Amazon Lauches Textbook Rental

Many students already shop at Amazon for used textbooks, to avoid paying the expensive versions from their school bookstores. Always on the uptake of shoppers habits, Amazon is adding a new feature to help college students find what they want at a lower rate.

Yesterday, Amazon announced that they will now be entering into the realm of textbook rentals, according to their press release.

How it works:

To rent a textbook, simply search Amazon.com for the book, select “Rent Now,” choose shipping and payment options, and check out. All textbook rentals are Fulfilled by Amazon and are eligible for Free Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25, and Prime Free Two-Day Shipping. At the end of the rental period, returns are free and simple with a prepaid, printable label.

To support this new venture, Amazon is also highlighting their free Student membership, which entails:

six months of Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items, plus exclusive offers, and then up to four years of Amazon Prime at 50% off. Students can learn more by visiting www.amazon.com/joinstudent.

via Amazon Press Release

Court Reporter Fee Increase – Santa Clara County

Atorneys appearing at the Santa Clara County Superior Courthouse will now have to pay a Court Reporter Fee after every court appearance.

• $30    – Less than 1 hour
• $245  – 1 to 4 hours
• $490  – Full day’s proceedings

The fee is divided equally among all sides and is due at the end of any proceeding.  The fee applies to all civil matters, including family and probate.

The new fee is the result of the passage of SB 1021. The bill amended Government Code section 68086(a)(1) to provide:

(A) For each proceeding lasting less than one hour, a fee of thirty dollars ($ 30) shall be charged for the reasonable cost of the services of an official court reporter pursuant to Section 269 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

In compliance with this new law, the Santa Clara County Superior Court has printed forms to drop off with your check in a drop box at the lobby at 191 N. First Street.

Reporter Fee Notice – Download (.pdf) >

Cal Bar Exam Resources

A few helpful website to help you prepare for the California Bar this July, or February 2013.

via SCPLL and SMCLL

The State Bar of California Bar Exam Admissions
General information on the California Bar Exam including registration information.

The State Bar of California Essay & Test Practice Guides
Essays and selected answers from July 2001 to present are available at the State Bar’s website.

California Bar Exam Primer
General exam preparation and practical tips on studying from a SCU law graduate.

National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)
MPRE sign-up information, subject outlines, practice exam questions, and bar exam statistics.

County Bar Associations

• Alameda County Bar Association
• Los Angeles County Bar Association
• Palo Alto Area Bar Association
• San Diego County Bar Association
• Bar Association of San Francisco County
• San Mateo County Bar Association
• Santa Clara County Bar Association

Multimedia Aids @ The Sacramento Law Library

The Sacramento Public Law Library has a wealth of multimedia resources to help with basic legal research. The Sacramento County Public Law Library is free for the public.  In addition to the multimedia resources, the website also includes detailed research guides and the most common legal forms. The multimedia features include:

• Podcasts
  
• Screencasts
  The library is pleased to offer screencasts, or video tutorials, free from our website. Watch as SCPLL law librarians demonstrate a variety of online tools and services.
• Self-Help Videos and Audios
  These materials assist self-represented individuals with name changes and court procedures.
• Class Videos
  Get MCLE participatory credit online. Purchase and download videotaped lecture-format presentations held in the SCPLL Training Center.

WestlawNext Android App

Thomson Reuters recently introduced a new mode of connection to its WestlawNext search engine via an app for Android phones and tablets.

The mobile app will work on both Android tablets and smartphones, extending the capabilities of legal professionals and giving them mobile access to the preferred legal research service to enhance their productivity and efficiency. Features that can be leveraged through the app include the ability to: search all core content with WestSearchTM, the world’s most advanced legal search engine; use KeyCite® to confirm whether your cases and statutes are still good law; read and email documents; add notes to documents; and access and add documents to your folders.”

Full Thomson Reuters press release.

Similar Posts:

Westlaw Ipad app

Westlaw Next Add-on for Mozilla

 

Need a study break? Dine Downtown in San Jose

From June 20th to July 1st, take a dinner break from the library and explore Downtown San Jose’s wide selection of restaurants. Help support the local economy and small businesses in San Jose. Enjoy prix fixe prices on 3 course meals for 12 full days. Download the flier for the full list of participating restaurants. All of these fantastic eateries are within 3-4 block walking distance from our school.

Beat the Bookstore Prices

If bookstore prices of your law school textbooks are out of your budget, then check with these resources for less expensive options:

• Contact your school’s SBA or fellow students to purchase or borrow used books.
• www.half.ebay.com to buy/rent titles
• www.chegg.com for Ebooks
• www.textbooks.com for new/used books, or to rent a textbook
• www.bigwords.com to buy/sell or rent textbooks
• www.ecampus.com to buy/sell or rent textbooks

Westlaw Webinars – May 14 -19 / 2012

 

Make the most of your time off between classes by brushing up and expanding your WestlawNext searching skills. Westlaw provides free and easy webinars on a variety of topics to help students, faculty and others get the most of their time online.

