CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION FOR LAWYERS AND PARALEGALS, FOR MORE INFO OR TO REGISTER: CALL SF STATE (415) 405-7700.
ADVANCED ELECTRONIC RESEARCH
(1 CEU/10 MCLE Hours)
In this class, students will be exposed to the major subscription-based legal research databases used in the legal industry, including Westlaw, Lexis, OnLaw, Fastcase, HeinOnline, PACER, and Bloomberg Law, and next-generation databases WestlawNext and Lexis Advance. Through demonstrations and hands-on exercises, students will gain familiarity with the content coverage, features, and search functions of each database, and will learn to develop effective search queries for improved research outcomes. Students will also explore free, web-based alternatives for performing legal, public records, and company research.
Individuals who complete the course will:
• Be familiar with the major electronic legal research platforms.
• Practice performing substantive and procedural legal research using electronic versions of primary materials, practice guides, treatises, and legal encyclopedias.
• Learn to construct effective queries using Boolean logic, proximity operators, segments, and natural language.
• Search and retrieve court filings and litigation and transactional form templates.
• Update and expand research using Shepard’s and KeyCite citators.
• Learn strategies for performing efficient and cost-effective legal research.
This course is appropriate for paralegal students, working paralegals, attorneys, and law students seeking to enhance their proficiency using legal databases and increase professional marketability.
Class size is limited to 24 students to allow in class hands on experience.
NOTE: Students in PLS 320 and 430 have free Lexis access for the month of November. Other SF State students and non-students will need to have their own Lexis log-in to participate in the hands-on part of this class.
Instructor: Emily Bergfeld
Sat., April 04–11, 10 am to 3:30 pm
Price: $200
Class Number: 77203 PLS 9122 Section A 01
Classes held at the SF State (Downtown Campus)
835 Market Street, 6th Floor
(Powell St. BART/Muni), San Francisco
