Category: Library Resources

Stand Out with Research Certifications from Lexis, Westlaw & Bloomberg Law

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Guest post by Haley Lawson, 1L and SLACer

After taking Legal Research as a 1L, a law student might feel like they have mastered Westlaw and Lexis and can seamlessly find the answer to any legal research question thrown at them.

While I do not want to burst your bubble, your understanding of these research platforms unfortunately does not make you special. Every 1L across the country has just learned about Lexis and Westlaw. But don’t worry! There are opportunities to set yourself apart as a student and job candidate—and even as a lawyer down the road—with certified, superior online legal research skills.

Just take advantage of the free certifications offered by Westlaw, Lexis, and Bloomberg Law. These self-paced online programs help you both review fundamentals and learn advanced tips for using legal database tools and content. From transactional drafting and litigation analytics to legislative history and dockets, you can choose your topic and get started anytime. Once complete, you will earn an official credential of certification from the company that looks great on your résumé or LinkedIn page. Take my advice: Check out the certifications for Westlaw, Lexis, and Bloomberg Law and stand apart from the legal research pack!

New at W&L Law – WordRake: Microsoft Word Plugin for Brevity and Simplicity

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WordRake Introduction

Are you interested in improving your writing for Clinic, a seminar, or journal? W&L Law Library is pleased to announce free access to WordRake for students, faculty, and staff. WordRake is an automated in-line editing plugin for Microsoft Word that can make any document or email clearer, shorter, and better. The tool is particularly useful for legal professionals, business writers, and anyone looking to enhance the readability of their documents.

WordRake improves clarity and conciseness by suggesting changes to eliminate unnecessary words and tighten sentences. Integration into Microsoft Word offers real-time editing suggestions that streamline writing and make it more professional.

Sample of WordRake

Similar to Grammarly, WordRake makes suggestions on your legal writing to make it more concise, improve word choices, and improve the overall flow of your document. You can view a 30-second demonstration of WordRake here.

If you are interested in receiving a key to install WordRake to your Mac or PC, please email lawref@wlu.edu.

 

Welcome Kerry Shibib, Outreach and Reference Librarian

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Kerry Shibib

Kerry Shibib, W&L Law’s new librarian

The Law Library is delighted to welcome Kerry Shibib to our professional staff and the W&L Law community!

Professor Shibib holds the new position of Outreach and Reference Librarian, in which he will coordinate our research assistant programs, the Student Library Advisory Committee (SLACers), and provide expert research and instructional support to faculty and students. He also teaches the Legal Research course in our first-year curriculum.

Prior to becoming a law librarian, Kerry was an attorney with large firms in New York and a boutique family law practice in San José, California. He is also a technology and computer enthusiast, becoming Microsoft Certified in Artificial Intelligence earlier this year. Kerry is currently working towards his Master of Library and Information Science at San José State University and previously earned his JD from Columbia and undergraduate degree from Cornell.

Please join us in welcoming Professor Shibib! His office is 354, on the corner just across from the Circulation Desk.

New Washington and Lee Law Journal Rankings Released

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W&L Law Journal Rankings

The 2023 Washington and Lee Law Journal Rankings are now available at go.wlu.edu/lawjournals.

Maintained by the W&L Law Library, the Rankings are a world-recognized resource for identifying and comparing law journals by subject, country of publication, or rank across several categories relevant to scholars and publishers.

Data for 2023 includes the top 400 U.S.-published law journals and the top 100 law journals published outside the United States, based on citation counts and publication statistics for a 2019-2023 survey period.

New Rankings are released annually based on data up through the preceding calendar year. Historical data from the 1996-2003 to 2018-2022 survey periods remains accessible on the site for reference and comparison.

For more information about W&L Law Journal Rankings, please visit the the How to Use and Methodology pages of the site. Questions and comments are welcome at LawJournalRankings@wlu.edu.

Spring Into Summer Success Resources Now Online

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Spring Into Summer Success with W&L Law Library and OCS

A freshly updated guide to resources for student summer employment is now online, courtesy of the W&L Law Library.

