Law Commons^™

From Law In Blackletter To Blackletter Law, Kasia Solon Cristobal

AALL/LexisNexis Call for Papers

What is the etymology of the phrase blackletter law? Chasing down its origins uncovers not only a surprising turnabout from blackletter law’s original meaning, but also prompts examination of a previously overlooked subject, the history of the law’s changing appearance on the page. This history ultimately proves a cautionary tale of how appearances have hindered access to the law.

Law Firm Legal Research Requirements And The Legal Academy Beyond Carnegie, Patrick Meyer

Patrick Meyer

What types of research resources must new hires know how to use, and in which format(s)? To answer this question, this article starts by identifying the historical research deficiencies of new attorneys. The author goes on to summarize four recent and regarded law firm practice skills studies, as well as results of the author's 2010 law firm survey. This article concludes by identifying a three part plan to improve the lacking research skills of new attorneys.

Taming A Dragon: Legislative History In Legal Analysis, Mark Deforrest

Mark DeForrest

ARTICLE ABSTRACT

TAMING A DRAGON:

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY IN LEGAL ANALYSIS

Mark DeForrest

The use of legislative history in statutory interpretation and analysis has been an area of intensive inquiry since the 1980’s. The debate has been vigorous and has led to the development of sophisticated arguments by both the advocates of the use of legislative history and textualists critical of its use. While the debate has been ongoing, changes in technology have made it easier than ever to access detailed legislative history for both state and federal statutes. This article discusses the impact of both the debate and the technological …

Owning Omega-3: Monsanto And The Invention Of Meat, Matthew Rimmer

Matthew Rimmer

In August of 2010, Anna Salleh of the Science Unit of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation broke a story about Monsanto seeking to patent the enhancement of meat, including omega-3 fatty acids:‘Enhanced port is sparking debate over the ethics of placing patents on food. Patent applications covering the enhancement of meat, including pork with omega-3 fatty acids, are stimulating debate over the ethics and legalities of claiming intellectual property over food. Monsanto has filed patents that cover the feeding of animals soybeans, which have been genetically modified by the company to contain stearidonic acid (SDA), a plant-derived omega-3 fatty acid... Omega-3s …

Research In Native American Communities In The Genetics Age: Can The Federal Data Sharing Statute Of General Applicability And Tribal Control Of Research Be Reconciled?, Ron J. Whitener

Ron J. Whitener

Since colonization, the populations indigenous to the United States of America have been an enticing subject for researchers of all types. Geographic continuity with traditional homelands and traceable blood quantum requirements for tribal membership provide a unique connection to the past for researchers studying a broad array of topics from epidemiology to religion. In recent years, the explosion of discoveries in the field of genomic research has led to even greater interest in the United States’ Native communities by both commercial and scientific interests. Firms have sprung up offering genetic tests claiming the ability to detect Native American Ancestry. National …

Embedded Librarians: Teaching Legal Research As A Lawyering Skill, Vicenç Feliú, Helen Frazer

Vicenç Feliú

This article addresses a proposed pedagogy for teaching the lawyering skill of advanced legal research in practice environment, such as a clinic, consonant with the recommendations of the 2007 Carnegie Report, Educating Lawyers, and the 1992 ABA Taskforce on Law Schools and the Profession, Legal Education and Professional Development (the MacCrate Report). It examines how the relatively new trend of embedding librarians in practice settings, offering assistance at the point of need, could be effective in law schools. It proposes a model for teaching advanced legal research by embedding law librarians in law school clinics based on the experiment conducted …

Enabling Responsible Public Genomics, John M. Conley, Daniel B. Vorhaus, Adam K. Doerr

John M Conley

As scientific understandings of genetics advance, researchers require increasingly rich datasets that combine genomic data from large numbers of individuals with medical and other personal information. Linking individuals’ genetic data and personal information precludes anonymity and produces medically significant information—a result not contemplated by the established legal and ethical conventions governing human genomic research. To pursue the next generation of human genomic research and commerce in a responsible fashion, scientists, lawyers, and regulators must address substantial new issues, including researchers’ duties with respect to clinically significant data, the boundary between genomic research and commerce and the practice of medicine, and …

Asean And Trafficking In Persons: Using Data As A Tool To Combat Trafficking In Persons, Fiona M. David Ms

Fiona David

ASEAN member countries are always looking for ways to improve their response to trafficking in persons. However, these efforts are being held back by a lack of relevant, reliable data on trafficking. Recognizing this problem, in 2005, the ASEAN member countries commissioned IOM to conduct a pilot research project to identify “best practice” in data collection on trafficking, and to prepare a situation report on data collection by government agencies in four ASEAN member countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand). This report presents the findings of that research.