Stress Management for Bar Exam Study - Library Resources

By now, those of you who are planning to sit for the July 2014 Bar Exam may have already begun your bar prep courses or are about to begin them quite soon, and you're well on your way to passing the bar. Here at the Gould Law Library, we’re looking out for your mental health, too, as you study. Here are a few books to consider when you’re trying to take care of you during the preparation process, all of which are available to you in our collection:

The Zen of Passing the Bar Exam -Chad Noreuil

Call Number: KF303.N69 2011

If I Don't Pass the Bar I'll Die: 73 Ways ToKeep Stress And Worry From Affecting Your Performance On The Bar Exam - Rosemary La Puma

Call Number: KF303 .L3 2008

Bar Exam Mind : A Strategy Guide for an Anxiety-Free Bar Exam - Matt Racine

Call Number: KF303 .R32 2011

Daily Reflections for Bar Exam Study: An Inspirational Companion for Law Students and Experienced Attorneys Taking the Bar - M. G. Groepler

Call Number: KF303 .G76 2009

Congratulations on your graduation on Sunday! We’re so proud of all of you. 

We wish you all the best as you prepare for the bar exam. Good luck and take care.

We’ll be back to post again in June.

In the meantime, keep calm and read on.

Online Library Resources for Bar Exam Study

The Gould Law Librarians have prepared a LibGuide that provides an organized means of perusing the study aids available to you in our library. For those of you who like to study on the go, we have lists of our West subscription study aids and Bar Exam prep apps that you may want to use. We also have a page that links you to all of the print resources we have here in the library, both in the reserve room and in the main collection.

You may also want to check out these online articles, which offer useful tips about preparing to study for the bar exam in a way that makes your studying work for you:

• 12 Tips for a Successful Bar Exam. Retrieved from http://lawyerist.com/12-tips-successful-bar-exam/ on April 29, 2014 (written by S. Gainen on 5/17/11).

• Ten Tips for Passing the Bar Exam | Cutting Edge Law.com. Retrieved from http://www.cuttingedgelaw.com/content/ten-tips-passing-bar-exam on April 29, 2014 (written by J.K. Wright on 2/28/09).

We wish you all the best as you prepare for the bar exam! 

Our next post will provide you with resources on taking care of yourself during this intense study period – the home stretch  before you are a practicing, professional attorney.

In the meantime, keep calm and read on.

Print Library Resources for Bar Exam Study

Congratulations to all our students who have completed their legal education and will be graduating on May 25th! We are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished.

In the interest of supporting you as you prepare to sit for the Bar Exam at the end of July, we have a variety of current resources that may be useful to you as you begin your formal study program.

Our very own Professor Suzanne Darrow-Kleinhaus, Director of Academic Development and Bar Programs, has written two comprehensive, practical, and enormously helpful guides to the bar exam, which are available to you in our library:

ACING THE BAR EXAM : A CHECKLIST APPROACH TO TAKING THE BAR EXAM

This book offers guidance on how to plan for your bar exam preparation while taking into consideration your lifestyle and your study goals. It further de-constructs the bar exam and the bar review course for you, providing helpful tips on how to practice both the essay questions and the multiple choice questions that you will face on the bar exam. There’s even advice on what to do when it’s all over.

THE NEW YORK BAR EXAM BY THE ISSUES 

Co-Authored with Associate Dean Myra Berman & John J. Cooney

This guide offers advice and counsel as to taking the New York Bar Exam, so that you pass the exam the first time. Helpful study plans, real advice about reading and writing the New York essays, and detailed preparation techniques for the New York State multiple choice are provided.

Our next post highlights online resources to use to get organized and get ready for the most intense, penultimate task before becoming a practicing attorney.

In the meantime, keep calm and read on.

Alumni Library Access for Graduating Students

We know for our graduating students, the end of finals is a major accomplishment. Hang in there – your last round of finals is almost complete.

As an (almost) alumnus of the Touro Law School, if you plan to practice in the area, please consider joining the Alumni Association.

Touro Law Center alumni may obtain certain library privileges through membership in the Alumni Association, which is handled through the Office of Development at 631.761.7066. You can learn more about the many benefits of joining here. 

Membership is $25 annually – free for the first year to new graduates – and includes access to the following Law Library services:

• Access to our print collection;
• Computer Lab (without printing capabilities);
• Public Access Westlaw;
• Library Databases (on campus only); and
• WiFi capability.

A valid Alumni Association membership card must be presented in order to access these services. You can view our Alumni Access Policy at our website.  

Of course, as an alum, you may also consult a reference librarian should you encounter any legal research queries as you begin your practice of the law – we can assist you with locating books in our collection, tracking down hard-to-find resources, and formulating search queries.  Email us, call us at 631-761-7160, chat with us, or visit us in the reference office.  We're here to help.

We’ll be back to post again next week with resources that are available to you in our collection that will help you prepare for the Bar Exam.

In the meantime, keep calm and read on.

Library Access Policy for Bar Exam Study – Summer 2014

The following is the access policy for persons who wish to use our library as they prepare to sit for the July 2014 Bar Exam:

Touro Law Alumni

Graduates of Touro Law School are free to use our library to study as they prepare for the July 2014 Bar Exam. Please bring your student ID with you. Please visit our Library Hours page before you visit to be certain of our hours for bar study.

Non-Touro Law Graduates 

Non-Touro Law graduates who are taking the bar exam in 2014 and who are taking a bar review course at Touro may purchase a visitor’s pass for Bar Study Access to the Gould Law Library for $50.00. Visitor passes will be valid from May 19th through July 30th 2014.

