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Major online research options are reviewed, including tips for leveraging various databases, like FastCase. 6/14/14 presentation for the Missouri Bar Solo & Small Firm Conference.
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Online Legal Research:
Tools, Tips + Tricks*Jared D. Correia, Esq.
Assistant Director/Senior Law Practice Advisor
Massachusetts Law Office Management Assistance Program
The Missouri Bar2014 Solo & Small Firm Conference#MOSOLO14June 11-14, 2014Branson Convention Center
“
”
Give us the TOOLS, and we will do the job.
Tom Menino, former Mayor of Boston
The Big Boys
Westlaw
Lexis
Alternative Subscription Services Bloomberg Law
Lois Law
Versus Law
Fastcase/Casemaker
HeinOnline
What ARE You Paying For?
Databases
Features
Interface
What AREN’T You Paying For? Paid Services (Patron access)
FastCase (Missouri Bar access)
Google Scholar
Public Library of Law
WashLaw Web
Legal Information Institute (Cornell)
Federal Resources Regulations
eCFR
FDSys
Regulations.gov
Congress
Congress.gov (formerly ‘Thomas’)
Federal Register
Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Courts
Oyez
RECAP
Agencies
LSU Libraries Federal Agency Directory
UVA’s Federal Administrative Decisions and Other Actions
More Directed Resources Law Reviews + Journals
Subscription Feature
University Law Review Project
CEO Express
Library of Congress: Law Review Online
Research Guides
Cornell Law School Legal Research Engine
Zimmerman’s Research Guide
International + Foreign Law
Law Library of Congress
Legal Information Institute: Global Portal
United Nations Treaty Series
Electronic Information for International Law
There’s An App for That . . .
Legal Research + Scholarship Westlaw Next, Lexis Advance,
Bloomberg Law, HeinOnline, FastCase
dLaw, OpenRegs
Legal News + Information ABA Journal, The National Law
Journal, The American Lawyer JDSupra’s Legal Edge, Legal News
Reader iSCOTUS Now
Whither Legal Subscription Services? Niche practices are becoming more popular and are
increasingly complex.
There are a lot of free resources out there, especially for enterprising lawyers, especially for specific resource sets.
Will free, niche databases swallow subscription legal services?
No, because we pay for features = ease of use, too.
But, the open source legal research community, the reality of modern practice and the web savvy of modern attorneys will combine to continue to force subscription service providers to change the way they do business.
“
”Just the TIP(S).
Sterling Archer, ISIS agent
Finagling
Three More Quick FastCase Tips
Cut + Paste Brief into Search Box; FastCase will find cited cases . . . usually
All of the Boolean Search Terms for Westlaw + Lexis work in FastCase
‘Show Search Tips’ tool features most common searches for each operator; they’re clickable
FastCase is FasterAlgorithm v Al Gorythm
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TRICKS and treachery are the practice of foolsthe wise, that don’t have enough brains to be honestwork smarter, not harder.
(paraphrasing) Benjamin Franklin, wanted the turkey for the national bird
Basic Research Tip #1
Know Your (Database) Limitations
Basic Research Tip #2
BOO-lean To You!
Basic Research Tip #3
Start Free; Finish Expensive
Basic Research Tip #4
Recreate the Wheel; Maintain the Wheel
Basic Research Tip #5
Going Mobile
THANK YOU!Jared D. Correia, Esq.
Assistant DirectorSenior Law Practice Advisor
Massachusetts Law Office Management Assistance Program
www.masslomap.org/blogwww.attorneyatwork.com/author/jaredcorreia
www.linkedin.com/in/jaredcorreia@jaredcorreia
*For assistance in the creation of this presentation, I am indebted to:
-Ed Walters and Josh Auriemma, both of FastCase-Ellen Delaney, of Suffolk University Law School’s John Joseph Moakley Law Library