The guide is based on the Spring Into Summer Success with W&L Law Library and OCS program held at W&L Law between March 12 and March 19, 2024. It includes guidance and resources for conducting smart and efficient legal research and making the most of the summer work experience. Information is relevant for any legal workplace, such as private firms, public interest organizations, judicial internships, or government agencies.

Content includes:

  • Summer Work Tips with the Rachford Fellows and Burks Scholars
  • Legal News and Current Awareness
  • Multi-Jurisdictional Surveys and Research
  • Introduction to Lexis+ AI
  • Prepare to Practice with Westlaw
  • Summer Access to Online Resources

Streaming video recordings of the in-person sessions are included where available.

The guide is at https://libguides.wlu.edu/summersuccess2024. Please note that the guide is exclusively accessible to the W&L Law community; click here to log into Box for the required password.

You are welcome to reach out to the W&L Law Library (lawref@wlu.edu) and Office of Career Strategy (lawcareer@wlu.edu), both while preparing for your job now and during the summer. We are glad to help and will do our best to get you the information or advice you need!

New Guide to Study Aids for Upper-Level Courses

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Print study aids on upper-level subjects, available in the Reserve Room.

Just in time for fall exam season, the Law Library has launched a new LibGuide to help you select the best study aids for upper-level elective courses.

Study Guides for 2L/3L Classes highlights the leading online and print supplements available at no cost to W&L students through the Law Library. Subjects include Evidence, Administrative Law, Business Associations, Tax, and more. The guide complements the Study Guides for 1L Classes, updated regularly since 2016.

Print study aids are in the Reserve Room (Level 3 near the Circulation Desk). Online study aids and supplements are available from West Academic, Lexis Digital Library, CALI, and Quimbee.

Email LawRef@wlu.edu with any questions or suggestions about study aids for law courses or concepts.

New Washington and Lee Law Journal Rankings Released

Andrew ChristensenLeave a comment

W&L Law Journal Rankings

The 2022 Washington and Lee Law Journal Rankings are now available at go.wlu.edu/lawjournals.

Maintained by the W&L Law Library, the Rankings are a world-recognized resource for identifying and comparing law journals by subject, country of publication, or rank across several categories relevant to scholars and publishers.

Data for 2022 includes the top 400 U.S.-published law journals and the top 100 law journals published outside the United States, based on citation counts and publication statistics for a 2018-2022 survey period.

New Rankings are released annually based on data up through the preceding calendar year. Historical data from the 1996-2003 to 2017-2021 survey periods remains accessible on the site for reference and comparison.

For more information about W&L Law Journal Rankings, please visit the the How to Use and Methodology pages of the site. Questions and comments are welcome at LawJournalRankings@wlu.edu.

W&L Law Library Adds Notary Services

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Notary
Notary services are now available at the W&L Law Library.

Four members of the W&L Law Library staff are now commissioned Notaries Public for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Administrative Assistant Emma Martone and Library Assistants Brittany Fix, Victoria Johnston, and Milea Webb all became notaries in May, more than doubling the number of notaries on the Law School staff. They are available to provide services free of charge to community members during business hours.

A list of all notaries at the Law School and the W&L undergraduate campus is available on the University website.

To use our notary services, email or call any of the employees listed above to make an appointment or stop by the Law Library Circulation Desk.

W&L Law Library Launches Mobile Self-Checkout System

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Meescan
Use the Meescan self-checkout station at the Circulation Desk, or the app on your phone anywhere in the Library.

The W&L Law Library is delighted to introduce Meescan, a system that lets users easily check out items anywhere in the Library using a mobile phone app.

Following recent rollouts in the Leyburn and Telford libraries on Front Campus, a new Meescan self-service unit at the Law Library Circulation Desk now allows 24/7 checkout of library materials with a swipe of your W&L ID card or email address.

The self-checkout computers previously in the Reserve Room and in the Level 1 and 1A stacks have also been removed. Instead, enjoy the convenience of simply scanning an item straight from the shelf using the Meescan app on your phone to read the item’s barcode.

The Meescan app is available for both iOS and Android (Apple App Store and Google Play). Look for signs around the Library with a QR code to download it directly; also below:

We hope you find Meescan to be a quick and convenient way to checkout your library materials! If you have any questions, please email us at LawRef@wlu.edu.