This course will introduce law students to the sources and methods used in legal research. Students will (1) gain familiarity with core primary and secondary U.S. legal information sources, how this material is used, organized, published, indexed, and kept current, and how to efficiently find and use these sources; (2) build foundational research skills that can be used to approach legal research questions in any area of law; and (3) develop basic strategies to effectively use both familiar and unfamiliar research databases, sources, and tools. Learning legal research requires a hands-on approach, so students will be expected to be active participants in class and through out-of-class assignments. There will not be a final exam. Elements used in grading: Attendance, Class Participation, Written Assignments. CONSENT APPLICATION: To apply for this course, students must complete and submit a Consent Application Form available on the SLS Registrar website https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/. Click SUNetID Login in the top right corner of the page and then click the "Consent Courses" tab. See Consent Application Form for instructions and submission deadline. This course is only open to first-year JD (1L) students.
2 units · Law Honors/Pass/Restrd Cr/Fail
This course will introduce law students to the sources and methods used in legal research. Students will (1) gain familiarity with core primary and secondary U.S. legal information sources, how this material is used, organized, published, indexed, and kept current, and how to efficiently find and use these sources; (2) build foundational research skills that can be used to approach legal research questions in any area of law; and (3) develop basic strategies to effectively use both familiar and unfamiliar research databases, sources, and tools. Learning legal research requires a hands-on approach, so students will be expected to be active participants in class and through out-of-class assignments. There will not be a final exam. Elements used in grading: Attendance, Class Participation, Written Assignments. CONSENT APPLICATION: To apply for this course, students must complete and submit a Consent Application Form available on the SLS Registrar website https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/. Click SUNetID Login in the top right corner of the page and then click the "Consent Courses" tab. See Consent Application Form for instructions and submission deadline. This course is only open to first-year JD (1L) students.
Offered in Spring 2026 at Stanford University.