Cases & advocacy
Read an opinion with a purpose
University of Virginia School of Law
Anne Coughlin introduces first-year students to reading judicial opinions. Pair the recording with a case you are preparing for class.
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28 selections · 6 institutions · 5 topics
Selected resource · University of Virginia School of Law
Read an opinion with a purpose
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Your next step
Put the idea to work
Choose an opinion. Write the issue, holding, and the facts the court relies on. Add a pinpoint for each important passage.
Practice briefing a caseBefore you apply it
Foundational skills lecture recorded in 2015; use current authority when applying the law.
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Find a useful next watch
A resource for the work in front of you
28 of 28 resources · Search stays in your browser.
Legal research
Plan a legal research assignment
Harvard Law School Library
A short starting point from Harvard's legal research strategy series, useful before searching for individual authorities.
Legal research
Get oriented to case law
Harvard Law School Library
An introductory case-law resource for learners beginning to work with judicial opinions.
Legal research
Start researching a statute
Harvard Law School Library
Research librarian AJ Blechner introduces statutes as a source for legal research.
Legal research
Check a case's subsequent treatment
Harvard Law School Library
A librarian demonstrates citators as tools for investigating whether a case remains reliable authority.
Legal research
Keep research organized
Harvard Law School Library
A short research-workflow resource to pair with a running record of searches, authorities, and unresolved questions.
Legal research
Build an updating step into research
Harvard Law School Library
A research-method resource to use before treating an earlier search as finished.
Legal research
Explore legislative history
Harvard Law School Library
An introduction to legislative-history research from Harvard's library instruction collection.
Legal research
Use a docket to understand a case
Harvard Law School Library
A starting point for researching the filings and procedural record behind a judicial opinion.
Legal research
Find resources at the Law Library of Congress
Library of Congress
A librarian-led orientation to digital and onsite legal research collections.
Legal research
Research federal statutes and bills
Library of Congress
A longer orientation connecting federal statutory and legislative research materials.
Legal research
Find opinions with Google Scholar
Library of Congress
A brief demonstration of finding case law through a free research service.
Legal research
Trace a federal regulation to its rulemaking
Library of Congress
A webinar connecting regulations, Federal Register materials, and agency dockets.
Courts & civic literacy
Discuss what the rule of law means
United States Courts
Federal judges introduce a constitutional idea through everyday examples.
Courts & civic literacy
Map the branches of government
United States Courts
A short discussion of separation of powers and the interaction among the federal branches.
Courts & civic literacy
Examine judicial impartiality
United States Courts
Federal judges discuss impartial decision-making and the judiciary's constitutional role.
Courts & civic literacy
Introduce the criminal right to counsel
United States Courts
Judges and public defenders discuss the Sixth Amendment and Gideon as a starting point for understanding representation.
Courts & civic literacy
Understand the role of a juror
United States Courts
A brief introduction to jury participation and its place in the federal justice system.
Cases & advocacy
Prepare for an oral argument
University of Virginia School of Law
An advocacy discussion with lawyers who served as Supreme Court clerks.
Cases & advocacy
Structure an appellate brief
University of Virginia School of Law
Experienced appellate advocates discuss brief-writing strategies.
Teaching & responsible AI
Teach students to verify AI-assisted statutory research
CALI
A 2026 conference session on how generative AI handles statutory sources and how to teach verification.
Teaching & responsible AI
Connect legal AI use with professional responsibility
CALI
A 2026 teaching session connecting AI literacy, professional duties, and verification of legal work.
Teaching & responsible AI
Design classroom exercises with an AI-use policy
CALI
A 2025 conference session on lesson preparation, assessment, and setting expectations for student AI use.
Teaching & responsible AI
Plan assessment and support multilingual learners
CALI
Two 2024 presentations address assessment deadlines and teaching legal research to English-language learners.
Teaching & responsible AI
Turn a law lecture into active learning
CALI
A teaching-method session focused on participation and classroom activities.
Getting legal help
Prepare for a day in Maryland court
Maryland Courts
An official court-help resource to use alongside the instructions for your hearing.
Getting legal help
Look for legal help in a Maryland civil case
Maryland Courts
An official introduction to finding assistance for a civil matter in Maryland.
Getting legal help
Understand the starting questions for a Maryland appeal
Maryland Courts
The opening video in Maryland's appellate court-help series introduces whether a case can be appealed.
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