Nada Khirdaji [1] has an interesting piece on her transition from legal research skills in law school to research skills in practice in CCH’s law student monthly [2],
Law school helped me to think like a lawyer, but it was only in practice that I began to appreciate the essential role of legal research. In fact, much to my chagrin, I remember derisively dismissing an optional course in advanced legal research on the assumption that it would be of little use to me.
I am now a research lawyer. Everything that I know about legal research I learned in practice. I am a generalist (with a growing specialization in class actions) and I provide legal advice in all areas of my firm’s practice. I write opinions, memoranda and facta, among other things. I am constantly asked to provide answers in areas of law that I know virtually nothing about.
Her tips are pretty useful, considering how quickly students and recent grads turn to databases and resources that are not always the most cost-effective or efficient. The implications of a more streamlined research work process is better service for the client, and less stress on the young associate.