To learn about how opinions are published and how to find the opinions you need, come to our Library workshop this week. Case law is at the heart of the common law system. For 900 years, judges in England and then America have created law by adjusting existing law to novel facts. Published judicial opinions coupled with the doctrine of stare decisis guide further application of the common law and provide stability in the legal system.

• Monday evening, 7:45-8:45pm, Room 1821
• Tuesday day, noon-1:00pm, Room 1821
• Wednesday evening, 7:45-8:45pm, Room 1821
• Thursday day, noon-1:00pm, Room 1735

The Library will be presenting an Introduction to The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation this week.

• Wednesday, September 7, 7:45 to 8:45pm (yes, that's tomorrow night)
• Thursday, September 8, noon to 1:00pm
• Friday, September 9, noon to 1:00pm

In Room 1821. Please bring your Bluebooks with you.

Understanding The Bluebook is really, really important for your success in law school. There are two big reasons we inflict it on you. First, every jurisdiction has rules for preparing and filing court documents, usually based on The Bluebook or something similar, and you need to know the vocabulary. Second, using The Bluebook is an exercise in following the dots. Lots of dots. Following complicated instructions, understanding and using complicated rules, these are essential skills in the practice of law. So you need this class. See you there.

Faculty and students at PSL can get FREE (well, no additional charge) access to materials from the Practical Law Company. Most of these materials are business law oriented and from the perspective of the business attorney, although some have applications in other areas of law and other contexts. The kinds of materials available include:

• Practice notes (including "Overviews" and "Toolkits")
• Standard documents and clauses
• Checklists
• Articles
• Updates

Practice notes, standard documents and clauses, and checklists are continuously updated. Some examples:

• Tribal Finance: Overview (Practice Note)
• Confidentiality Agreement: General (Mutual) (Standard Document)
• Fiduciary Duties of the Board of Directors (Practice Note)
• Bankruptcy: Overview of the Chapter 11 Process (Practice Note: Overview)
• Sexual Harassment Toolkit (Practice Note: Overview)
• US Copyright Duration Flowchart (Checklist)
• Drafting arbitration agreements: checklist (Checklist)
• Removal: How to Remove a Case to Federal Court (Practice Note)
• Office Leasing: Tenant Estoppel Certificate (Standard Document)
• Debt v. Equity Tax Classification Checklist (Checklist)

To set up your own account, click on "PLC LAW SCHOOL", click on "FREE PLC Access for Students, Faculty and Staff", fill in the blanks (use your phoenixlaw dot edu email address), agree to their terms of use, and click on "Register". They will send you your password (your email address will be your Username).

Want to gain a competitive edge with how to use WestlawNext efficiently?

Thomson Reuters is offering a service, WestlawNext Tip of the Week. Subcribe to get a weekly research tip. The description from Thomson Reuters (West):

"Subscribe today and begin each week with a quick, practical research tip on using the world’s most advanced legal research system. When you sign up, you’ll receive a weekly research tip that addresses a common question, shows you how to use a specific feature, or informs you about new content and enhancements. With each tip, you’ll get valuable knowledge that will help you maximize your efficiency and gain a competitive edge in delivering better answers, faster.

These complimentary tips are delivered directly to your email inbox.  Anyone is eligible to sign up – simply provide us with your name, email address and the name of your organization. It’s that easy!

Interested in seeing past tips?  Please check out the archive and browse prior tips by topic or date."

 

Hat-tip to the West Librarian Relations Update. Image belongs to Thomson Reuters.

Hi all!

The Law Library is pleased to announce a new service for you as part of our subscription to The Chronicle of Higher Education online!

You can now go straight to the Chronicle's website when you're off campus and view premium content (with the gold key). All you have to do is create a free account with the Chronicle, using your @phoenixlaw.edu or @student.phoenixlaw.edu email address.

The Chronicle has really great articles all about higher education. My personal favorites have to do with technology in higher education. With the account you create, you can sign up for email newsletters (from their various blogs) to be delivered to your email inbox daily. I currently subscribe to the daily Wired Campus newsletter. I also enjoy reading the ProfHacker blog.

Alternatively, you can visit our databases page or our homepage database drop-down menu (below the catalog search box) to select the Chronicle of Higher Education. If you're off campus and go to the Chronicle's website through the law library's website, you'll be asked to enter your name and library barcode number, just like for our other databases.

We hope this new service is easier for you to access the Chronicle off campus! Feel free to email me with any questions you may have!

Enjoy your summer...