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April 10, 2006.
Kristy Moon, editor.
Off-Campus Access
--Cheryl Nyberg
Have you discovered the Off-Campus Access link in the upper right-hand
corner of every Law Library webpage?
 Click
on the link, type in your UW NetID, and you will enjoy seamless access to the
dozens of commercial indexes and databases to which Gallagher Law Library
subscribes, such as HeinOnline and LegalTrac.
The same link is found on the UW Libraries webpages (in the upper right-hand
corner) and works the same way.
Interdisciplinary Databases
Gallagher Law Library subscribes to many commercial indexes and databases
for your research needs, but did you know that UW Libraries offers thousands
more indexes and databases including electronic books, journals, maps,
newspapers, and reference tools? Next time your research takes you beyond the
law into other subjects, check out
http://www.lib.washington.edu/types/ or consult with a librarian in the
Reference Office to identify the most appropriate resources.
Lost & Found
Have you lost or misplaced something in or around Gates Hall? Then stop by
the Lost & Found at the Circulation Desk in the Law Library which is the
official collector of unclaimed items for the Law School. After a while, all
unclaimed items are taken to the campus-wide Lost & Found located at the
Information Desk in the Husky Union Building (HUB) (hours and location at
http://depts.washington.edu/sauf/hub/infodesk.php).
Books of the Week
--Kristy Moon
Washington Estate Planning Deskbook (KFW140.A75 W37 2005 at Reference
Area).
Washington Probate Deskbook (KFW144.A75 W37 2005 at Reference Area).
Are you interested in wills and trusts? Whether you’re asked by family and
friends to help plan or probate their estates (this can truly happen – see our
previous article at
http://lib.law.washington.edu/news/2006/Jan23.html), plan to become an
estate planning attorney (conventional wisdom says that there will be an
increasing demand for this type of service when baby boomers retire soon), or
simply want to prepare ahead for the bar exam (each state’s bar exam is unique
but almost all states test this subject whether they incorporate the Multistate
Bar Exam (MBE) into their exams or not – Washington doesn’t include the MBE),
this is a useful subject to know.
Two deskbooks on this subject were published by the Washington State Bar
Association (WSBA) last year. The work on the Washington Estate Planning
Deskbook and the Washington Probate Deskbook began in 2003 when the
WSBA and a newly created Deskbook Advisory Panel began discussing the project.
The estate planning program held regularly at the UW Law School and chaired by
UW Law Professor Thomas Andrews provided the starting point. Many of the
program presenters became the Deskbooks’ authors and Professor Andrews provided
leadership as a member of the Deskbook Advisory Panel and the Steering
Committee. So it is no surprise that Professor Andrews is one of the
editors-in-chief for both of these Deskbooks.
Although it stands very well on its own, the Probate Deskbook is
meant to be a companion volume to the Estate Planning Deskbook. Both
books are published in a loose-leaf format and come with CD-ROMs that contain
numerous forms and checklists. Although the forms and checklists are also in
the books, the CD-ROMs provide a handy way to fill in the blanks of a form
online and print it out.
In addition to the CD-ROMs, both books have these features: Table of Cases,
Table of Statutes, References (list of citations to secondary sources that were
mentioned in the book; includes references to chapter(s) and section(s) in the
book where the source was mentioned), and Subject Index. Also, look for
"Practice Tips" in square boxes that are found throughout both books.
Some highlights of the Probate Deskbook include timelines for the
various steps in the probate or non-probate process (Chapter 2), non-probate
transfers with forms for typical situations (Chapter 4), and probate of Native
American estates (Chapter 12). The Estate Planning Deskbook chapters
"are arranged in a way that roughly mirrors the steps in the estate planning
process." Highlights include federal and state tax considerations relevant to
estate planning (Chapter 5), issues stemming from changes in circumstances
between the time of the execution of a will and the death of the testator
(Chapter 8), and the interface between divorce and estate planning (Chapter 9).
Browsing just the Table of Contents for these books will give you a good
idea whether this subject appeals to you as a possible specialty and what kinds
of issues may appear on the bar exam (or come up via your family and friends). | 