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Episode 8: Fastcase, More on WestlawNext, Snapping Under Law School Stress and More!

Wherein Josh and Laura revisit the fact that law schools are big, dumb, slow bureaucracies. Also, what does it mean that Westlaw aims to make research “human?” How about Fastcase, the legal research tool that relies instead on smart algorithms?

Introduction

- Hard socratic method 3L year? In tax class? With a prof who won’t let you pass during class? Bleh.

- Laura will never work in a place that denies her administrative rights to her computer. Which might be tough since she wants to work in the public sector… Also, someone needs to review the questionable practices of the Business Software Alliance.

- If you have tech skills, but you’re in law school, you’re probably not there to practice your tech skills. Sadly, everyone around you will treat you like you are  (and they couldn’t care less about your legal skills).

- OMG SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

- All about Fastcase. Also, don’t miss Josh’s post on the Fastcase iPhone app (= free legal research!), which includes an interview with Fastcase CEO Ed Walters.

In the News

- Lawyers jumping ship from big law firms, according to the ABA Journal.

- WestlawNext has some interesting marketing tactics. One is the assertion that in this product, “legal research goes human.” The other is, well, pretty insulting.

- How not to handle messing up and sending your résumé to the wrong person. Which also teaches us that there are still some decent folks (that is, the guy who didn’t publish this student’s name) on the internets.

Love For Our Geeks

@CNsbtt – At blood drive, homosexual male was asked whether he had AIDS at blood drive (hetero males not asked). Happened to friend. [Which led to discovery of this: FTC ban on men giving blood who have had sex with another man. Would this stand up to a constitutional challenge?]

@redheadedgirl – your post on “book briefing” totally changed my #lawschool life. Thanks! [Aw, thanks, we love you, too.]
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Related posts:

1. WestlawNext: Special Edition Legal Geekery Podcast
2. The Future of Legal Research, Featuring Shiny Balls and Creepy Music
3. Review of the Fastcase iPhone App
4. It’s Not Defamation Unless It’s False