The Goodson Blogson

The Law Library is seeking applicants for the Faculty Research Assistants Program. This program gives you the chance to build relationships with a variety of Law School faculty members while you polish your legal research skills and provide valuable assistance to the faculty on short-term research projects. Past Library RA projects have included: updating an AIDS Law textbook and other course materials, developing biographical sketches of significant figures in legal history, and helping the Law School clinics prepare for planned litigation. Library RA applicants must have successfully completed LARW, and be willing to commit 8-10 hours per week during the spring 2008 semester (January 9-April 16). If hired, your schedule would consist of 4-6 regularly established “office hours”, with the remainder as flexible “research time”. Starting Faculty RAs are paid $10.50/hour. If you are interested in becoming a Library RA, please forward a resume and cover letter to Lauren Coll...

Although current members of the Law School community will retain 24-hour building access with a DukeCard, the Law Library will operate under reduced staffing hours for the Thanksgiving holiday. Wednesday, Nov. 21 Library closes at 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 22 Closed for holiday Friday, Nov. 23 Closed for holiday Saturday, Nov. 24 Closed for holiday Sunday, Nov. 25 Regular hours resume

[Note: In addition to the Recent Titles featured in the right-hand column courtesy of LibraryThing , D.U.L.L. News will periodically feature a new title of interest in the blog.] Cass R. Sunstein, Worst-Case Scenarios (2007). Available in Law Library Annex at the call number HM1101 .S864 2007 . From the publisher : “ Nuclear bombs in suitcases, anthrax bacilli in ventilators, tsunamis and meteors, avian flu, scorchingly hot temperatures: nightmares that were once the plot of Hollywood movies are now frighteningly real possibilities. How can we steer a path between willful inaction and reckless overreaction? Cass Sunstein explores these and other worst-case scenarios and how we might best prevent them in this vivid, illuminating, and highly original analysis. ” Visit the Harvard University Press web site for a PDF excerpt of the introduction and Chapter 1: “Of Terrorism and Climate Change”.

Tuesday, November 13 marks the sixth annual Herbert L. Bernstein Memorial Lecture in International and Comparative Law, “Desperately Seeking Subsidiarity: Danish Private Law in Scandinavian, European & Global Context” , presented by Professor Joseph Lookofsky of Copenhagen University. But who was the scholar who inspired this important lecture series? Herbert L. Bernstein was a member of the Duke Law faculty from 1984 until his death in 2001. Professor Bernstein’s instruction and scholarship concentrated upon contracts, conflict of laws and comparative law, as well as international economic integration. He taught the European Union Law class at Duke, a subject particularly close to his heart: during the early years of the European Community/European Union, he was involved in the litigation of major cases in the European Court of Justice. For several years, he also served as the Faculty Director of the Law School’s Summer Institute of Transnational Law in Brussels. Pro...

[Note: In addition to the Recent Titles featured in the right-hand column courtesy of LibraryThing , D.U.L.L. News will periodically feature a new title of interest in the blog.] Philip Slayton, Lawyers Gone Bad: Money, Sex and Madness in Canada’s Legal Profession (2007). Available at Law Library Annex KE415 .S53 2007. From the publisher: “Philip Slayton spent 35 years as a lawyer. In Lawyers Gone Bad , he exposes the motivations and the stories of senior partners in influential Canadian firms who have illegally sustained expensive lifestyles, engaged in drug trafficking, been convicted of immigration fraud, laundered money, and been disbarred for having sex with clients. These are colourful, personal dramas that give insight into lawyers, legal practice, and how the law itself can fail or be twisted .” Visit the publisher’s site, http://www.penguin.ca/lawyersgonebad , to download a brief excerpt of the first chapter, read an interview with author Philip Slayton, and p...

Calling the Class of 2009! The Law Library would like to hear about the types of research you conducted in your summer employment, and whether the research portion of LARW adequately prepared you for the experience. You will receive the online survey link in an e-mail from your former research instructors within the next few days. The survey should take no more than 5-10 minutes of your time, but your responses are extremely valuable to us. By participating in the survey, you will assist the reference librarians in planning our annual spring “Research Refresher” workshops. You may also have an impact on what is covered in future research portions of LARW. Please respond by Friday, November 9th. Thanks for your valuable input!