WORKSHOPS & CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
Each academic year, the Research Center Workshop offers a series of short (usually 20 to 30 minute) training sessions focused on research skills or legal resources. Students who attend the required number of workshops will be eligible to earn Legal Research Certificate that signifies their commitment and understanding of specialized and advanced legal research. All workshops are virtual, and workshop presentations are made available every week on Monday morning at 8am. Attendees must also complete a short quiz within two weeks of the date the presentation becomes available for it to count toward certificate credit. For more details, see below; for a full schedule and access to each workshop, click the tab of the current semester at the top of this page.
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Secondary Sources – CORE
Instructor: Dr. Britt Hunter
Secondary sources are an excellent place to start any legal research project because they increase your efficiency in locating important primary authorities. This workshop is an introduction to locating and using vital secondary authorities like legal encyclopedias, practice guides, and restatements in your federal and Florida legal research.
Available from Jan. 27 at 8am to Feb. 17* at 8am.
*Extended one week due to the snow days.
Using Citators: Good Law & Red Flags – ELECTIVE
Instructor: Dylan Dunn
When using legal citators like Shepard’s or KeyCite, signal indicators (such as stop signs or red flags) can be a handy tool for finding out which cases are “good law” – but they don’t tell the whole story. This workshop will discuss how citators work, provide some historical context, and go over the subjectivity inherent in determining “good law.”
Available from Feb. 3 at 8am to Feb. 17 at 8am.
Federal Legislative History – CORE
Instructor: Justin Peters
Learn about the federal legislative documents often used by attorneys and courts in determining intent or clarifying vague statutory language. This session will explore various tools for locating compiled histories and specific documents.
Available from Feb. 10 at 8am to Feb. 24 at 8am.
Power Searching – CORE
Instructor: Katie Miller
To reap the benefits of the powerful legal information brokers like Lexis and Westlaw, you’ll need to become a proficient and confident user of these tools. This workshop will provide pointers on identifying relevant search terms, using logical connectors, and constructing successful searches.
Available from Feb. 17 at 8am to Mar. 3 at 8am.
Practice Materials – ELECTIVE
Instructor: Katie Crandall
Get acquainted with some of the highly valued materials you are likely to encounter in the practice of law such as practice guides, manuals, forms, and checklists.
Available from Feb. 24 at 8am to Mar. 10 at 8am.
Discovering Resources in the Library – CORE
Instructor: Kat Klepfer
If you are looking to flex your research skills in a new job, as a research assistant, or if you are starting your upper-level writing seminar, join us for this overview of how best to find electronic and print materials in our online catalog.
Available from Mar. 3 at 8am to Mar. 24 at 8am*
*Extended one week due to Spring Break.
Florida Primary Materials – ELECTIVE
Instructor: Elizabeth Farrell-Clifford
Explore the essential tools and strategies for navigating Florida’s legal landscape. With this workshop, you’ll gain valuable insights and practical strategies for researching Florida’s statutes, administrative law, and more with ease and confidence.
Available from Mar. 17 at 8am to Mar. 31 at 8am.
Cost-Effective Legal Research – ELECTIVE
Instructor: Amy Lipford
Working over the summer and confused about what resources you can use? Want to find cost-effective substitutes for research materials you need? Virtually attend this workshop to get a better understanding of how and when to use resources for your summer job or internship.
Available from Mar. 24 at 8am to Apr. 7 at 8am.
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