Spring Legal Research Classes

Need to enhance your legal research skills before clerking this summer or graduating? Consider taking one of the following legal research classes offered at SCOL during Spring semester.

Federal Legal Research (2 credits) - Taught by Stacey Bowers
Wednesdays, 5:40pm-7:20pm

This course is will focus on advanced legal research methodologies and skills within the context and framework of federal law. The course will explore federal case law, statutes, legislation and legislative history, regulations and regulatory history, agency decisions and websites, treatises, loose leaf services, secondary and practice materials. Students will learn strategies for engaging in research at the federal level and for ensuring that their research is thorough. The course will integrate the use of both print and online resources. Students will complete a series of research assignments and projects throughout the semester.


Foreign & International Law Legal Research - Taught by Joan Policastri
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 10:30am-11:45am

This course will introduce students to concepts and skills used in international and foreign law research. Students will learn to construct successful research strategies involving questions of foreign law, public international law and private international law using print and online resources. Both primary and secondary authority will be covered in various formats. Students will understand how different legal systems and cultures influence the use and assessment of legal resources. The course will also equip students to critically evaluate current and future research tools. No foreign language skills are required and while a previous course in comparative or international law may be helpful, it is not required.


Advanced Legal Research (3 credits) - Taught by Debra Austin
Mondays & Wednesdays, 11:50am - 1:05pm

This course will provide students with the opportunity to master a major tool of law practice. Students completing this course will come away with an enhanced ability to do research in state and federal legislative and administrative materials. Students will gain knowledge and experience in the use of non-legal research resources as well as the many practice materials that attorneys frequently rely on. Students will have the opportunity to evaluate a variety of research tools, their ease of use, and relative cost with respect to creating or enhancing a law practice library. Finally, students will sharpen their presentation and public speaking skills and be exposed to innovative teaching technologies. 3 semester hours.