Do you want to be a Supreme Court Justice?

Would you like to participate in U.S. Supreme Court decisions? You don't have to wait until you've practiced for years. You can do it now.

Check out this site to play in the legal fantasy league. Designed by The Harlan Institute to engage students in a "stylized law school experience", you can make predictions on the outcome of actual cases.

Health Care Reform Lawsuits -- An Opinion

The New York Review of Books has a very interesting opinion piece by David Cole about the lawsuits currently surrounding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The article's title is "Is Health Care Reform Unconstitutional?" You can read this article here.

Casemaker Database Free to Students & Staff

Law students, make yourself more marketable to employers by referencing Casemaker skills in your resume or interview. Casemaker is a legal research database available at no extra cost to members of organizations such as the Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming bar associations. As economic conditions force legal employers to contain Westlaw and Lexis charges, alternatives such as Casemaker become more important. Watch for future Casemaker training from the law library. Meanwhile, look over the training videos and user guide, and practice using Casemaker for free. Use your Hamline e-mail address to create a free personal account instantly. You will be using the same Casemaker database that thousands of cost-conscious attorneys use in their practices.

US Code into this 21st Century

Have you heard? Title 51 has been added to the US Code! There have been 50 titles since 1926 - the creation of the official title format. This new title concerns National and Commercial Space Programs.

So what! you say? There's the fact that for 85 years the Congress has not changed this format and newer legislation has been shoe-horned to fit the existing 50 Title structure. Now Congress has effectively enacted a change. Following President Obama's lead on looking towards the future Congress has created this new title. The Office of the Law Revision Counsel plans to make some more changes. So look for new titles in the future!

How will this change your legal research?

Job Searches and Career Quests

In addition to the Career Services Office’s resources, HUSL students have access to many career-related books in the law library. A few general guides include the following:

Guerrilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams (2008)

The Legal Job Interview: Winning the Law-Related Job in Today’s Market (2008)

Resumes for Law Careers (2008)

How to Start & Build a Law Practice (2004)

Flying Solo: A Survival Guide for the Solo and Small Firm Lawyer (2005)

Managing Your Legal Career: Best Practices for Creating the Career You Want (2010)

Fifty Unique Legal Paths: How to Find the Right Job (2008)

The Legal Career Guide: From Law Student to Lawyer (2008)

The Official Guide to Legal Specialties: An Insider’s Guide to Every Major Practice Area (2000)

Should You Really Be a Lawyer? The Guide to Smart Career Choices Before, During & After Law School (2005) (The new 2010 edition is on its way to the library.)

Nonlegal Careers for Lawyers (2006)

Our books on particular legal careers are too numerous to list and often may be checked out for longer use by students. Here are just a few examples:

Careers in Criminal Law (2010)

How to Build and Manage a Family Law Practice (2006)

Careers in Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice (2010)

Need inspiration to find a direction or just keep going? Some (auto)biographical material from lawyers who eventually found their way may spark your imagination. Here’s a sampling of what you can select from our shelves.

Angel of Death Row: My Life as a Death Penalty Defense Lawyer (2010)

Fearless: The Richard A. Sprague story (2008)

Melvin Belli: King of the Courtroom (2007)

A Song of Faith and Hope: The Life of Frankie Muse Freeman (2003)

The Gift of Insecurity: A Lawyer's Life (2003)

Advocate and Activist: Memoirs of an American Communist Lawyer (1993).

Attorney for the Situation (1975)

Norwegian Legal Research

HUSL Norway Study Abroad Program participants or others exploring Norwegian law may be interested in a recently updated online Guide to Legal Research in Norway. Distinguished Norwegian law librarian Pål A. Bertnes shares his knowledge in a well-organized English-language guide full of helpful explanations and convenient links to Norwegian legal resources.