Law Library News: Recent Updates

Hit the Ground Running...

Are you just starting out at the College of Law? Or are you looking to jump back into the academic year with your best foot forward? In either case, the Law Library is here to help you "hit the ground running" and make great strides in your legal education and career!

From in-library resources you can use to print and online materials that may offer a boost, we have a little bit of everything you might need to start your year right.

More Than Just Books

The Law Library is pleased to provide a wide variety of spaces and resources for members of the law school community:

• Three study rooms: reservation required during the library's staffed hours and available first-come-first-served during OneCard access hours
• Laptops for 4-hour checkout
• Meditation, Prayer, and Lactation Room in the North Wing alcove, including comfortable seating, prayer rug, and yoga mat
• Seating for group study in the North Wing (available whenever Swen Parson Hall is open)
• Individual carrels, tables, and study pods in the South Wing (available during the library's staffed and OneCard access hours)
• Study break and relaxation supplies, including board games and craft supplies
• Regularly scheduled "Crafternoons" in the library (dates and activities TBA)

Guides, Introductions, and More

Stop by the library to view our display of books that will help you start the year (and your legal career) on the right foot. You can also view our virtual "Hit the Ground Running" book display and place holds on titles that interest you. Here are a couple highlights:

Scholarly Writing for Law Students by Elizabeth Fajans; Mary Falk

Call Number: KF250 .F34 2017

ISBN: 9781683282075

Publication Date: 2017-03-24

This book fills an important niche in legal-writing literature by teaching law students how to write scholarly papers for seminars, law reviews, and law-review competitions and how to have their work recognized. It helps novices and more experienced scholars alike to write papers with a minimum of anxiety and a maximum of creativity. Employing a process theory of writing, the text first describes the enterprise of scholarly writing and then discusses techniques for brainstorming topics and theses, researching, drafting, and revising for substance and style. It covers both traditional doctrinal topics and newer areas like empirical studies. There are also chapters on footnotes, avoiding plagiarism, law review practice, and dissemination of student work through publication and submission to national writing competitions. Appendices provide a sample law-review competition paper, answers to in-text exercises, sample syllabi for scholarly writing courses, and a rubric for evaluating and editing scholarly papers and articles.

Law School Without Fear by Helene Shapo; Marshall Shapo

Call Number: LAW. KF240 .S46 2009

ISBN: 9781599414195

Publication Date: 2009-05-26

This concise, plain-spoken book is an indispensable guide for beginning law students. Field-tested by students all over the country for more than a dozen years for its practicality and its psychological realism, it has proved an invaluable introduction to cutting through the fog of case analysis; minimizing the bewilderment of the Socratic method; studying law; writing for law school; preparing for exams and exam writing; managing precious time; and coping with the emotional stress of law study.

Mindfulness for Law Students by Scott Rogers

Call Number: KF287.R63 M56 2009

ISBN: 9780977345519

Publication Date: 2009-05-29

Mindfulness for Law Students is a one-of-a-kind book that is specifically designed to introduce law students to fundamental contemplative practices as well as the cutting-edge research that shows how incorporating mindfulness techniques can alter the physical structure and function of the brain to reflect decreased levels of stress, increased levels of productivity and improved mental health. This book is based on the Jurisight(R) program - which uses legal terms and concepts to teach lawyers what they need to know about mindfulness and neuroscience to lead more balanced and effective lives - and written with input from law students, law professors and recent law school graduates to ensure that the lessons are accessible to law students and can be easily integrated into their busy schedules. "As a first-year law student, I found that I didn't need another book on the law school experience, nor a bevy of outlines and advice. What I needed was a way to help myself focus in the midst of a very intense and sometimes chaotic experience. Mindfulness for Law Students introduces mindfulness concepts in a way that will help law students remain self-aware and keep the law school experience in its proper perspective. " -- Dale Dobuler, second-year law student

Roadmap: the law student's guide to meaningful employment by Neil W. Hamilton

Call Number: KF287 .H36 2018

ISBN: 9781641050227

Publication Date: 2019-05-07

The Roadmap process transforms the question of "what value do you bring?" into an opportunity to differentiate oneself from other students. You will not need to wait for a specific question about the value you bring beyond technical legal skills to help legal employers and clients. Instead, you will understand what skills legal employers and clients need and will be able to explain how your strongest skills can help them succeed. You will be prepared with your best stories to demonstrate persuasive evidence of your strongest skills. The book encourages you to use your time in law school to develop the competencies important to your future, and helps the reader form a conscious plan to demonstrate these self-development experiences.

24/7 Resources

Though we love for you to join us in the Law Library, you can make the most of our resources anytime, no matter where you are! The Law Library provides access to dozens of topic-specific databases and research platforms, most of which you can peruse either on- or off-campus. But if you're looking for study guides or introductions to an array of topics, here are two of our best eBook databases:

And, as always, you're welcome to reach out to a librarian for help as well. Stop by the Circulation Desk anytime we're open, set up a virtual appointment, or send an email to lawreference@niu.edu.