Going on an Externship? Tips for Success: Home

Offered by the Law Library for UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law students, faculty, and staff to help with research questions. 

The chat service is only offered during the Fall and Spring semesters. If the service is unavailable, your question will be answered via email. You can also email any of the law librarians with your question, and we'll get right on it. 

Who can I contact if I have a question?  You can contact any one of the library staff.  We are always willing and able to help you.  If you have questions about specific things this list might be helpful but we can answer most anything or refer you to someone who can.

• Kathy Fletcher - kathy.fletcher@law.unh.edu (for ILL, research questions on New Hampshire)
• Jon Cavicchi - jon.cavicchi@law.unh.edu (for Perma links, Intellectual Property research questions)
• Sue Zago - sue.zago@law.unh.edu (for general and international legal research, Lexis,Westlaw, Bloomberg passwords, database questions, Massachusetts legal research, Digital Commons and Zotero)

Think about your research topic or project.  What are you trying to find out, what do you already know, how will this information be used and what do you have access to?  What is your deadline?  

Once you've answered these preliminary questions you should really think about the topic.  Try using this graphic to help you with the process of brainstorming, research, review.

When thinking about your legal problem there are some basic questions to consider as a first step.  These should be done when you first get your research project and before you even move to the research circle.

Civil or Criminal? 

• What type of legal problem are you working with - Is this a civil or criminal matter?

Jurisdiction 

• What state did the incident/harm take place? 

• Did the incident/harm take place in more than one state? 

Broad area of law

             Tort,  Contract, Criminal, Environmental...

 What is the remedy or outcome you are seeking?  How can the issue be resolved?  What is the desired outcome?

• Is there a fine to pay to the court/state?

• Some kind of monetary damages payable to the parties (how much?)

• An injunction (stop the behavior) or specific performance (require the behavior to go along)

• Criminal punishment

• Are there several remedies that you are seeking?  

Parties

Who is involved?  If this is a landlord/tenant issue, who owns or manages the property?  Is there a management company?  Is there an insurance company?  Are the people involved all adults or are there children involved or others who may have a guardian of some kind.