Law Practice Today - Advice for Young Lawyers

The March 2005 issue of Law Practice Today, published by the ABA, has an entire section of articles devoted to Advice for Young Lawyers. Included are "Twenty lessons for lawyers starting their careers" and "Unconventional wisdom for associates" among others. The entire issue is available online.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Search Engines

How many search engines do you know, or do you just Google? You may not think of Yahoo as a search engine, but it is one - as well as a directory. How about AltaVista, Teoma, DogPile, AllThe Web? This is not a complete list, but the point is there is more than Google to search the web, and they retrieve different results! In your spare time - yes, after finals - play around with some different search engines and discover what you have been missing.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Firefox

Tired of crashing Internet Explorer or worrying about spyware? Try the new "in" browser called "Firefox." It provides some nifty features, such as having different sites open simultaneously in tabs, an effective and flexible pop-up blocker, great flexibility in setting up Bookmarks and some way cool plugin extensions, such as Dictionary Search or StumbleUpon.

To get the latest version of Firefox, go to http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ .

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Google Maps

Its a wonderful time to play with Google maps, now with some verrry cool enhancements. The maps are now interactive and draggable. You can also see what your location looks like in 'real life' by accessing a satellite view (click link in upper right hand corner of your screen). You can zoom in and out of the satellite image as well as pan around. You can also locate businesses and obtain driving directions. Take the tour, as this service must be seen to be appreciated.
Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Capacity of Study Rooms in 038

We've received a request from the suggestion box to re-evaluate the sizes of the study rooms in the new study room area (room 038), as the existing "4- person," "6-person," etc designations seem to be too generous. Thank you for the suggestion; we will reassess the rooms for sitting capacity, and update our records accordingly.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Search Engine Watch

With search engine wars really heating up, how do you stay current with new features, trends, and other cutting edge cool stuff?
I recommend Search Engine Watch. This authoritative source provides tips and information about searching the web, and analysis of the search engine industry. In addition to up to the minute news, you will find search engine reviews, tutorials, and comprehensive information on how to search smarter!

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Topix.net news site

Looking for one site which you can go to for all the latest news. Topix.net has news on hundreds of topics from thousands of online sources, constantly updated, all in one place. You can even type a zip code into the search box and get local news for that location.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

LLAGNY Bridge the Gap

You can still attend the LLAGNY Bridge the Gap program to be held this coming Friday at Columbia University. A useful program to assist making the transition from law school to law firm. Check here for the flyer and more info.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Temperature in the Library

Now that Spring has sprung, the temperature both inside and outside will vary quite a bit. I have a permanent fur coat, so am not a good judge of when you might be uncomfortable. Consequently, if you are too hot or cold, please let us know. We may need to address this systemically by asking the Plant department to permanently adjust the thermostat or there may be a temporary cause that we need to ask Plant to address. Either way, let us know and we will do what we can.

Also, remember to check our Blog FAQ, under the Links section on the right, for answers to your questions and concerns.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

In Business

In addition to putting legal research tools at your fingertips, Lexis and Westlaw also have a wealth (pun intended) of business resources.

On Lexis, go to the News & Business tab and look at the Company & Financial and Market & Industry categories. You will find great directories for companies such as Hoover's and Standard & Poor's, as well as the Directory of Corporate Affiliations - where you can find out exactly who owns whom.

On Westlaw, set up the Company Information tab using My Westlaw and then investigate the great company resources - Hoover's, Standard & Poor's, and SEC EDGAR filings. Don't miss Brands & Their Companies - to discover exactly who owns your favorite brand of tuna fish. (Hmm, tough choice - they are all soooo good. ;)

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat