what does legal research course consist of

Typically, candidates who pursue training in legal research obtain their associate degrees in legal studies and complete coursework in legal research, legal writing, business law, communications, mathematics, government and investigative techniques.

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How to start a legal research?

Research Your Market Opportunity

• Select a Product or Service. What will your business sell, and how do you plan to be different from competitors? ...
• Validate Your Product Idea. Before getting too into the weeds, it’s important to validate your product idea. ...
• Define Your Target Market. Who will your business serve? ...
• Know Your Market Size or Opportunity. ...

How to get an an in legal research?

Start by doing the following:

• Read anything you have been given
• Analyze the facts and frame the legal issues
• Assess what you know and need to learn
• Note the jurisdiction and any primary law you have been given
• Generate potential search terms

How to conduct legal research?

Conducting legal research can challenge even the most skilled law practitioners. As laws evolve across jurisdictions, it can be a difficult to keep pace with every legal development. Equally daunting is the ability to track and glean insights into stakeholder strategies and legal responses. Without quick and easy access to the right tools, the ...

What is the purpose of legal research?

Statutes

• The federal government’s legislature is the United States Congress.
• Each state has its own legislature, such as the Maryland General Assembly.
• Many cities and counties also have "legislatures." In Maryland, these local legislatures are called city and county councils. The laws they create are called resolutions and ordinances.

What does legal research include?

Essentially, it means that legal research is the process you use to identify and find the laws—including statutes, regulations, and court opinions—that apply to the facts of your case. In most instances, the purpose of legal research is to find support for a specific legal issue or decision.

Is legal research difficult?

Legal research itself is not typically that difficult. For small firms, what makes it difficult is the expense. Large firms typically pay more money for better research capabilities, which is something small firms are unable to do.

What are the five steps to legal research?

Five Steps of Legal ResearchFormulate a Research Plan.Consult Secondary Sources.Consult Primary Sources. ( a) Expand Primary Law, and (b) Update Primary Law.Analyze & Organize Results.

What is legal research and types of legal research?

Legal Research is the process of identifying and retrieving information necessary to support legal decision-making. It begins with an analysis of the facts of a problem and it concludes with the results of the investigation.

What does a legal researcher do?

Assist in the investigation and evaluation of legal issues/cases related SRI Projects; Track and organize files containing important case documents; Perform other related functions related to the implementation of the projects.

What are the challenges of legal research?

Most of the legal research challenges will be faced during choosing the right topic, to collecting data and finding participants, to staying stable throughout the course, and every step in between.

How do I become a good legal researcher?

Effective Steps for conducting legal researchFirstly, the researcher should have the know-hows to use a legal research platform. ... Secondly, be clear on what results to expect during the process of collection of data. ... Thirdly, the researcher must be organized. ... Fourthly, the researcher has to be selective.More items...•

What does a legal research plan look like?

A legal research plan or strategy is generally conceived to have five common ele- ments: (1) identification of legally relevant facts both known and unknown, (2) state- ment of the legal issue or issues, (3) statement of jurisdiction, (4) identification of useful sources and the order in which they are to be used, and ...

How do you develop legal research skills?

The following are seven essential ways required to enhance legal research skills.Inculcate the habit of reading case laws, legal blogs to stay updated. ... Start from the basics. ... Effective reading. ... Learn how to check multiple sources for the correct information. ... Go beyond keywords — Learn to build a cogent thread of thought.

What are the two types of legal research?

There are essentially 2 main methods of legal research – doctrinal and non-doctrinal.Doctrinal Method. Doctrinal or non-empirical research is a type of research wherein the subject material for the research is found in existing material such as books, articles, statutes, judgements etc. ... Non-Doctrinal Method.

What are the 3 types of research?

Most research can be divided into three different categories: exploratory, descriptive and causal. Each serves a different end purpose and can only be used in certain ways.

What are the 4 types of research methods?

Data may be grouped into four main types based on methods for collection: observational, experimental, simulation, and derived.

What is legal research training?

Legal research training helps paralegals, attorneys and other legal professionals uncover the information they need. Many cases, contract disputes and other legal matters are resolved through careful research and the gathering of the best evidence. Finding medical experts, technical experts, medical records, computer records ...

Why is legal research important?

In addition, legal research training can help legal professionals avoid some of the most common errors in research and can help researchers learn to use a variety of resources – including law libraries, universities, archives, online resources databases and other options – to find needed information.

Is legal research dynamic?

Legal research is a highly dynamic field, especially since new databases and software are released all the time. Being able to understand current best research practices and knowing how to find and to verify information is crucial.

What is legal research?

