Friday, June 13, 2008

Nassau County

Did you know our very own Nassau County has a great web site for accessing local law? My favorite page is the Accessing Government, where you can find the Nassau County Administrative Code and Charter as well as links to other localities' websites and ordinances. These local laws are what effective us everyday, from parking regulations to issues regarding your favorite furry beasts.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Advice For Future Litigators

When you conduct your first jury trial, make certain that your jurors are paying attention to the court proceedings, instead of, say, doing crossword puzzles, or playing Sudoku.

Think I’m exaggerating? Then read this news story from Australia, where a jury in a lengthy and expensive criminal trial was recently discharged for doing just what I mention, above!


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

The Civil Rights Digital Library

The Civil Rights Digital Library is a wonderful source of information on the civil rights movement. In addition to offering an archive of historical news footage, the web site acts as a portal to related civil rights digital collections. You can browse the site by event, persons, places and topics.

I looked for information on the Montgomery Bus Boycott and found film footage, audio files, historical newspaper articles, and a number of photographs.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Beat the Heat

Studying in the air conditioned library helps, but there are other tips to help cope with the hot weather.

1. OK, this one should be obvious. Drink lots of water. Avoid caffeine, alcohol or drinks with a high sugar content.

2. Wear loose light colored clothing. Light colors actually help reflect the heat.

3. Avoid strenuous activity during the sun's peak hours, 11 am to 4 pm.

4. Wear a hat when outside.

5. For these tips and more check out: NYC Hazards, Extreme Heat & Your Health

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Sunday, June 08, 2008

Summer Associate Writing Tips

This article in the National Law Journal offers tips to help summer associates write better, but these tips could also be helpful to any law students or new attorneys. For anyone receiving a writing assignment from a lawyer, #3 is particularly helpful--it reminds us that attorneys sometimes accidentally leave out key information when giving a writing assignment and that the person receiving the assignment should ask for the missing information before beginning.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat