The University of British Columbia

FIRST YEAR Legal Research & Writing Program:

The first year legal research and writing program at UBC Faculty of Law integrates legal research and writing directly into to the first year curriculum.  First year students are required to complete a number of assignments.

Legal research and writing support is provided to students by their professors and through a series of lectures on legal research and writing principles. Attendance at these lectures is required.

Timetables & Schedules

• Assignment Schedule ***Updated Oct 31***
  Note: This schedule is subject to change.  All questions about the timetable should be directed to Assistant Dean, Kaila Mikkelsen at mikkelsen@law.ubc.ca.
• Library Information Sessions Schedule (Regulatory State) – ***NEW***

Purposes and Principles of Legal Research

• Purposes and Principles of Legal Research

Case Brief Materials

• Sample Case Brief No.1- Jarvis v Swans Tours
• Sample Case Brief No.2 - Groves v. John Wunder
  

Memorandum Materials

• Preparing a Legal Memorandum
• John Kleefeld, "Write Me a Memo," [2010] Canadian Legal Education Annual Review 217-228.
• Legal Citation - Case Law
  

Researching Legislative Materials

• Researching Legislation: Bryce Speaking Notes
• Law Library Research Guide

Case Comment

To view a sample Case Comment published in the UBC Law Review via UBC's HeinOnline license, click on the link below. You will be prompted to enter your UBC Library Login or Campus Wide Login information in order to view the document. Once you are logged in, go to page 277 to view the Case Comment titled: "The Protection of Famous Marks in Canada: Mattel and Veuve Clicquot."

Factum & Mooting Materials

• Moot Court Rules 2012
• Factum Citation Guide
• Cromwell, Thomas (ed.) Effective Written Advocacy (Aurora: Canada Law Book, 2008).
• Laskin, John J.A. Forget the Wind Up and Make the Pitch: Some Suggestions for Writing More Persuasive Factums (online: http://www.ontariocourts.on.ca/coa/en/ps/speeches/forget.htm)
• Raymond, James C Writing for the Court (Toronto: Carswell, 2010).

Moot Court Registry

Allard Hall Room 107 (Around the corner from the Moot Court/Allard 106)
Hours: 12:30-1:30 & 3:30-4:30 pm on January 18, 2012 (Deadline for Appellant's Factum) and January 27, 2012 (Deadline for Respondent's Factum)

Reference Materials

• Ted Tjaden, Legal Research and Writing, 3d ed., (Toronto: Irwin Law, 2010)
  

Research Portals

• Catherine Best's Legal Research Website
• British Columbia Courthouse Library Society
• UBC Law Library Home Page
• Canadian Legal Information Institute
• British Columbia Courts
• Supreme Court of Canada (Home Page)
• Supreme Court of Canada (Judgments)
• World Legal Information Institute

Citation

• Canadian Citation Committee
• Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations
• Cornell Guide to Basic Citation (U.S.A.)
• Queen's Law Library Online Guide to Legal Citation

Passwords

To obtain law student access to LexisNexis Quicklaw and Westlaw Canada, follow the instructions below.

To register for LexisNexis Quicklaw & Westlaw Canada, please e-mail Elim Wong at elim.wong@ubc.ca with your name and student number.

Past years LRW pages:

• 2010 - 2011