Legal research is one of the basic activities in the practice of the law , and the one probably most undervalued by the lay public. While lawyers on television are shown grandstanding in court rooms or meeting clients in offices, the reality of the the law is that it is predicated not on performance and oration, but on research and study. Legal research is the core of any legal action, as nearly all laws and legals actions are based on the construction of legal arguments, and legal arguments are constructed by the support gained through research. All legal research is drawn from three kinds of resources: primary, secondary, and evidential. Primary resources generally refers to the rule of law, or letter of the law, or in simplest terms, laws as they are written. Secondary resources are anything for which supports legal research other than the specific words of the law, and as a result it can be a very broad category. Evidential refers to the physical, material, or testimonial elements that become part of a case and subsequently part of a legal argument; in simple terms, evidence.

What are legal research materials?

Legal research materials can be drawn from a number of different sources. Almost all legal materials are published and presented in many different formats, what matters is finding where specifically to look for this information. Most legal research materials are centered on either two categories of legal research – primary resources and secondary resources. Primary resources refer to resources that refer directly to the letter of the law, or the law as written; which includes law as regulated by agencies or legislated by varying legislatures. Secondary resources refer to articles, opinions, treatises, and other reference materials that describe laws as it relates to specific contexts, interpretations, and arguments. Commonly, research materials can be found in number of areas, a brief listing of which can be found within…

What is a statute?

“Statute” is the term most used in the legal profession to refer to a law that was created through legislation. Thus, statutory law specifically examines statutes as they are written and legislated into being, unencumbered by secondary legal analysis from articles and treatises, and even of the opinions and precedents associated with judicial review. Finding, reading, and analyzing statues are a key part of any legal action, as nearly every legal suit, motion, or argument requires the authority associated with referencing the primary source of law upon which it is based, which are often the original statues. While everyone knows laws exist, finding them, as written, can be somewhat tricky for a paralegal or legal researcher, especially if he or she is unaware of where to look…

What is case law?

Case law is predicated entirely on the laws that are interpreted and implemented, and even invalidated, through the process of stare decisis, or judicial review; its rule of law is thus based on judicial opinions and precedents that are derived from these cases that are contested before a higher court judiciary. Searching case laws is a vital part of nearly all legal actions, especially those that are based on questions of legal interpretation, where the point of the case contested is the interpretation of the law at hand. Therefore. all of these articles are required to heavily site existing cases as a means of giving their cases authority. Fortunately for paralegals, attorneys, and legal researchers, finding case law is far easier than it used to be…

What are the resources available to paralegals?

Listed within and described in depth are nine search resources that will form the bulk of the tools a paralegal or legal researcher will use when researching their cases. These include catalogs, which provide access to assorted legal services, digests, which index case material by subject, and annotations, which catalog secondary material based on the laws that is devised in reference to. With the onset of the Internet, many of these tools are more accessible than they have even been, so knowing how they can work will be a requirement of being part of the modern legal profession…

What is authority in legal research?

Authority in legal research and writing is a description of the need for legal arguments to reference key sources that will support their writing. In other words, it is a measure of research’s validity in terms of supporting its overall argument. A legal motion is said to have to submit itself to authority, meaning either texts, laws, precedents, regulations, and similar legal resources by which the writing bases its argument. Most authority is determined on primary and secondary sources, with primary, being the letter of the written law, holding the most authority. Authority in secondary sources, which encompasses the rest of legal discourse, such as articles, treatises, case records, and judicial decisions, requires more comprehensive understanding and description, because not all secondary sources have the same authority as others…

What is a law library?

Law libraries are the fundamental locations where legal research takes place. It is in these law libraries that attorneys and paralegals are able to find access to the material by which they can support their arguments and legal actions, and where law students go to devise their assignments, and where legal scholars go to find the research and theory to compose their law articles and treatises. Because the law is such a common practice throughout all of American society, law libraries are located all throughout the United States. As a rule, most law libraries serve the primary function of providing access to the law to anyone who needs it, but there are private law libraries just as there are private libraries. Therefore, many law libraries have varying degrees of accessibility, depending upon where they exist in the private or public sectors…

What is legal research?

Legal research is generally the process of finding an answer to a legal question or checking for legal precedent that can be cited in a brief or at trial. Sometimes, legal research can help determine whether a legal issue is a "case of first impression" that is unregulated or lacks legal precedent. Virtually every lawsuit, appeal, criminal case, ...

Why do corporate lawyers conduct legal research?

Similarly, a corporate lawyer may conduct legal research in order to determine whether a proposed new policy would expose the company to liability.

What is legal information?

Virtually every lawsuit, appeal, criminal case, and legal process in general requires some amount of legal research. Legal information is organized into two general categories: Primary Law: Binding law that is codified in statutes, regulations, and caselaw. Secondary Sources: Not legally binding, this type of information explains primary law ...

What is the purpose of the legal drafting course?

The intention of the course is to teach you legal research and writing skills. Any type of legal drafting, civil or criminal or corporate, requires good research and writing skills. The focus of this course is not on particular drafts, but on legal research and writing as the broader skill-set. 9.

What is the importance of research and writing?

