bridge the gap research strategies 2013

7/28/2019 Bridge the Gap Research Strategies 2013

1/29

Research Refresher:

Summer Dos and Donts

Suzanne B. Corriell

April 1, 2013


2/29

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


3/29

Do Pack Your Bags

Take materials with you

Take your laptop (VPN)

Take yourBluebook

Style manuals

Blacks Law Dictionary

A thesaurus for search terms

List of nearby law schools and libraries


4/29

Do Ask Questions

Of the librarian

Online research availability

Library information

Of the assigning attorney

Suggested starting points

Brief bank


5/29

Do Develop a Plan

Review facts

Identify issues

Determine jurisdiction

Identify search terms


6/29

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

Use online organizers

Research trail; history; WL/LX folders

Google Web History; IEs send to OneNote


7/29

Dont Start with Case Law!

Begin by looking at

Dictionaries

Legal encyclopedias

Secondary resources


8/29

Do Use Citators

Very important!

Shepards/KeyCite

Check forgood law

Help locate other cases

Help locate other resources

Read!

Don't rely solely on the signals


9/29

Lexis and Westlaw

Educational and Pro Bono Use Only

Westlaw

Anything

Lexis (Lexis Advance)

Bloomberg Law


10/29

Do Use Lexis and Westlaw Effectively

Plan ahead

Use smallest database (in classic versions)

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


11/29

Do Use Law Library Resources

For corporate/paid jobs

LexisNexis Academic (VPN)

HeinOnline (VPN)

Bloomberg BNA

CCH Intelliconnect

Bloomberg Law

Law360 Use the law schools public terminal


12/29

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 from other associates

Find templates (motions and briefs)


13/29

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/
http://finance.yahoo.com/http://www.law.com/http://www.abovethelaw.com/http://jurist.org/http://valawyersweekly.com/http://valawyersweekly.com/vlwbloghttp://www.law360.com/http://www.law360.com/http://valawyersweekly.com/vlwbloghttp://valawyersweekly.com/http://jurist.org/http://www.abovethelaw.com/http://www.law.com/http://finance.yahoo.com/


14/29

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

Legislative histories

Compiled legislative histories Search: [state] +legislative history

http://www.law.indiana.edu/library/services/sta_leg.shtml
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~g-jack/ALR/50states.htmhttp://www.law.indiana.edu/library/services/sta_leg.shtmlhttp://www.law.indiana.edu/library/services/sta_leg.shtmlhttp://www.tc.umn.edu/~g-jack/ALR/50states.htmhttp://www.tc.umn.edu/~g-jack/ALR/50states.htmhttp://www.tc.umn.edu/~g-jack/ALR/50states.htm


15/29

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)


16/29

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
http://law.slu.edu/library/reference/missourihttp://law.slu.edu/library/referencehttp://law.slu.edu/library/http://law.slu.edu/http://www.archive.org/http://www.archive.org/http://law.slu.edu/http://law.slu.edu/library/http://law.slu.edu/library/referencehttp://law.slu.edu/library/reference/missouri


17/29

Do Use Spell Check

(and some common sense)


18/29

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)
http://findlaw.com/http://www.lexisone.com/http://thomas.loc.gov/http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/http://www.justia.com/http://www.justia.com/http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/http://thomas.loc.gov/http://www.lexisone.com/http://findlaw.com/


19/29

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!
http://www.brbpub.com/default.asphttp://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/lawlink.htmlhttp://www.americanbar.org/groups/departments_offices/legal_technology_resources/resources/lawlink.htmlhttp://www.americanbar.org/groups/departments_offices/legal_technology_resources/resources/lawlink.htmlhttp://www.rand.org/research_areas/http://www.rand.org/research_areas/http://www.americanbar.org/groups/departments_offices/legal_technology_resources/resources/lawlink.htmlhttp://www.americanbar.org/groups/departments_offices/legal_technology_resources/resources/lawlink.htmlhttp://www.americanbar.org/groups/departments_offices/legal_technology_resources/resources/lawlink.htmlhttp://www.lectlaw.com/http://www.uscourtforms.com/http://www.forms.gov/http://www.municode.com/http://www.brbpub.com/default.asp


20/29

Do Use Flat-Rate Resources

Bloomberg BNA

Bloomberg Law

(http://www.bloomberglaw.com/start)

CCH Intelliconnect
http://www.bloomberglaw.com/starthttp://www.bloomberglaw.com/start


21/29

Do Use UR

LexisNexis Academic

HeinOnline

Bloomberg BNA

CCH

Checkpoint

http://law.richmond.edu/library/databases.html
http://law.richmond.edu/library/databases.htmlhttp://law.richmond.edu/library/databases.html


22/29

Do Explore Other Sites

http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-

resources/free-legal-web-resources/

http://www.zabasearch.com

http://www.martindale.com
http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://www.zabasearch.com/http://www.martindale.com/http://www.martindale.com/http://www.zabasearch.com/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/http://library.law.emory.edu/electronic-resources/free-legal-web-resources/


23/29

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/
http://www.lexisnexis.com/infopro/zimmerman/http://www.law.cornell.edu/http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/http://www.law.cornell.edu/http://www.lexisnexis.com/infopro/zimmerman/


24/29

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
http://www.llsdc.org/sourcebook/http://www.llrx.com/http://virtualchase.justia.com/legal-researchhttp://virtualchase.justia.com/legal-researchhttp://virtualchase.justia.com/legal-researchhttp://virtualchase.justia.com/legal-researchhttp://www.llrx.com/http://www.llsdc.org/sourcebook/


25/29

Do Know When To Say When

Stop researching

When you stop finding good new resources

Re-evaluate if youre finding nothing at all

Report back

Restate the question

Quick answer, then elaborate

Describe research process Give verifiable citations

Stay on point


26/29

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!


27/29

Do Keep It Simple


28/29

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/)
http://law.richmond.libguides.com/http://law.richmond.libguides.com/


29/29

Dont Forget Us! Reference Desk

289-8685; [email protected] Paul Birch

289-8222; [email protected]

Timothy Coggins 289-8218; [email protected]

Suzanne Corriell 289-8217; [email protected]

Joyce Manna Janto 289-8223; [email protected]

Amy OConnor

289-8221; [email protected]

Andrew Winston 484-1617; [email protected]

Gail Zwirner 287-6555; [email protected]

bridge the gap research strategies 2013

Documents