LAWS 8130 Advanced Legal Research
Advanced Legal Research teaches practical and adaptable legal research skills for an increasingly complex information landscape. Students will learn to approach research questions with critical thought and to construct well-reasoned, thoroughly supported arguments. Through hands-on exercises that reflect examples from both the transactional and litigation spheres, students will grapple with the complexities of legal authority and learn the most efficient tactics for identifying the best secondary sources and most relevant primary law for a given research inquiry. These tactics will include time-tested strategies on subscription platforms such as Westlaw, Lexis, and Bloomberg Law, as well as free sites like Congress.gov and Regulations.gov. Students will also learn to analyze the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including how to leverage them in an effective and ethical manner. Students should consider alternative or supplemental enrollment in topic-specific research courses. Consult EagleApps or the Law Librarys website for current offerings.
Course overview
- Department
- Law
- School
- LAW
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Graduate
- Offered
- Every Fall, Every Spring
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 4.60 / 5 · Excellent
- Instructor rating
- 4.66 / 5 · Excellent
- Terms evaluated
- 10
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | Brian Quigley | 4.4 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 1–3 hrs/week | 5 of 6 |
| Spring 2026 | Jacob Samuelson | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4–6 hrs/week | 13 of 14 |
| Spring 2026 | Stephanie Farne | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 17 of 17 |
| Fall 2025 | Brian Quigley | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 1–3 hrs/week | 18 of 20 |
| Fall 2025 | Jacob Samuelson | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 9 of 12 |
| Spring 2025 | Jacob Samuelson | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 1–3 hrs/week | 18 of 18 |
| Spring 2025 | Stephanie Farne | 4.7 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 19 of 19 |
| Fall 2024 | Jacob Samuelson | 3.8 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4–6 hrs/week | 12 of 14 |
| Fall 2024 | Joan Shear | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 1–3 hrs/week | 14 of 18 |
| Fall 2024 | Laurel Davis | 4.8 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 1–3 hrs/week | 18 of 19 |
| Spring 2024 | Jacob Samuelson | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4–6 hrs/week | 20 of 21 |
| Spring 2024 | Joan Shear | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 1–3 hrs/week | 17 of 18 |
| Spring 2024 | Karen Breda | 4.8 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 1–3 hrs/week | 27 of 27 |
| Fall 2023 | Karen Breda | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 21 of 24 |
| Fall 2023 | Laurel Davis | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 15 of 17 |
| Fall 2023 | Stephanie Farne | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.6 | — | 12 of 13 |
| Spring 2023 | Amy Bruce | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 1–3 hrs/week | 19 of 20 |
| Spring 2023 | Karen Breda | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4–6 hrs/week | 22 of 23 |
| Spring 2023 | Stephanie Farne | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 16 of 18 |
| Fall 2022 | Amy Bruce | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 1–3 hrs/week | 14 of 18 |
| Fall 2022 | Joan Shear | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 16 of 20 |
| Fall 2022 | Laurel Davis | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 4–6 hrs/week | 12 of 16 |
| Fall 2022 | Stephanie Farne | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 16 of 20 |
| Fall 2022 | Xin Chen | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 1–3 hrs/week | 13 of 18 |
| Spring 2022 | Joan Shear | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 1–3 hrs/week | 12 of 17 |
| Spring 2022 | Stephanie Farne | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 1–3 hrs/week | 12 of 19 |
| Fall 2021 | Amy Bruce | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 1–3 hrs/week | 14 of 15 |
| Fall 2021 | Stephanie Farne | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 1–3 hrs/week | 14 of 15 |
| Fall 2021 | Xin Chen | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.1 | 1–3 hrs/week | 10 of 17 |