Research Refresher: Summer Dos and Donts

Heather E. Casey Suzanne B. Corriell March 29, 2012

Do Your Homework

Before you arrive

Review state court and legislative structure for your jurisdiction State Legislative Sourcebook Know what your jurisdiction has available online

Do Pack Your Bags

Take materials with you

Take your laptop (VPN) Take your Bluebook Style manuals Blacks Law Dictionary A thesaurus for search terms List of nearby law schools and libraries

Do Ask Questions

Of the librarian

Online research availability Library information

Suggested starting points Brief bank

Of the assigning attorney

Do Develop a Plan

Review facts Identify issues Determine jurisdiction Identify search terms

Do Stay Organized

Identify resources consulted

Keep some sort of record of the searches you do so you dont re-do a search

Keep track of time Keep print-outs in order and maintain a filing system for research in case youre asked how or where you found your sources Use online organizers

Research trail; history; WL/LX folders Google Web History; IEs send to OneNote

Dont Start with Case Law!

Begin by looking at

Dictionaries Legal encyclopedias Secondary resources

Do Use Citators

Very important! Shepards/KeyCite

Check for good law Help locate other cases Help locate other resources Don't rely solely on the signals

Read!

Do Use Lexis and Westlaw Effectively

Use the info button Plan ahead Use smallest database Start broadly and narrow your search based on the results If you have access to both, know the preference of the partner with whom youre working Call for help

Lexis: 1-800-45LEXIS Westlaw: 1-800-REFATTY

Do Extend Your Passwords for Lexis and Westlaw

Educational and Pro Bono Use Only

Lexis - Summer access includes Lexis Advance only. If you need access to something that is in LexisNexis but not Lexis Advance, you can email for access at shelley.landfair@lexisnexis.com Westlaw - You will have access to both Westlaw.com and WestlawNext if you extend your password for the summer.

Dont Use Your Law School Password

For corporate/paid jobs

LexisNexis Academic (VPN) HeinOnline (VPN) Bloomberg BNA CCH Intelliconnect Bloomberg Law Law360 Use the law schools public terminal

Use What You Have

If its available in print in your firm library, use the print its FREE! If you are taking over a project someone else started, get their research notes Get examples of briefs from other associates Find out your first day or shortly thereafter what kinds of templates your firm has for motions and briefs

Do Know Your Current Events

Yahoo Finance: http://finance.yahoo.com/ Law.com: http://www.law.com Above the Law: http://www.abovethelaw.com/ Jurist: http://jurist.org/ Virginia Lawyers Weekly: http://valawyersweekly.com and http://valawyersweekly.com/vlwblog Law360: http://www.law360.com/

Do Every Project

50 State Surveys

ALRs, Uniform Laws Annotated, Shepards Acts and Cases by Popular Name, Subject Compilations of State Laws, loose-leaf services http://www.tc.umn.edu/~g-jack/ALR/50states.htm
Compiled legislative histories Search: [state] +legislative history
http://www.law.indiana.edu/library/services/sta_leg.shtml

Legislative histories

Do Google It*

Many free resources Search: [jurisdiction] +legal research Search: [topic] +legal research Look for search tips, advanced search

Topic specific searches File extensions

Evaluate site (.gov, .edu, .com)

* Dont cite to Wikipedia (but do use it)

Do Fix Whats Broken

Broken links on Google?

Deconstruct bad URL

Remove /parts/ of URL starting at right

http://law.slu.edu/library/reference/missouri http://law.slu.edu/library/reference http://law.slu.edu/library/ http://law.slu.edu/

Browse for information

Use cached page Use the Wayback Machine: www.archive.org

Do Use Spell Check (and some common sense)

Dont Pay!

FindLaw (http://findlaw.com/) LexisOne (http://www.lexisone.com/) Federal resources

THOMAS (http://thomas.loc.gov/) FDsys (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/) Justia (http://www.justia.com)

Dont Pay (continued)*

http://www.brbpub.com/default.asp http://www.municode.com/ http://www.forms.gov http://www.uscourtforms.com/ http://www.lectlaw.com http://www.americanbar.org/groups/departments _offices/legal_technology_resources/resources/l awlink.html http://www.rand.org/research_areas/

* Remember to authenticate your research!

Do Use Flat-Rate Resources

Bloomberg BNA Bloomberg Law (http://www.bloomberglaw.com/start) CCH Intelliconnect

Do Use UR

LexisNexis Academic HeinOnline Bloomberg BNA CCH PACER (ask Reference Librarian)
http://law.richmond.edu/library/databases.html

Do Explore Other Sites

http://library.law.emory.edu/electronicresources/free-legal-web-resources/ http://www.whois.net/ http://ranking.thumbshots.com http://www.zabasearch.com http://www.martindale.com

Do Appreciate Librarians

Zimmermans Research Guide

http://www.lexisnexis.com/infopro/zimmerman/

Cornell Legal Information Institute http://www.law.cornell.edu/ Georgetown Law Library Research Guides http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/

Do Appreciate Librarians (Again)

Legislative Source Book http://www.llsdc.org/sourcebook/ LLRX http://www.LLRX.com

The Virtual Chase How-To Guides:

http://virtualchase.justia.com/legal-research

Do Know When To Say When

Stop researching

When you stop finding good new resources Re-evaluate if youre finding nothing at all
Restate the question Quick answer, then elaborate Describe research process Give verifiable citations Stay on point

Report back

Dont Be That Guy or That Girl

If you arent assigned a mentor, find one for yourself

Find someone who you admire and who will give you good advice

Get to know the firm librarians and treat them well Be nice to your secretary, if you have one, and to all support staff!

Do Keep It Simple

Do Ask More Questions!

Anyone? Handouts and slides from this presentation will be made available through a libguide on the librarys website (http://law.richmond.libguides.com/)

Dont Forget Us!

Reference Desk

289-8685; lawrefdesk@richmond.edu

Paul Birch

289-8222; pbirch@richmond.edu 289-8727; hcasey@richmond.edu 289-8218; tcoggins@richmond.edu 289-8217; scorriel@richmond.edu

Heather Casey

Timothy Coggins

Suzanne Corriell

Joyce Manna Janto

289-8223; jjanto@richmond.edu
287-6555; gzwirner@richmond.edu

Gail Zwirner