Legal Research and Information Literacy

(2 credits, Fall)
Professors Gire, Landau, Hemstock and Cavicchi

This course is required in fall of the first year and is graded by performance on a Research Midterm and a Research Final and on completion of two practicuums and twelve research assignments completed throughout the semester.

For research, students learn the types of legal authorities generated by the American legal system. Students learn how to use basic secondary legal resources, how to access and validate primary authority, and how to develop a strategy for completion of research projects. Classes in research are typically divided into thirds: an introductory discussion of the material, a hands-on experience in the stacks, and practical experience in online research.

Law Practice Information Literacy: Legal Research

(1 credit, Spring)
Professor Tom Hemstock

This course is for second and third year students and is graded on the completion of a Collection Development project. Students produce a written document which details the materials they would need to access in order to practice a specific type of law in a specific location.

LPIL is for students who want to explore print and online research sources in depth and to refine their skills as cost effective researchers. There is some review of basic research tools and strategies, but the purpose of the course is to examine areas of research not covered in Legal Skills 1 and 2. These areas include administrative research, legislative histories, international research sources, and practitioner materials. Traditional print sources will be evaluated and compared with nontraditional sources, primarily databases and the web. The class does not stress research on Lexis or Westlaw. The format of the class consists of a combination of the presentation of a problem, time for independent research, group discussion of methods, and demonstrations of successful strategies.

The focus of LPIL will likely be one of the following: IP Research, Civil Practice Research, Criminal Practice Research, or New Hampshire Research

Law Practice Information Literacy: Fact Based Research

 (1 credit Spring)

Professor Tom Hemstock

Eligibility: open to all except first year students; limited to 24 students

Prereq: Legal Skills 1 or equivalent

Grading: Weekly assignments combined with a final research project.

Days and Time: 2 hour course, meeting 6 times in a semester. Tuesday, Jan 12 – March 2 (Suggested day; I am flexible on days. Includes one week off during Winter Break.)

Description: Fact Based Research is a course under the Law Practice Information Literacy umbrella and covers non-legal research skills that are critical to today’s legal practice. Students learn practice ready skills not covered in Legal Skills or other research courses and the course guides students in learning information literacy beyond Westlaw/Lexis.

Topics include:

Business research including newspaper research and corporation filings

Jury Verdict Reports

Medical Research

Real Estate Sales and Title Searches

Criminal Records

Asset Searches

People Searching

Other topics TBD

Cost effective legal research is constantly integrated into the course to prepare students for post law school research realities. The format of the class consists of the presentation of problems, time allotted for independent group research, demonstrations, and discussions of resources, techniques, and cost-effectiveness of the research process.

Mining Patent Informaton in the Digital Age

(2 credits, Summer)
Professor Jon Cavicchi

Enrollment is limited to 20 students.

Introduction to the manual and computerized search and research tools currently available for intellectual property practice in the United States and strategies for their effective use.