Checks and credit cards will be accepted. Non-Touro Law bar review registrants can obtain the visitor’s pass to use the library, by showing a photo ID at the security desk where they will be directed to the Administration Office, Room 402, to purchase a pass.

Please bring proof of bar exam registration, enrollment in bar review course and photo ID. You will be asked to complete a short form.

The form is accessible here. (You can enter the information online, and then print out the completed form to bring to the office.)

If possible, please complete the form prior to coming to campus to purchase a pass.

Office hours for study pass purchase are Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.; and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. in the Administration Office.

The pass entitles the visitor to study in the Library areas other than the Computer Labs and the Study Rooms. Wireless Access is available. Library borrowing privileges are not included with the pass. Those using Bar Study Passes are subject to all Touro Law Center policies and passes may be revoked for any violation of policy. See the Library website for policies.

Library Hours are subject to change, so please check our website to be certain of hours. Visitors are given access during regular Library hours only. Extended study hall hours are for Touro Law Center Students only. Please see our Library Access Policy.

If you have any questions, please email libraryreference@tourolaw.edu or call 761-7160.

We’ll keep posting this month about things you need to know as you prepare for the Bar Exam this summer.

In the meantime, keep calm and read on.

Legal Research Database Access for Graduating Students – May 2014

If you are graduating from Touro Law School in May 2014, first, we must say: Congratulations! We know you are off and away to great things.

Second, did you know that you have continuing access to all the legal research benefits of Bloomberg Law, Lexis Advance and Westlaw Next for a period of time after you graduate? You actually do. Below are the rules and guidelines for 2014 post-graduate access to legal research databases:

Westlaw

Graduating students can extend their Westlaw passwords for use after graduation through November 2014. To extend your password, use this link: Extend my Westlaw Password and follow the prompts under “Graduating” (which are located to the right of the page).  Fill out the brief survey to extend your password.

A note about Westlaw points: Filling out the survey to extend your password will earn you 200 Westlaw points. However, you should use your Westlaw points right after you graduate, as your points expire 30 days after graduation and do not last until November.

Lexis

Graduating students can extend their Lexis access until December 31, 2014. To do so, click this link: Extend my Lexis Password or click the “Grad Access” on your Lexis homepage. Enter your Lexis ID and follow the process to extend your password.

Bloomberg Law

Graduating students have full access to their Bloomberg Law accounts for six months after their graduation date. Your access is preserved automatically – no additional action is required.

We’ll keep posting this month about things you need to know before you graduate this summer.

In the meantime, keep calm and read on.

Resources for Summer Success for Continuing Students

Whether you’re off to your first summer after your 1L year or your last summer before you graduate, we know you’re off to succeed and take the steps that will help you land the best employment position for you to begin your career. Below are just a few of the books that we have in our collection that will help you make the best of your experience, wherever it may be:

Law School Lowdown : Secrets Of Success From The Application Process To Landing The First Job by Ian E. Scott (2013)

This book has a chapter solely dedicated to how to succeed at your first summer position and use your contacts made during your student work to land a position after graduation.

Law School Confidential : A Complete Guide To The Law School Experience : By Students, For Students by Robert H. Miller (2011)

With a chapter entitled, “Working for Free or Working for Pay, Your First Summer Paves the Way,” and another entitled, “Keys to Ascension: Turning 2L Summer Employment Into A Permanent Offer,” this book provides guidance on how to use your summer position to attain professional success.

Maximize Your Lawyer Potential : Professionalism and Business Etiquette For Law Students And Lawyers by Amee R. McKim (2009)

This book contains a chapter entitled, “On The Clock: Your First Summer Internship Or Summer Associate Position,” containing tips on how to act professionally and mind your business etiquette during your summer employment.

If you’re ever perplexed or need guidance about how to tackle an assignment, visit us in the Reference Office! We’re here all summer during regular hours to continue to provide you with the legal research assistance we give during the academic year.  You can also e-mail us, call us at 631-761-7160, or chat with us, using the chat function to the right of this post!

We’ll keep posting this month about things you need to know before you go this summer. Our next few posts will address things our graduating students need to know before they go.

In the meantime, keep calm and read on.

Legal Research Database Summer Access Guidelines for Continuing Students

We hope all of our continuing students are persevering and succeeding as you sit for your finals. Good luck! This month, we’ll be posting about things you need to know before you head off to a summer of success.

For our continuing students, before you go, it’s important to know this year’s rules and guidelines for using your research database passwords during the summer:

Bloomberg Law:

Students may use their Bloomberg Law accounts as normal throughout the summer. There are no restrictions based on the nature of your summer placement (private firm, government, study abroad, etc.) and no special steps to enable summer access. Please remember that, while you are able to use your Bloomberg Law account, your employer may prefer that you use their organization’s account for billing purposes.

Lexis Advance:

Students may use their Lexis Advance accounts as normal throughout the summer. There are no restrictions based on the nature of your summer placement (private firm, government, study abroad, etc.) and no special steps to enable summer access. Please remember that, while you are able to use your Lexis Advance account, your employer may prefer that you use their organization’s account for billing purposes.

Westlaw:

In order to use your Westlaw account over the summer, you must request permission from West to “extend” your password. Additionally, you may only use your Westlaw account for “Academic Purposes.” This includes, but is not limited to, summer law school classes, Law Review/Journal/Moot Court, projects for professors, and some not for profit/pro bono internships. “Academic Purposes” does not include research conducted for a law firm, corporation or other entity (unrelated to law school) that is paying you to conduct said research or that is passing along the costs of said research to a third party. These are deemed commercial purposes. For detailed information, and to request a password extension, please go to: http://lawschool.westlaw.com/registration/summerextension.aspx

We’ll keep posting this month about things you need to know before you go this summer.

In the meantime, keep calm and read on.