Spring Semester 2023 | Research Instruction Courses

Please reach out to Julie Graves Krishnaswami with questions. 

Advanced Legal Research: Methods and Sources (21027). 2 or 3 units. This course is an advanced exploration of the specialized methods and sources of legal research in the following areas: secondary legal authority, case law, statutory authority, legislative history, court rules and practice materials, and administrative law. The course also covers the legal research process, organizing and managing research, and other efficient and effective legal research strategies. Throughout the course, students will learn how to evaluate new and emerging legal research and law practice technologies and discuss historical, social, economic, and critical perspectives on legal information. Class sessions will use simulations of legal research problems. A laptop computer is required for each class session. Students are required to complete a series of assignments and presentations, in addition to other course requirements. Students who wish to qualify for a third unit will need to write a paper, in addition to the other course requirements. J.G. Krishnaswami and L. Olejnikova.

Research Methods in United States Legal History (21080). 2 units. This seminar will examine the methods and major materials used in American historical legal research, whether for scholarly pursuits or professional advocacy. It will cover early judicial, statutory, and constitutional sources; court records; government documents; biographical materials and personal papers of lawyers and judges; other manuscript collections; and early sources of U.S. international law and civil law. Paper required. J. Nann.

Introduction to Legal Research Methods & Sources (21486) 1 unit, credit/fail. This course is designed to prepare students, especially first-year J.D. students, for the research endeavors they will encounter in internships, summer associateships, seminars, journals, clinics, and research assistantships. Topics covered include legal authority; taxonomies of secondary and primary sources; search strategies; finding and validating cases and statutes; locating legislative history materials; regulatory research basics; evaluating new and emerging legal research and law practice technologies; and historical, social, economic, and critical perspectives on legal information. Students will be required to complete a series of short research assignments. The course will meet once weekly for the first half of the semester. N. Mignanelli.