Through Google Scholar's advanced search page, it is now possible to limit your search to case law and law journals available on the web. This includes law journal articles contained in select subscription databases. It is also possible to search journal articles and legal opinions combined, just federal case law, or just case law from a state of your choosing. The Internet for Lawyers web site has more information.

While this is an exciting and useful development, it is important to remember that not all law journals or case law is searchable through this interface at this time.

To be able to access journal articles in subscription databases when you are off campus, be sure to edit your Google Scholar Preferences to add Library Links for "Georgetown University Law Library."

Members of the Georgetown Law Community can now retrieve bar journals through our HeinOnline electronic database subscription. These PDF files provide access to the journals back to their inception. The database features over 60 bar journal titles, including:

• ABA Journal (Vols. 1-94, 1915-2008)
• Federal Lawyer (Vols. 1-56, 1953-2009)
• Los Angeles Bar Journal (Vols. 1-53, 1925-1977)
• Los Angeles Lawyer (Vols. 1-32, 1978-2009)
• Record of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York (Vols. 1-63, 1946-2008)
• Virginia Bar Association Journal (Vols. 1-35, 1975-2009)

The TRACfed database allows Georgetown Law researchers to look at how the federal government spends its money and enforces the law. A new feature provides reports on the "lead charges" which resulted in federal prosecutions or convictions during the most recent month or most recently completed fiscal year. For example, researchers interested in federal convictions pursuant to 18 USC 554 (smuggling goods from the United States), can select that code section and retrieve a conviction report from all federal agencies in the latest month.

The Legal Information Institute, in partnership with Justia, has launched a free lawyer directory. The LII Lawyer Directory contains listings for lawyers who have "claimed their profile" in Justia’s directory.

The LII Lawyer Directory can be searched by legal issue or lawyer name or browsed by practice area, state, or metropolitan area. Lawyers who donate to the Legal Information Institute can receive a "Cornell badge," which results in a higher, more visible ranking in the directory. For more information on the LII Lawyer Directory, please see LII's announcement and FAQ as well as an announcement on Justia's blog.

   Georgetown University Law Library now has access to a new database from Hein Online that contains a number of already compiled legislative histories on historic tax and economic reform legislation.  The  Taxation & Economic Reform in America: A Historical Archive 1781-2009 database includes the historic Carlton Fox Collection, which compiles 48 years of legislative history research for major tax legislation. Additionally, the database contains many other already compiled legislative histories.

   Don't forget that Hein Online links you to many other already compiled legislative histories via the Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories Database.  When completing legislative history research, it is always helpful to be aware that someone may have already done the hard work of compiling a legislative history for you. 

   For more information on legislative history research, please see our Legislative History Research Guide.

We've blogged about this before, but it's worth mentioning again since Early Interview Week and judicial clerkship hiring season is just around the corner.

The Library's recently updated Job Searching Research Guide covers everything from "how-to interview" to biographical resources for investigating potential employers of all types.

A frequently-used resource listed in our guide is the Leadership Library database, which includes the Judicial Yellow Book. Search or browse for judges' contact information, service dates and staff. There are also photos and biographical information for selected courts, as well as email addresses. The Judicial Yellow Book is one of the most convenient and up-to-date sources of judicial phone numbers, addresses and contact information.

Georgetown Law Students should consult the Law Center's Office of Career Services site to access job search tools, interview tips, and a specific section highlighting Early Interview Week 2009. This includes a list of important dates to remember. Students pursuing opportunities in the public interest community should review information from our Office of Public Interest and Community Service (OPICS).

Georgetown students may contact the Reference Desk with questions about how to use our databases or other online resources by contacting the reference desks in the Williams or Wolff libraries or via LiveHelp from the Library's website.

A group of lawyers in California are challenging the California Supreme Court's practice of giving briefs to Westlaw and Lexis for uploading. Lexis and Westlaw charge fees for their users to search and use the briefs, and the lawyers who write them receive no payment. This is a copyright violation, according to the California lawyers. For more information, see Legal Research Plus Blog.

Between Cases is a new website designed to help out-of-work attorneys keep up with legal developments, network, and look for legal employment.  It even has tips on starting your own practice.   It also seems to offer free Westlaw for Pro Bono work and job searching. 

Read more in the press release or register.

The Infrastructure Investment & Policy Report has recently been added to our BNA subscription.   This daily publication tracks infrastructure news and regulation including the oversight and use of stimulus money. 

Recent articles covered

• the revival of a low-emissions coal-gasification project,
• details of an agreement to plan and design the Alaska Natural Gas pipeline,
• the impact of the stimulus money on False Claims Act investigations by DOJ,
• Maryland regulations on considering stormwater runoff in building design, and
• the impact of green infrastructure investments on construction jobs

Westlaw is moving away from the use of lengthy, alphanumeric passwords that don't require user names, to the new "OnePass" system of custom user names and passwords. A timeline for this transition is available at http://lawschool.westlaw.com/shared/marketinfodisplay.asp?code=MI&id=327.
Alphanumeric Westlaw passwords will no longer be active after September 29, 2009. If you now log in to Westlaw with your Westlaw password, please create a OnePass username and password or update your exisiting OnePass accounts prior to September 29.