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Law Library News for May 7, 2007

Law Library News Archive

Cheryl Nyberg, editor

EJournal Enhancements

The Library’s Electronic Journals List has been enhanced recently. It now includes online titles from the East Asian countries and links to the Library’s print collection. Also available are links to journals and law reviews that are freely available on the Internet and through subscriptions with the Environmental Law Institute, Oxford University Press, and RIA Checkpoint (tax).

We also have a new link on the homepage and under the “Find Legal Databases” heading for East Asian EJournals.

The EJournals lists are great places to start when you are looking for an online article for which you have a citation.

Summer Associate Central

Visit the LexisNexis Summer Associates Community for tips on cost-effective searching and self-paced tutorials to refresh or improve your skills.

And for in-person assistance, come to one of the Bridge the Legal Research Gap programs on either May 18th or June 13th. Visit the BTG website for information on the program and to register online.

Library Lifesavers

Graduating this year and starting that dream job, or are you a 1L or 2L looking forward to a summer clerkship? Of course, there is no way to know now what sort of assignments you will be getting, but—from what others have experienced—chances are good that you may be asked to research the legislative history and intent of some statutory provision.

If that prospect leaves you feeling anxious, don’t worry! Learn the ins and outs of doing a legislative history in Washington on Tuesday, May 8th at 12:45pm in Room 119. A few hints from an experienced librarian will get you started without muss or fuss.

Citing legislative history documents can be tricky. Sometimes it seems as if the document you have in hand just does not fit nicely within Rule 13 of the Bluebook. Tips on citing Congressional documents will be covered in the second segment of Library Lifesavers at 1pm.

Study Up on Interview Skills!

by Cindy Dabney, Law Library Intern

With graduation or summer jobs right around the corner, now is a good time to brush up on your interviewing skills.

Of course the best thing that you can do is to attend any classes or workshops; the second best thing to do is practice, practice, practice. In addition, take a look at a few good resources.

Kimm Alayne Walton, Guerrilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams. KF297.W34 1999 at Reference Area & Classified Stacks
This book in an almost light hearted read and goes into some specifics on the big interview questions and right and wrong answers (and why they are right and wrong)

Joseph Ryan, Stating Your Case: How to Interview for a Job as a Lawyer.  KF297.R9 1982 at Classified Stacks
This book, though a little old, tells the user what they can expect in an interview, depending on what kind of organization is hiring. It has a chapter devoted to summer internships for first and second year students. The really stand out part to this book, though, is probably the appendices, which include dozens of sample forms, things to know about all the main government agencies, and examples of both what to do and what not to do in a resume.

Donna Gerson, Your Manners Are as Important as Your Skills and Experience, Student Lawyer, Dec. 2001, at 4.
This article gives the job-seeker some overall advice about etiquette and protocol when interviewing. Any source will stress the importance of being on time, but this author also reminds you to be polite to the receptionist and offer a firm hand-shake. She identifies topics that are good for pre-and post interview chats.

Florida State Career Center, Interview Preparation Guide
This site is short and devoid of bells and whistles, but it gets to the basics of interviewing, knowing the employer and yourself, preparing, and what kinds of questions should be asked on both sides. The appendix lists the most common interview questions. It is not law specific, but it is a good quick-and- dirty guide.

FindLaw for Law Students, Interview Skills
This site is legally oriented and its greatest strength are the numerous sections devoted to questions that the interviewee should ask the interviewer, based on what kind of position is being sought. It also includes a section on discriminatory questions and how to handle them and links to other interview tips websites.

Good luck and successful job hunting!