Do you love WestlawNext and Lexis Advance, but worry there’s a reason why some librarians and firms are slow to adopt and endorse them?  We’re going to look at both platforms, compare them to their “.com” predecessors, and learn more about the features in each that will allow you to take advantage of the algorithms when you want, and run more traditional searches when you need them.  Classes will take place on Wednesday, February 29th, and Thursday, March 1st, at 1 PM in Room 334.  Both sessions are currently full, but feel free to e-mail me at jekblaw@bu.edu to get on the waitlist or for more information about the class.

Lexis is once again offering its Certificate program and this year the program is entitled, “Think Like a Lawyer 2012″—click here to preview the training program and to register….

http://www.lexisnexis.com/tlal/effectivetraining.htm

Every once in a while you run into an abbreviation for a foreign case reporter.  How do you find out what it stands for?  The answer is the Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations, which just underwent a web page redesign.  This site allows you to translate abbreviation to title and vice-versa.  Hat tip: D’Angelo Law Library Blog.

While the US may lag significantly behind some other nations in the provisioning of a national, free high speed internet network, Hanover County, NC, has just started a test of the first free “white space” wi-fi network.

A “white space” network is one that takes advantage of  frequencies freed up when the US moved from analog to digital television frequencies. Its apparent advantage is that dense foliage and other obstructions play less havoc with connectivity and is seen as a major improvement in the quest to provision national high speed internet services.

See, the article here:  http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20120127/ARTICLES/120129724

Liberty Media Holdings is suing individuals whose failed to secure their internet connections that were used by illegal downloaders.  Liberty Media argues in its complaint filed with the district court that the copyright infringement would not have taken place if these individuals had secured their internet connections.  Note that these individuals did not directly engage in any copying; their only “wrongdoing” is failing to password protect their wireless internet access.  The attorney for two of the defendants, Marvin Cable, noted that if these individuals are found liable, it could create a chilling effect on the provision of wifi access by businesses for fear they will be subject to copyright infringement liability as a result of their patrons’ actions.  This will be an interesting case to follow.

For more information on Liberty Media Holdings, LLC v. Swarm Sharing, D. Mass., No. 11-cv-10801-WGY, check out the story and complaint on BNA.

Linda Greenhouse’s latest New York Times essay addresses one of the most politically charged legal issues of the moment: whether regulations issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), requiring employers to include contraceptives without a co-pay in the health plans they make available to their employees, violate the freedom of conscience of Catholic church-affiliated organizations.

The HHS regulation incorporates guidelines developed by the Health Services Resources Administration (HRSA), an HHS division, that requires health plans for women to include “[a]ll Food and Drug Administration approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling for all women with reproductive capacity.” Continue Reading »

Come and review some favorite Massachusetts resources, like Mass. Practice, and learn some new ones, too.  This class will explore secondary sources, forms, briefs, model jury instructions, court rules, and administrative sources.  Seats are still available for the Monday (2/13) and Tuesday (2/14) classes, both at 1 PM in Room 334.  Register here.  If you have any questions about this class, please e-mail me at jekblaw@bu.edu.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld today the U.S. District Court ruling that declared unconstitutional California’s Proposition 8, which struck down the right of same-sex couples to marry. Today’s ruling, which held that Proposition 8 violated the rights of gays and lesbians under the Equal Protection clause of the 14th Amendment, sets the stage for the U.S. Supreme Court to address the issue next year. Continue Reading »

The library’s Certification in Research Skills for Practice program kicks off today with a class in Legislative History.  Legislative History essentially refers to the documents produced during the legislative process.  This class will discuss the importance of these documents and where to find them.  The class is at 1pm in room 334.  It will be rebroadcast on Thursday at 1, also in room 334.

To get fired up for the class, please take a look at the library’s research guide on Federal Legislative History.

Bloomberg Law is offering all Boston University School of Law students a password to its legal research platform.  Bloomberg Law now has a presence in all top 100 law firms and is marketing its legal research platform to legal practitioners.  You may well find it in your summer workplace.

Some of Bloomberg Law’s most interesting features are access to extensive dockets and Bloomberg news and company information.  Bloomberg is offering access to students over the summer and six months after graduation.

If you want a Bloomberg password please fill out this form and the Bloomberg representative, Eric Malinowski, will contact you with your password and information about the classes he is offering on using Bloomberg Law.  The reference librarians would be happy to answer any questions you have about Bloomberg Law.  Please e-mail us at lawref@bu.edu or feel free to chat with us, at the desk or virtually.