Details & Registration Here

Monday 5/14/2012

How Does It Work? WestSearch, the New Technology Behind WestlawNext – @ 11a CT

However you want to search, WestSearch in WestlawNext will meet you there. This session will show how Westsearch can sense what you’re looking for — even beyond what you’re asking for — to deliver ranked relevant results.

Tuesday 5/15/2012

Maximize Your WestlawNext Subscription – @ 12p CT

Get the most out of your WestlawNext subscription.

• Collaborate with colleagues.
• Search fast and efficiently.
• Easily browse and verify results.

Research Tips and Tricks for Paralegals – @ 1p CT & Thursday 5/17 @ 11a CT

Learn how to:

• Use Terms and Connectors on WestLawNext
• Find by Citation
• Find a Person
• Find a Statute on WestLawNext
• Find and Print
• Choose a Database
• Browse Table of Contents

Research Tips and Tricks for Real Property Practitioners – @ 1p CT & Thursday 5/17 @ 11a CT

Learn how to:

• Quickly find on Pont Real Property cases and other relevant documents.
• Locate Real Property forms such as purchase and closing agreements.
• Find the value of a property using Real Property records.
• Complete your due diligence using people and company records, adverse filings and business tracker records.

Wednesday 5/16/2012

Top 5 Tips to Get You Started – @ 11a CT

Learn to:

• See how to create Case Notebook folders for you client cases
• See how to quickly import important transcripts, pleadings, research and other documents into Case Notebook
• Start strategizing and making case connections using Case Notebook — issue code and annotate key documents
• Quickly search and pull important documents
• Share essential case information with others

Dominating Depositions – @ 11a CT

Learn to:

• See how case information connects to a deponent
• Build deposition outlines with hyperlinked exhibits
• Provide realtime, online deposition feeds to team members – so they can analyze • testimony, and possibly suggest key questions to those in the deposition room
• Efficiently summarize transcripts

How to Extract Maximum Useful Information from a Deposition – @ 12p CT

Learn to:

• Create a report, prior to a deposition, highlighting a deponent’s involvement in the case
• Create deposition outlines, with hyperlinked exhibits
• Provide realtime, online deposition feeds to team members – so they can analyze testimony, and possibly suggest key questions to those in the deposition room
• Summarize transcripts
• Share important case information with colleagues and clients

Transition From Westlaw.com to WestlawNext in 20 Minutes – @ 1p CT
Learn how to get started quickly on the new platform.  This webinar session will highlight the new features and compare them to what you were familiarly with in Westlaw.com.

• How to search.
• How to find a document.
• How to verify your document
• How to keep track of research

Thursday 5/17/2012

Quickly Get Started With WestlawNext – @ 11a CT

• How to search.
• How to find a document.
• How to verify your document.
• How to keep track of your research.

Increase the Efficiency and Accuracy of your Transactional Documents – @ 1p CT

Learn how the newest transactional content and tools from Thomson Reuters Westlaw can help you:

• Get a fast start on your documents by accessing thousands of legal forms or documents
• Maintain concentration while drafting, by making it easy to access what you need right from your word processor
• Minimize the time and tedium of proofing and editing your documents with our automated proofing tools

Getting Maximum Value from Case Notebook Case Reports – @ 1p CT

Learn to:

• Create case reports
• Find where the key players in a case are referenced within case documents
• Produce reports on specific issues

Friday 5/18/2012

Effectively Organize and Manage your Litigation Documents with CaseNotebook – @ 11a CT

Learn to:

• Ensure smooth collaboration by storing your documents in a centrally accessible location
• Minimize time spent hunting for important documents by using Data Group folders
• Instantly search through your entire case file for hot documents

HOW TO GET THE MOST VALUE FROM YOUR NEW WESTLAW FORM BUILDER PLAN – @ 1p CT

Learn to:

• Manage client and case information
• Assemble documents for your client’s case
• Manage clients’ documents
• Utilize additional Form Builder functionality, including creating form sets, creating default answers, and editing case answers

 

ABA Podcast: Tips on Trying Your First Case

via ABA Journal.

Check out the ABA Journal for a podcast and full transcript of tips for trying your first case. Three attorneys: Barbara Ashcroft, Stephen P. Hurley, and James McElroy speak with ABA Journal Podcast moderator Stephanie Francis Ward. Some of the topics highlighted in the podcast are:

• What are you taught about trying a case in law school
• Civility in the courtroom
• Crafting arguments
• Strategy and reading people in the courtroom (witnesses & jurors).

Check out the podcast for the full discussion.

Lincoln Law School of San Jose’s Professor to Speak at KC’s Legal Series

Our own professor of Professional Responsibility, Alison Buchanan, will be speaking at the Knowledge Congress Legal Series: Ethics for Attorneys in a live webcast on July 5, 2012 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM ET.

They will address the following key issues:

– Ethical Considerations in the use of Internet
– Electronic File Maintenance
– Potential Ethical Problems –- What should lawyer do?
– Confidentiality
– Concept of Legal Ethics and the recent developments
– Up-to-the-minute regulatory updates

Read More & Register for the Event

Press Release