Good research and writing skills are absolutely crucial (no questions asked) for any knowledge professional. Every legal professional, whether a corporate lawyer or a litigator, a judge or an academician, requires good legal research and writing skills. Through this course, you’ll learn these core skills.

What is Lawctopus Law School?

Developed after months of planning and research, feedback, and improvisation, this course by Lawctopus Law School aims to teach law students, young professionals, and academicians the fundamentals of legal research and writing.

Is there a free online source for law?

Yes. There are many free, open sources available online which can help you with your research. SSRN, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, IndianKanoon, Government websites, and many free and open law journals (both from India and abroad), are an excellent repository of knowledge, information, and insights.

What is the purpose of legal research?

In most instances, the purpose of legal research is to find support for a specific legal issue or decision. For example, attorneys must conduct legal research if they need court opinions (that is, case law) to back up a legal argument they are making in a motion or brief filed with the court. Alternatively, lawyers may need legal research ...

Why do lawyers need legal research?

Alternatively, lawyers may need legal research to simply provide clients with accurate legal guidance. And in the case of law students, they often use legal research to complete memos and briefs for class. But these are just a few of the situations in which legal research is necessary.

What do you need to know before you start looking for a law?

Before you start looking for laws and court opinions, you first need to define the scope of your legal research project. There are several key questions you can use to help do this.

What are the different types of primary law?

Some of the more important types of primary law include: Case law, which are court opinions/decisions issued by federal or state courts. Statutes, including legislation passed by both the U.S. Congress and state lawmakers. Regulations, including those issued by either federal or state agencies.

Is legal research linear?

Keep in mind, though, legal research isn't always a linear process. You may start out going from source to source as outlined above, and then find yourself needing to go back to secondary sources once you have a better grasp of the legal issue.

Can you be discouraged from doing legal research?

So, if you are just beginning, don't get discouraged if you find legal research difficult — almost everyone does at first. With enough time, patience, and dedication, you can master the art of legal research.

Can you find case law in secondary sources?

Case law: If you have already found some case law in secondary sources, great, you have something to work with. But if not, don't fret, you can still search for relevant case law in a variety of ways, including running a search in an online legal research service like Westlaw. And once you find a helpful case, you can use it to find others.

What is legal research?

Legal research—that is, identifying, finding, and cite-checking the information and applicable laws needed to support your legal decision-making— empowers your arguments and gives substance to your legal work.

What are the primary sources of legal research?

Primary legal sources are key to legal research because they establish the current law on whatever legal issue you’re working with. Primary sources, which you can find by searching legal research databases like Fastcase or Casetext, include: Federal and state constitutions.

What is the key step in legal research?

Another key step to legal research is verifying that any cases you come across in your legal research are still “good” law—that is, that any legal decision you’re looking to is still valid and relevant. Using an overruled or unconstitutional statute won’t help you win your case.

What is secondary legal source?

Secondary sources. Secondary legal sources explain or interpret legal principles in detail, or summarize the current state of the law—giving a better understanding of a particular area of law . Secondary sources are also useful for identifying primary sources for your case (more on that later). Examples include:

Why is legal research so arduous?

In the past, the legal research process was arduous, partly because it tied the researcher to a physical location—whether that was a law library or a law office computer—to access legal databases.

What is the definition of a statute?

Statutes or legislation ( such as laws enacted by legislative bodies like Congress and state legislatures) Treaties. Regulations (such as rules or regulations made by either federal or state agencies) Annotations. Case law (such as court opinions or decisions issued by federal or state courts)

What is a legal researcher?

Legal researchers support attorneys and legal executives in the pre-trial process by researching and analyzing case law and relevant information necessary to attorneys' casework. They are typically legal assistants and paralegals who work under a practicing attorney's supervision.

What does a legal researcher do?

These legal professionals may often work within the court system and other government agencies, but they can also find employment in real estate, insurance, finance and private businesses. Many legal researchers perform job duties in relation to the collection and dissemination of legal information and client history.

How to become a legal researcher

Most legal researchers enter the field as paralegals or legal assistants with a minimum of an associate's degree. However, there are several additional steps to consider when pursuing this career path:

Average salary

According to Indeed's salary data, legal assistants can earn an average salary of $41,816 per year, which can vary depending on where they work and how much experience they have in the field. Legal researchers who enter the field as paralegals can expect an average income potential of $48,327 per year.

Legal researcher skills

Legal researchers rely on a range of skill sets, including their knowledge and expertise. Consider developing the following skills to succeed in your career:

How much do legal researchers make?

Legal Researchers in America make an average salary of $54,431 per year or $26 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $117,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $25,000 per year.

What are the best states to work as a legal researcher?

The best states for people in this position are Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and Vermont. Legal researchers make the most in Massachusetts with an average salary of $68,199. Whereas in Connecticut and New York , they would average $67,711 and $64,117, respectively. While legal researchers would only make an average of $62,419 in Vermont , you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.