WestKM subscription

The CFPB currently utilizes West Publishing Corporation's research tool WestKM. WestKM integrates and compliments existing tools used at the Bureau. Functionality of WestKM is designed to search the current document repository using exclusive Thomson Reuters Westlaw technology, and retrieve relevant documents and work products.

WeskKM simultaneously searches new cases and secondary sources on Westlaw to validate work product by displaying exclusive KeyCite flags to tell the researcher if it is still good law – using a single familiar interface. No other product brand has these interface rights. WestKM features a built-in categorization engine that automates the classification of documents according to the exclusive West KeySearch taxonomy. The search engine, Novus, is exclusive to WestKM.

No other provider combines the WestKM features and services into one knowledge management software package. WestKM is sold exclusivly by West Publishing Corporation. WestKM is the only tool that integrated with WestLaw Next, which is the bureaus legal research tool. Other competing products were found not to integrate with SharePoint online which is where the Bureau stores its records. The Bureau has invested heavily into building Legal Knowledge Management solution utilizing the application WestKM.

CFPB support staff and Attorneys have been trained on the use of this application, workflows have been built around its use and records are currently hosted in active matters. Incorporating a new tool into the Bureau’s infrastructure at this point would result in substantially duplicative effort and costs and all currently active matters would have to be reprocessed and reviewed presenting a major loss of attorney work product.

Such a change would carry a significant administrative burden, and would ultimately be detrimental to the CFPB’s ability to investigate and bring actions against financial institutions that may be violating any laws and regulations. Converting to a new application would take approximately 12 -24 months to reconfigure existing hardware and incorporate the new system. Subsequently this would negatively impact the CFPB's ability to meet its mission.