resource. Consider:

  • Legal Eagle (for US/UK comparisons and case breakdowns),
  • UK Law Weekly (legal news in podcast form),
  • The Student Lawyer Podcast (career tips and firm insights).

Subscribing to reputable channels can help reinforce concepts you’re covering in lectures or inspire future career paths.

10. AI Tools (with Caution)

Best for: Brainstorming, note summarising, and mock drafting
Why it matters: Tools like ChatGPT can help with general research, outlining ideas, or summarising long cases. However, they should never replace proper legal research or be cited in academic work.

Use these tools for inspiration or clarity, but always cross-check with official legal sources and databases.

Final Thoughts

Being a successful law student today isn’t just about hard work—it’s also about working smart. The right tools can help you stay organised, reduce stress, and deepen your understanding of complex legal material. As LegalTech continues to evolve, digital fluency is becoming an asset in itself—one that law firms increasingly value.

Have a favourite tool that’s helped you through your studies? Share it with the Student Bytes community—we’re always looking to add to the list.