The Goodson Blogson

Sometimes, it can seem like your summer employer has asked for the impossible, or at least the very unfamiliar. Quick keyword searches on WestlawNext and Lexis Advance just aren't cutting it, or perhaps you aren't even sure what words to use in your search? The best legal researchers know that a smart start is the key to completing research assignments efficiently and effectively. While the Goodson Law Library remains available on weekdays over the summer to provide guidance, our research tips for beginning a new project can help you shine all on your own. If you missed the library's 2L Research Refresher workshop in March, the slides and handout are available on our Workshops & Instruction page. The workshop provided an overview of real-world research steps, including tips for brainstorming potential search words, locating useful secondary sources and research guides, and searching primary authority effectively. In particular, resources like Zimmerman's Re...

Earlier this week, the Federal Trade Commission announced a massive lawsuit against four cancer "charities" which allegedly misused nearly $200 million in consumer donations. The complaint was filed in federal court on Monday, with the FTC as well as all 50 states' attorneys general offices listed as plaintiffs. As Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring noted in the FTC press release , "This is the first time the FTC, all 50 states, and the District of Columbia have filed a joint enforcement action alleging deceptive solicitations by charities and I hope it serves as a strong warning for anyone trying to exploit the kindness and generosity of others." The FTC's case infographic starkly illustrates the discrepancy between the defendants' charitable aid and organizational overhead expenses, with the vast majority of donations going to employee compensation and other non-charitable uses, such as cars, tickets to sporting events, trips, and even dating ...

The Goodson Law Library website now includes a new research guide Transactional Resources: Tools for Doing a Deal . Reference librarian Laura Scott has compiled a mix of electronic and print resources for transactional practice, including drafting guides, forms and checklists, and sample documents. Current members of the Duke Law community have access to many resources through Bloomberg Law 's Transactional Resources tab, the Lexis Practice Advisor available on Lexis Advance , and WestlawNext 's Business Law Center . All of these sources include forms and helpful secondary sources such as glossaries and treatises. The library collection also includes several useful titles, particularly in the area of contract drafting. Of particular interest is the recent textbook Contract Drafting: How and Why Lawyers Do What They Do (Reserves KF807 .S73 2014); this helpful introduction is not available online at Duke. A similar, but older, title, Working with Contracts: What Law School ...

Yesterday, Google announced a new Patent Purchase Promotion plan on its Public Policy blog. For two weeks in May, Google will open an experimental web portal through which U.S. patent holders can submit proposals to sell their patents to the search giant this summer. (Patent holders will be granted a license to continue practicing their invention, although Google will assume legal ownership and may also license the patent to others.) Details of the Patent Purchase Program are available at http://www.google.com/patents/licensing/ . Google's stated motive for setting up this program (besides adding to its bulky patent portfolio, of course) is "to remove friction from the patent market." In particular, Deputy General Counsel Allen Lo cited the "bad things" that happen when non-practicing entities (NPEs), or " patent trolls ," obtain ownership of patents for the sole purpose of filing profitable patent infringement lawsuits against others. TV host Joh...