Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals [Paperback]

Deborah E. Bouchoux (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0735551057 | ISBN-13: 978-0735551053 | Publication Date: August 2005 | Edition: 4

Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals offers students a lucid, well-organized introduction to legal research and writing. Designed and written specifically for paralegal students, the fifth edition of this widely acclaimed text continues to be an exemplary teaching and learning tool.

Among the attributes that have contributed to the success of this text:
comprehensive overview of research and writing skills, reinforced by illustrations and exercises.
integration of writing strategies into each research chapter to demonstrate the link between the two processes.
thorough coverage of electronic research, including a chapter on Internet research as well as fee-based services such as Lexis and Westlaw. Tips throughout the text demonstrate how to most effectively use electronic resources.
descriptive charts and diagrams that help students understand complex topics.
Practice Tips in each chapter offer realistic and helpful suggestions for workplace success.
Internet Assignments help students learn how to navigate through cyberspace. These questions, which can be made state specific, require students to access relevant Internet sites and locate information.
thorough explanations of proper citation form for both ALWD and The Bluebook and updating and validating legal authorities.
samples of legal writing, such as a case brief, letters, a court brief, and a legal memorandum.
in-depth Instructor s Manual that includes an overview of the text, sample syllabi, tips on teaching strategies, chapter-by-chapter resource information, answer keys for all assignments, and a test bank.
Thoroughly updated to reflect changes in legal research sources and techniques, the Fifth Edition includes:
updated information on legal writing. new sample pages.
new discussion questions.
new questions requiring readers to access pertinent Internet sites to locate information, mirroring what paralegals do in practice.
ethics alerts now included in each chapter, providing a quick and concise ethics tip relating to the information in that chapter.
Chapter 9 on Updating and Validating the Law is now more concise, reflecting the fact that updating is now done nearly exclusively electronically.
Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals, Fifth Edition, designed to focus on issues paralegals face on the job, provides an excellent introduction to the science and art involved in legal research and writing.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 793 pages
• Publisher: Aspen Publishers; 4 edition (August 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735551057
• ISBN-13: 978-0735551053
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #180,018 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #29 in Books > Law > Law Practice > Research
  • #43 in Books > Law > Law Practice > Paralegals & Paralegalism
  • #69 in Books > Law > One-L > Legal Writing

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this book - you will looove it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, July 25, 2007

By 

SF State Paralegal Student - See all my reviews

This review is from: Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals (Paperback)

This is one of the best textbooks I have ever read - I savored every word! Trust me, you should buy it.

It discusses the federal and state court systems; statutory law; case law; digests; A.L.R.; legal encyclopedias, periodicals, treatises, and restatements; proper Bluebook and ALWD citation; Shepardizing (an enitre chapter); how to use both Lexis and Westlaw; and useful instructions on how to write legal correspondence, legal memorandums, and briefs.

I have a BA in Political Science from UC Berkeley and am currently enrolled in the ABA-approved Paralegal Certificate program at San Francisco State.

This book was assigned for my Legal Research & Writing class, but it explained the basic principles of the state and federal court systems much better than the textbook that was assigned for my Intro to Law/Civil Procedure class.

The professor who assigned the book also teaches at a well-known law school and told our class that she wishes that she could assign it there as well, but is not the key decision maker.

I am a writer, so I assumed that the chapters on legal writing were going to be boring and I planned to skip them. To my surprise, I learned a lot.

I spent the whole day today in a law library working on a homework assignment. I keep thinking to myself how grateful I was to the author for writing this book because it helped me tremendously with the assignment. I am going to research how I can contact her to thank her!!!

If you are planning to attend Paralegal or Law school I recommend that you read this book to help prepare yourself. It covers all of the basics.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals, October 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals (Paperback)

I am currently a paralegal major at a community college in Maryland. This was not the book assigned for my legal research or legal writing classes, but I borrowed the book for the purpose of a research paper for English class. I found the book to be extremely helpful in my research process and I will purchase a copy for myself. Ms. Bouchoux is very thorough in illustrating the process involved in researching and writing clear and effect legal documents. I recommend to anyone studying to be a paralegal and/or attorney to purchase this book to use a reference guide.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent New Edition, February 2, 2004

By 

Joseph McLaughlin (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Legal Research and Writing for Paralegals (Paperback)

This book is excellent and does not resemble the reviews for previous editions. I'm just getting into it, but questioned my professor for requiring it, until I read a few chapters and browsed through it and found it to be adequate, and more. The writing is clear and substantial and makes for easy and significant study.