The attorney's search for more efficient and accurate methods of self-education and legal research is the pursuit of perfection – perpetually in progress. Are you using all the tools at your disposal to save time and get the information you're looking for? This legal course offers a practical guide through the latest challenges and opportunities evolving technology presents in legal research and law practice management. Stay on the cutting edge of your practice with tips from experienced attorney faculty. Order today!

1. Staying Current on Upcoming Laws and Practice-Specific News
2. Organizing Legal Research and Delegating Tasks
3. Case-Specific Research
4. Advanced Online Legal Research Skills
5. Authenticating and Organizing the Search Results for Court Use
6. Managing the Information Flow

Continuing Education Credits:   

* denotes specialty credits

1. STAYING CURRENT ON UPCOMING LAWS AND PRACTICE-SPECIFIC NEWS
   9:00 - 10:00, Julian E. Neiser
   1. Following Recent and Pending Legislation
   2. Practice-Specific and Issue-Specific Content News
   3. Tracking Significant Court Cases and Rulings and Their Potential Effect on Your Practice
   4. Scanning Legislation and Case Law in Other States to Uncover Potential Trends
   5. Keeping Track of the Latest Legal Technology
   6. Monitoring Client Market Trends
   7. Peer Attorney Practice Tips
      1. Listservs
      2. Blawgs
      3. Local and Online Networking
2. ORGANIZING LEGAL RESEARCH AND DELEGATING TASKS
   10:15 - 11:15, Julian E. Neiser
   1. Setting Up General Research Guidelines
   2. Determining the Goal(s) of the Search
   3. Narrowing the Scope (Narrowing Down the Search Parameters)
   4. Choosing the Right Tool for the Search (Matching the Sources/Methods to the Type of Info You Need - Depending on the Goal)
   5. Identifying Key Focal Points
   6. Setting Timelines
   7. Keeping Track of Work Done and Time Spent
3. CASE-SPECIFIC RESEARCH
   11:15 - 12:30, Christopher S. Channel
   1. Primary Law (Court Decisions, Statutes, Regulations, Rules) Online
   2. Sample Forms - Free or Low-Cost Online Briefs, Motions, Easements, Agreements, Divorce Petitions, etc.
   3. Finding Non-Legal Information for Your Legal Case
      1. Property Searches
      2. People Searches
   4. Other Paid and Free Online Litigation Resources
   5. Using Investigators
   6. Utilizing Local College Campuses and Libraries as a Resource
4. ADVANCED ONLINE LEGAL RESEARCH SKILLS
   1:30 - 2:30, Amanda R. Gerstnecker
   1. Practical Tips for Searching Within a Site (Common Site Architecture Formulas)
   2. Understanding and Mitigating the Shortfalls of Search Engines
   3. Useful Shortcuts
   4. 7 Simple Mistakes That can Kill Your Online Search
   5. Top Time Wasters in Online Searches
   6. Choosing and Utilizing Paid and Free Online Legal Research Engines (WestlawNext, LexisNexis, BNA, Google Scholar, Fastcase, etc.)
      1. Recent and Upcoming Trends in Legal Research Provider Market
      2. Choosing the Provider to Fit Your Research Style
5. AUTHENTICATING AND ORGANIZING THE SEARCH RESULTS FOR COURT USE
   2:45 - 3:25, Christopher S. Channel
   1. Tips for More Efficient Case Review
   2. Determining Relevance and Verifying Primacy
   3. Citing
   4. Organizing the Information for Use in the Case
   5. How to Not Reinvent the Wheel - Saving Your Search Results for Future Use
   6. Ensuring Admissibility
6. MANAGING THE INFORMATION FLOW
   3:25 - 4:30, Amanda R. Gerstnecker
   1. Organizing and Filtering Incoming E-Mails
   2. Mail/Delivery Information
   3. Organizing Your In-House Law Library
   4. Facilitating Travel
   5. Managing a Mobile Law Office
   6. Transferring Data Between Computers and Mobile Electronic Devices (Calendaring, E-Mail, Attachments, etc.)

CHRISTOPHER S. CHANNEL is an attorney in the law firm of Babst, Calland, Clements and Zomnir, P.C., where he practices in the Litigation Services Group. Mr. Channel's practice includes commercial, construction and intellectual property litigation. Mr. Channel obtained his B.A. degree, magna cum laude, from West Virginia Wesleyan College and his J.D. degree from Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary. He was awarded a graduate research fellowship, and conducted research for professors on topics such as constitutional law, courtroom technology and economic analysis of the law. Prior to joining Babst, Calland, Clements and Zomnir, P.C., Mr. Channel maintained an active practice at another Pittsburgh law firm in the areas of complex, commercial and copyright litigation. Mr. Channel has successfully litigated numerous preliminary injunction matters involving copyright and trade secrets. Mr. Channel is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. He is a member of the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and American bar associations and the West Virginia Bar. Mr. Channel has been recognized as one of Pennsylvania's up-and-coming lawyers since 2005, according to an annual survey published in Philadelphia magazine.

AMANDA R. GERSTNECKER is an attorney in the law firm of Meyer, Unkovic & Scott LLP. She is a member of the Corporate and Business Law, Real Estate and Lending, Employment Law and Employee Benefits, and Business Litigation Groups. Ms. Gerstnecker earned her J.D. degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.  Ms. Gerstnecker graduated suma cum laude from Youngstown State with a B.S. degree in advertisingpPublic relations. Ms. Gerstnecker is a member of the Pennsylvania and Allegheny County Bar Associations, and she is admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

JULIAN E. NEISER is a Pittsburgh-based private practice attorney and business owner whose practice concentrates on business and commercial disputes, computer and internet litigation and trade secret protection.  He has litigated and consulted on numerous cases involving electronic discovery and the forensic review of electronic evidence.  He has programmed, designed and managed numerous commercial internet sites, and he has served as an outline editor for the Associated Press during the development of its online news outlet, "The Wire." In addition to writing numerous articles on technology and Internet use, Mr. Neiser has instructed newspaper writers on computer-assisted reporting and consulted corporations on effective Internet use. He received his B.A. degree from the University of Pittsburgh and his J.D. degree from Duquesne University School of Law. Mr. Neiser is a member of the Allegheny County and Pennsylvania bar associations, and previously was with the law firms of McGuireWoods, LLP, Tucker Arensberg, P.C. and Meyer, Unkovic & Scott, LLP.  Additionally, Mr. Neiser serves as an adjunct professor for Duquesne University Law School's Trial Advocacy Program.

Please refer to Continuing Education Credit FAQ for general information about seeking credit for your participation in one of our continuing education programs.

Additionally, our team of credit specialists are here to answer your specific credit-related questions weekdays 7am - 5pm Central:

Phone: 866-240-1890

Email: credit@nbi-sems.com