Year: 2012

Slim Down Bloated Links from Google Search Results

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Ever tried to copy a link from Google search results and ended up something messy looking like this: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CEwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.makeuseof.com%2F&ei=wSArUPj0E5Gu8QSd1IGYDg&usg=AFQjCNET_hI9VptfwU-R4oSaJjjI-f0jgA&cad=rja The messiness is because Google changes the URL to help them track who is clicking on which links. That’s fine for Google, but it’s frustrating for people like me who want to save or share those …

The Bluebook Goes Mobile

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The Bluebook, a Uniform System of Citation, is now available via the rulebook app for iPhone and iPad. The app allows users to search, highlight, bookmark and take notes. Content is automatically updated when changes occur. Other legal content is also available for purchase through the rulebook app, including the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, …

Guide to Searching on FDsys – basic search tutorial

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GPO has recently released a new series of training video modules on its Federal Digital System (FDsys). The first video introduces the basic search in FDsys and I must say that I was quite impressed. The basic search is actually very powerful. It allows you to use Boolean operators (and, or, not) as well as …

New Publication: Lawyers Who Shaped Dane County: The History of the Practice of Law in the Madison Area

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The Dane County Bar Association has announced publication of its book, “Lawyers Who Shaped Dane County: The History of the Practice of Law in the Madison Area.” From the DCBA website: This 140 page hardcover book sketches the development of Dane County and the significant changes in the practice of law here, from Madison’s first …

UW Law School Profs Appearing in The Most-Cited Law Review Articles of All Time

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Two law librarians, Fred R. Shapiro from Yale and Michelle Pearse from Harvard, have recently compiled a list of The Most-Cited Law Review Articles of All Time. The article updates two well-known earlier studies dated 1985 and 1996. Using databases such as HeinOnline and Web of Science, the study lists the 100 most-cited legal articles …

Checklist for Filing Appellate Briefs in Wisconsin

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According to the latest InsideTrack, the Appellate Practice Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin has created an Appellate Brief Filing Checklist outlining requirements to help lawyers during the brief-writing process. The first part is a checklist with boxes permitting practitioners literally to check off the items as they are included in a brief, and …

UW Madison Unveils New Library Catalog

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Today, the UW Madison libraries are releasing a new Library Catalog. It has been available for beta testing for some time, but today marks it’s official debut. Here are some highlights: intuitive interface for fast discovery powerful limits and narrowing for all searches seamless portal to all UW System libraries easy access to your account …

Study Reports that Westlaw Classic is Significantly Less Expensive than WestlawNext

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Emily Marcum of Lightfoot of Franklin & White, LLC recently conducted a study comparing the pricing models of WestlawNext v Westlaw Classic. Although the full study is not available, the abstract from SSRN appears below: WestlawNext and Classic were each used exclusively in transactional mode for eight days. Cost to the client was assessed using …

WI Sup Ct Recommends No Change to Rule Allowing Citation of Unpublished Appeals Court Opinions

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From WisBar’s InsideTrack: A state rule of appellate procedure that allows attorneys to cite unpublished Wisconsin Court of Appeals opinions as persuasive authority will continue unchanged, the Wisconsin Supreme Court recently concluded…. Under Wis. Stat. section 809.23(3)(b), only unpublished opinions issued on or after July 1, 2009, which are authored by a member of a …

Database of Law School Employment Statistics

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Law School Transparency is a legal education policy organization. Their mission is to improve consumer information concerning the value of legal education and to usher in consumer-oriented reforms to the current law school model. They have recently released a graphical database of employment statistics for all ABA-accredited schools, including Wisconsin.