Wisconsin State Law Library

Indigenous Law Portal - Carol Hassler

The Indigenous Law Portal is a valuable resource for researching indigenous law throughout the world. The portal was first created by the Library of Congress to help organize and provide access to North American indigenous legal materials, such as websites, codes, Constitutions, and charters. This year, the portal has moved to a new home, LLMC Digital, where researchers can continue to use it for free.

Since its creation, the website has expanded to include thousands of links. To get to the portal, visit LLMC.com or go to LLMC Digital through our Articles & Journals page. Look for the Indigenous Law Portal link from the main page.

To find information from a specific nation, use the map search at the top, or the drop-down menus on the left to narrow your search by region.

Use these geographic searches to find links to organizations, research guides, books, and websites which relate to indigenous nations in a geographic area. For example, narrowing your search to the geographic region of the United States provides several links relating to American Indian nations.

The Indigenous Law Portal is available for free on the LLMC Digital website. Check out Wisconsin's listing to learn more about Wisconsin indigenous nations.

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New Books - Kari Zelinka

New Edition! Environmental Litigation: Law and Strategy, 2nd ed. Edited by Kegan A. Brown and Andrea M. Hogan, 2019
Call Number: KF 8925.E5 E583 2019

Environmental litigation is increasing at a rapid pace due to topics such as climate change and an increasing number of environmental cases heading to the U.S. Supreme Court. Expertise in this area of litigation draws from many settings and the contributors to this book span not only private practice, but also academia and government. Federal and state statutes, common-law rules, and a vast amount of regulations all fall under environmental litigation. Each chapter has extensive notes. This second edition also features an up-to-date table of taxes and a topical index. 

Chapters include:

• Judicial Challenges to Federal Agency Action
• Environmental Criminal Enforcement
• Civil Environmental Enforcement Litigation
• Insurance Recovery for Environmental Liabilities
• CERCLA Cost Recovery and Contribution and a Primer on Natural Resource Damages Law
• Toxic Tort Litigation
• Citizen Suits
• Pesticide Litigation

New Edition! The Lawyer's Guide to Increasing Revenue: Heighten Client Satisfaction, Improve Law Firm Morale, Enhance Revenue and Profitability, by Arthur G. Greene and Peter D. Roberts, 2019
Call Number:  KF 316.5 .G74 2019

Arthur Greene and Peter Roberts have a three-pronged attack to increasing profits at your law firm. They advise looking at client management, firm incentives, and fee adjustments. This third edition provides lessons on understanding financial data, handling client expectations, and leveraging paralegals and associates. They also look at re-evaluating fee arrangements and assessing partner compensation.

The appendices are full of great templates and sample policies that include:

• Financial indicators worksheet
• Revenue capacity worksheet
• Implementing value-based billing
• Associate/paralegal profitability worksheet
• Client-Centered Service Policy
• Paralegal Billing Guidelines

See our latest New Titles list for a list of new books and other resources.

For assistance in accessing these or other resources, please contact our Reference Desk.

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Tech Tip - Heidi Yelk

Recently, an attorney came to the library seeking a chart, spreadsheet, table, or anything that would convey time limits and deadlines at a glance, like a statute of limitations listing but more comprehensive. We didn't have any luck finding a ready-made chart. However, I was reminded of the Filing and Date Calculator from AtkinsonBaker which was featured two years ago in a Tech Tip about useful calculators. 

While seeking similar deadline calculators, I recalled a Google trick that can be used to discover comparable websites. The trick is the "related" command. When you find a website that is useful and want to discover more like that website, use the word "related" along with the URL of the page. Separate these two search terms with a colon (no spaces). For example, this search can be used to find other deadline calculators: related:www.depo.com/resources/fdc.html

Are you looking for associations similar to the Dane County Bar Association? Search related:dcba.net to find other county bar associations. The "related" command is a useful way to discover industry competitors as well as like-minded associations.

image source

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Library News - Carol Hassler

Rare North-Western Reporter volume

This summer we were contacted by a researcher trying to find an obscure copy of the North-Western Reporter from 1877-1879. Only three libraries appear have the full set of volumes for this time period, including the Wisconsin State Law Library. Our collection includes all four volumes issued from 1877-1879 which were from the original version of the North-Western Reporter. We were able to provide the researcher with the copies they needed from 1879. These rare volumes reside in the David T. Prosser Library's Wisconsin locked case.

From our blog

At the library, fall is the season for landlord tenant questions. Read our recent round-up of where to find landlord tenant forms for a list of useful print and online sources.

As football season moves into full swing, office or family pools may form. Check out our research guide on sports gambling for a list of articles and books that discuss sports gambling and fantasy sports.

Meet us at WLA

Wisconsin State Law Library staff will present two sessions at the upcoming Wisconsin Library Association conference in October. We look forward to seeing you there!

It's a Trap! How to Avoid Giving Legal Advice in Reference Services
Wednesday, October 9, 4:30-5:15 p.m.
Librarians can be at the front lines of the legal system. Helping users to access legal information and resources can be complicated. Where is the line between research help and giving legal advice? How can you determine which sources are authoritative or up to date? This session gives examples and practical tips, including phrases you can use to manage your users' expectations. Discover online sources for case law, statutes, and regulations, and understand how the Wisconsin State Law Library's website and services can be used to optimize your legal reference services.

Public Records: Research Tips and Tricks
Thursday, October 10, 9:00-9:45 a.m.
Embrace your inner government information nerd! Get an overview of the history of Wisconsin's public records law, understand top research sources, and learn where to find public records on individuals and businesses. Discover state and local court records, business entity records, liens, real estate records, and more. We'll help you find online and offline government agency sources for commonly-sought Wisconsin public records.

Librarians reach out

This September we delivered a webinar to public librarians, in cooperation with the South Central Library System. Carol Hassler presented tips for legal research and providing legal reference service to public library users.

Fall Classes

Our fall classes are beginning to fill up! Sign up now so you don't miss out.

Introduction to Wisconsin Legislative History
Wednesday, October 23, Noon - 1 p.m.
Location: David T. Prosser Jr. Library training room
I need the legislative history of a Wisconsin statute. Where do I start? What do I do? Participants will look at the primary resources used to research Wisconsin legislative history, learn about the online Wisconsin legislative drafting files, and learn some helpful tips and tricks along the way. This introductory class covers basic research strategies and sources.
FREE. 1 CLE credit. Registration is limited to 8. Register Online | Print Registration Form

Apps and Add-ons to Improve Research Productivity and Efficiency
Thursday, November 7, Noon - 1 p.m.
Location: Meeting Room 1 at the Central Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee
Presenter: Beverly Butula
Smartphones and tablets are a ubiquitous part of our lives. There are a significant number of Apps and Add-ons for those devices that can improve our productivity, efficiency, and assist with research. This session will highlight several free or low-cost quality Apps and Add-ons that will benefit lawyers and paralegals.
FREE. 1 CLE credit. Registration is suggested through the Milwaukee County Law Library and space is limited. Call 414-278-4900 or email mcll.ref@wicourts.gov to register. Print Registration Form These are demonstration classes.

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October Snapshot

New Computer Bays
Photo by Carol Hassler

At the David T. Prosser Jr. Library, we've moved some of our public computers into the bookstacks to create quiet workspaces throughout the library. Use websites like Westlaw, Lexis, Books Unbound, and Bloomberg Law from any of our public computers. My favorite location is pictured; you can't beat the window seat!

We are accepting snapshots! Do you have a photo highlighting libraries, attractions or points of historical interest? Send your photo the editor at carol.hassler@wicourts.gov to be included in a future issue.

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