Designed to prepare future paralegals for careers in law, LEGAL RESEARCH, ANALYSIS, AND WRITING, Fourth Edition delivers the basics in an easy-to-read, systematic manner. Following a review of the legal process, chapters walk through key facts and issue spotting, analysis and counteranalysis, traditional and online research, secondary authorities and citating, writing briefs and memoranda, and techniques for good legal writing. This popular text also includes scenarios, examples, exercises, and optional MindTap® interactive assignments to clarify concepts and give readers practice sharpening their writing skills. And, of course, the fourth edition includes the latest updates from the field—with special attention to electronic research methods using fee-based and other tools—to help paralegals stand out in a tech-driven job market.

PART I: INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH, ANALYTICAL PRINCIPLES, AND THE LEGAL PROCESS.
1. Introduction to Legal Principles and Authorities.
2. Introduction to Legal Research and Analysis.
PART II: LEGAL RESEARCH.
3. Constitutions, Statutes, Administrative Law, and Court Rules—Research and Analysis.
4. Case Law—Research and Briefing.
5. Secondary Authority and Other Research Sources—Encyclopedias, Treatises, American Law Reports, Digests, Shepard's.
6. Secondary Authority—Periodicals, Restatements, Uniform Laws, Dictionaries, Legislative History, and Other Secondary Authorities.
7. Computers and Internet Legal Research.
8. Commercial Internet Research.
PART III: THE SPECIFICS OF LEGAL ANALYSIS.
9. Legal Analysis—Key Facts.
10. Legal Analysis—Issue Identification (Spotting the Issue).
11. Legal Analysis—Stating the Issue.
12. Case Law Analysis—Is a Case on Point?
13. Counteranalysis.
PART IV: LEGAL WRITING.
14. Fundamentals of Writing.
15. The Writing Process for Effective Legal Writing.
16. Office Legal Memorandum: Issues and Facts.
17. Office Legal Memorandum: Analysis to Conclusion.
18. External Memoranda: Court Briefs.
19. Correspondence.
Appendix A: Court Opinions Referred to in the Text.
Appendix B: Appellate Court Brief.
Glossary.
Index.

Designed to prepare future paralegals for careers in law, LEGAL RESEARCH, ANALYSIS, AND WRITING, Fourth Edition delivers the basics in an easy-to-read, systematic manner. Following a review of the legal process, chapters walk through key facts and issue spotting, analysis and counteranalysis, traditional and online research, secondary authorities and citating, writing briefs and memoranda, and techniques for good legal writing. This popular text also includes scenarios, examples, exercises, and optional MindTap® interactive assignments to clarify concepts and give readers practice sharpening their writing skills. And, of course, the fourth edition includes the latest updates from the field—with special attention to electronic research methods using fee-based and other tools—to help paralegals stand out in a tech-driven job market. Practice Support: More exhibits, examples, and assignments in chapters 3 through 8 help readers spot, understand, and analyze the legal issues more clearly. Search Tools: Chapter 8 now focuses on Thomson Reuters Westlaw™ and Lexis Advance®, as well as clear guidance for searching across all commercial databases. Writing Primer: Additional material on writing basics helps readers start with a stronger foundation, while new and updated assignments in Chapters 14, 18, and 19 add depth to all areas of legal studies. Legal Hypotheticals: Chapter-starting hypotheticals raise key legal questions, then require students to leverage chapter content to understand the issue’s relevance in the law and the real world. Clear Readings: Full discussion of every topic and an approachable, easy-to-read format helps those with limited exposure to the law grasp legalese, the court system, research and validation approaches, analysis of findings, writing formats, and other ideas that are unique to the practice of law. Chapter Features: Lists of key points in the readings keep readers focused on the issues and chapter-ending assignments help them recall new principles and techniques. Adding yet another layer of reinforcement, examples after every important principle help readers retain and internalize concepts for the long-term.