Moritz Legal Information Blog

Remember when Westlaw looked like this?: And Lexis looked like this?: These images are what Westlaw and Lexis used to look like. Each database has changed in a number of ways over the last decade, and more change is coming—ready or not. Lexis Classic (as it’s now known) became Lexis Advance and featured a “carousel” designed to help you navigate your “workspace.” The carousel was not well-loved, and after a few more changes, Lexis launched the Lexis Advance platform you’re familiar with today. Westlaw Classic became WestlawNext , which became Thomson Reuters Westlaw , and next semester you’ll see another change: Westlaw Edge .  Do you know the differences between all these permutations? Have you simply gone along for the ride sticking with your same old searches for case law (or avoiding Westlaw all together because you “like Lexis more” (and they give you free printing and rewards for prizes))? Are you aware practicing

The Moritz Law Library has partnered with Career Services to curate a collection of resources and materials designed to help you develop your professional network, identify meaningful work, and find and secure employment opportunities. Recently, we participated in Career Services’ brownbag series on networking by helping students identify Moritzers practicing in particular areas of law in particular cities. (There are two more brown bags in this series for 2Ls and 3Ls, so stop by the Public Service Law Center Oct. 22 and 29 for more info!) The Moritz Law Library’s Career Resources Guide will direct you to websites, journals, and books that can aid in the job search and interview process, as well as databases that can help you research potential employers and interviewers. The guide has recently been updated to include some strategies for identifying people to connect with on LinkedIn, Martindale.com, West’s Legal Directory on Westlaw, and other online directories. The Job Resources

In advance of the November 6, 2018, General Election , the large display outside the library has been updated to provide information on a variety of election-related topics. We’ve included panels explaining ballot initiatives and referendum processes , the Ohio Ballot Board (which includes a Moritz grad among its panelists), the 2018 Ohio Neighborhood Safety, Drug Treatment, and Rehabilitation Amendment (a statewide ballot initiative explored in a series sponsored by Moritz’s Drug Enforcement and Policy Cente r), how to register to vote , Election Law at Moritz (including the ALI project Election Administration: Non-Precinct Voting and Resolution of Ballot-Counting Disputes ), and a look at Moritz grads successfully elected to office over the years.

Since 1917 , the first Monday in October has marked the beginning of United States Supreme Court term. This year, the term starts on October 1, with two oral arguments scheduled. The first, Weyerhaeuser Company v. Fish and Wildlife Service , involves the Endangered Species Act, and the second, Mount Lemmon Fire District v. Guido , the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Learn more about upcoming Supreme Court cases with Georgetown’s Supreme Court Institute preview . Curious about the parties’ arguments? You can find filings in these cases and the others on the Court’s docket at SCOTUSBlog , including lower court opinions and briefs from both parties and amicus curiae. Need to review what happened at oral argument? After each oral argument, you can find transcripts and audio at the Supreme Court’s website . Finally, the Supreme Court Mapping Project gives you a way to analyze and predict developments in Supreme Court doctrine with simple visual charts that cover 1st, 4th, 5th,

If you are writing a research paper for a seminar or a note for a law review or journal this semester, now might be a good time to schedule an in-office research consultation with a Moritz Law Library reference librarian. These individual meetings are scheduled in advance to give the librarians time to prepare useful research strategies and sources to help you get started researching your particular issue or topic. Stop by now to get a head start on those long papers or really complex research topics. To request a research consultation, go to https://moritzlaw.osu.edu/lib/services/request-a-research-consultation/ and fill out the online form with a description of your research project and the times you are available to meet. Reference librarians are available to meet from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, typically within 2-3 business days after your request is submitted. If you need research assistance sooner, please stop by the Reference Desk. Reference Desk hour

Many law students go their entire law school career only taking advantage of a small fraction of the help available to them via the law library. On Monday, September 17, the Moritz Law Library is partnering with the Pro Bono Research Group (PBRG) to give law students a brief update on the range of resources, space, and services available to them from the law library (whether they volunteer with PBRG or not). Lunch will be provided to those who RSVP to Ingrid Mattson ( Mattson.30@osu.edu ) by September 13. The session begins at 12:10 p.m. in Room 251. Wondering what PBRG does? “Over 80 percent of people’s legal needs go unmet because they cannot afford an attorney. To reduce this percentage, the Pro Bono Research Group (PBRG) provides research assistance to Legal Services and Legal Aid attorneys throughout Ohio. After a student's first semester of law school is complete, they may become a Research Fellow. Research Fellows conduct quality research akin to the law journals a

The Moritz Law Library provides access to supplements and study aids in print and online. Current print study aids can be found in the Reserve Room on the second floor. Study aids published by West Academic or Wolters Kluwer are also available in ebook format. Wolters Kluwer online study aids include Examples and Explanations, Glannon Guides, and Emanuel CrunchTime and Law Outlines. To use these study aids, students must set up their own account at https://ebooks.aspenlaw.com/librarycard/login. Additional information on account set-up can be found on the Moritz intranet .  West Academic's online Study Aids collection contains over 500 titles, including Nutshells, Gilbert Law Summaries, and Black Letter Outlines.  Please check in with the law library circulation or reference desks if you have any difficulties accessing either of these online resources.