Topic Selection

Electronic Resources

Using Westlaw for Topic Selection

A useful guide to topic selection resources on Westlaw.

Adding the "Law Review" tab to Westlaw

A short presentation that shows how to add a "Law Review" tab to Westlaw, to easily access useful databases. Click "Slide Show" when the screen appears.

LexisNexis Brochure on selecting a topic and preemption checking

A PDF of a brief brochure that covers topic selection on Lexis.

BNA Databases

Online newsletters highlighting important decisions in the areas of criminal law, labor and employment, securities regulation, family law, antitrust and trade and more. For circuit splits, look in the U.S. Law Week index under "Circuit Split Roundup." Circuit splits are compiled quarterly.

Recent Developments in Internet law

From Pike and Fisher's Internet Law and Regulation, recent national and international legal news stories dealing with internet law.

Hot Bills and Topics from Lexis/CIS Congressional Universe

A good place to find official congressional information on hot legal topics.

Current awareness sites

A page of links to free legal news sites, e.g. Findlaw and Law.com.

NESL Legal Topics Page

A great index of NESL Research pages that include links to legal organizations, primary materials, and legal news. A great place to start if you have an idea of the area of law you want to write about.

Circuit Split Blog

A blog authored by Professor Benjamin Spencer at the University of Richmond School of Law briefly describing some of the splits among the federal circuit courts (with links to cases through Westlaw).

Seton Hall Circuit Review

A law review devoted to federal circuit splits. The "Current Circuit Splits" section of this law review offers brief summaries of circuit splits as identified by federal circuit courts of appeal.

Print Resources

Bibliography of general legal resources for current events

A list of publications useful for current events information (e.g. legal newspapers, general legal looseleaf services), with short descriptions of each

Bibliography of subject specific looseleaf services with reliable "current events" services

A list of looseleaf services and newsletters, with the NESL Library call numbers.

Ideas for topics

LawTopic.org

A "clearinghouse for legal paper topics" which solicits ideas for paper topics from law professors, judges, and lawyers. Founded by a law professor.

NESL Topic Binder - On reserve

There is a binder on reserve with collected current legal news stories, circuit split roundups, and ideas for paper topics. The binder is assembled by the reference staff, and is a good place to look for ideas.