New York Legal Research

New York Legal Research provides an alternative to the excellent, but often lengthy, legal research books that take a bibliographic approach to this dynamic lawyering skill. The goal of the third edition is to explore concisely both the sources of New York state law and the process of conducting research using those sources. New to the third edition is a greater emphasis on online sources and performing online research.

The book begins with an overview of the legal research process and an introduction to research techniques using online media. Then the book turns to secondary sources, recognizing these sources as the entry point for most new research projects. Next, New York Legal Research addresses primary authority, with chapters dedicated to case law, enacted law (statutes, constitutions, local law, and court rules), and administrative law. Additional chapters cover legislative history, free and commercial updating tools, legal ethics research, New York City law, and research strategies and organization. An appendix explains legal citation by New York courts following the New York Law Reports Style Manual.

Most chapters contain outlines with step-by-step guidance for research in various types of legal resources. The book also includes short excerpts and screen shots from important sources. Discussions of legal analysis are brief but are included as necessary to show the crucial connection between research and analysis. While the concentration of New York Legal Research is state research, concise descriptions of federal resources are included throughout.

This book is part of the Legal Research Series, edited by Suzanne E. Rowe, Director of Legal Research and Writing, University of Oregon School of Law.

"What I found most valuable in these introductory chapters was the description of how to access New York materials on Westlaw, Google Scholar, and government websites...Another important aspect of New York law is the distinction between consolidated and unconsolidated laws. The book explains in detail the distinction and where to find the statutes, highlighting the main sources of New York's consolidated and unconsolidated laws...New York Legal Research provides a solid examination of both the sources of New York law and the legal research process. A picture is worth a thousand words, and embedded within the chapters are screenshots and tables that illuminate the text. When comparing this book with other titles on the subject, New York Legal Research is the only title that focuses its discussion on connecting the sources of law in New York with the practice of conducting legal research. That makes New York Legal Research an essential addtion to any law library that supports the study or practice of law in New York." — Kathleen Darvil, Law Library Journal, Volume 108:2