This exciting course is designed to teach advanced and specialized approaches to utilize the legal resources available in a law library, and elsewhere. The conceptual differences between computer-assisted legal research and hard copy research will be taught. You will also learn how to formulate WESTLAW search queries and effectively and efficiently use WESTLAW and other online legal research methods as timesaving devices in legal research and legal writing.

This course is designed to examine more thoroughly advanced and specialized approaches to utilizing the legal sources available in the law library and online.

Successful graduates of this non-credit course will be awarded a Certificate of Completion from the college or university of their choice.

Lesson 1: Overview of Legal Research Basic Concepts, Elements of Legal Research.

Lesson 2: Legal Research on the Internet, Westlaw®

Lesson 3: Legal Research in the Law Library

Lesson 4: Sources of Law, Course Overview. Job search strategies and placement possibilities will also be discussed.

Course Objectives:

How to conduct manual legal research

How to conduct electronic legal research

How to find, interpret and use various types of legal authorities

How to shepardize legal authorities

How to write a legal analysis

How to draft a Memorandum of Law

How to brief case opinions

Participants will be expected to complete reading and homework assignments and will choose or be assigned an advanced legal research project to be submitted in class. Final research projects will be presented for grading to the instructor or The Center for Legal Studies as a prerequisite of course completion.

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• View the Course Syllabus
• Hands on practical application research exercises to hone your research skills.
• Instruction in the law library and Westlaw® tutorials.
• Students benefit from direct interaction with the instructor and other students.
• Schools offering the Live format - Schedule and Tuition
• Financial Aid Information
• Order Books Online

Books required for the Live Lecture format:

• Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing, 2nd edition, by William H. Putman
• Legal Research and Writing Across the Curriculum: Problems and Exercises, by Michael D. Murray and Christy H. DeSanctis
• Westlaw® online legal research access, available for the course duration from The Center for Legal Studies for only $75. Click Here to Order
• Order Books Online

• Black's Law Dictionary, 3rd pocket edition, $35.
• Ballentine's Legal Dictionary and Thesaurus, $69
• Order Online