PLI Webinar On What Summer Associates Should Know About Artificial Intelligence in Legal Practice

Did you know that the Law Library’s subscription to Practising Law Institute resources includes a collection of training videos? It’s true, I swear!

Of particular interest to law students preparing for summer jobs might be Artificial Intelligence in Law Practice for Summer Associates and Interns, presented by Professor Daniel W. Linna Jr. of Northwestern. The presentation includes a nice breakdown of the different forms that AI can take in legal practice technologies, with a special focus on the strengths and limitations of the latest generative AI tools. 

 

To quote PLI’s description, viewers of this video should be able to:

• Explain how large language models, generative AI, and other AI tools work 

• Identify the types of AI tools used for legal tasks 

• Anticipate the types of tools and scenarios law students might encounter in summer internships 

• Understand the benefits and risks of using AI tools, and how to leverage benefits and manage risks 

• Understand professional responsibility obligations, including confidentiality, competence, candor to tribunals, and reasonable fees 

• Know the questions to ask before using an AI tool 

• Understand how to verify and be responsible for work product

Bloomberg, Lexis & Westlaw Summer Access

  Summer 2025 and beyond.

Access information for graduates and continuing law students to Bloomberg Law, Lexis, and Westlaw over the summer and fall.

 

Spring 2025 Graduates

Spring 2025 Graduates have continued access through Nov. 30, 2025. This access is automatic (no registration required) and is unlimited and unrestricted.

Continuing Students Unlimited Summer Access

All law students may continue to use your Bloomberg Law as you have during the academic year using your Bloomberg Law credentials.

Questions? Contact the Bloomberg Law Help Desk or our dedicated Client Service Partner, Colin Caleb.

 

Spring 2025 Graduates

Lexis+ AI Graduate Access: Spring 2025 graduates will continue to have access to Lexis+® on their law school IDs through December 31, 2025. This extended access is automatic – no registration is required and there are no restrictions or limits on research time. On July 1, 2025, graduates’ accounts will automatically switch to the graduate portal. This customized version of the Law School homepage includes graduate-specific content and choice of a graduation gift, including extended access to a selection of products from LexisNexis® such as Law360, Practical Guidance, or a LexisNexis eBook. Graduates have access to most of the same content and features available during law school, excluding public records, Protégé, Law360 and Practical Guidance.

Graduates’ Lexis Rewards points will expire on June 30, 2025; points must be spent or donated before that date.

ASPIRE Program: The LexisNexis ASPIRE program provides 12 months of free access to federal and state cases, codes, regulations, law reviews, Shepard's® Citation Service and Matthew Bender® treatises to graduates who are engaged in verifiable 501(c)(3) public interest work. Students can apply for ASPIRE access at: https://lexisnexis.com/grad-access/

Continuing Students Unlimited Summer Access

Lexis+ AI Summer Access: All law school students automatically have summer access to Lexis+ AI. Students may use their law school ID for academic, professional and non-profit research. It may be used during work for a firm, clerkship, internship or externship, whether in a paid or non-paid position. There is no limit on the number of hours students can use Lexis+ AI to conduct research this summer.

Prepare for summer employment with the Applied Legal Research Certificates in the Lexis+ AI Training Center, including certification on: Case Law, Secondary Sources, Statutory Law, AI, Administrative Law, Bankruptcy, Corporate/M&A, Labor & Employment, Litigation, Real Estate, Transactional Practice and US Civil Law.

Protégé™ Access: The Summer Access program includes access to Protégé for all continuing students (current 1Ls and 2Ls).

Questions? Contact our Lexis Academic Account Representative, Sarah Bigler at sarah.bigler@lexisnexis.com

Spring 2025 Graduates

You can use Thomson Reuters products, for 18-months after graduation. Your “Grad Elite” access gives you 60-hours of usage per month, with no restrictions against using them for professional purposes.

These tools include:

• Westlaw
• Practical Law
• CoCounsel
• Drafting Assistant Essential
• Doc and Form Builder
• ProView
• On Demand eLearnings and Tutorials

YOU MUST OPT IN TO GRAD ELITE Access (and can do so in one of two ways):

1. Go to www.lawschool.tr.com, and, after logging on, use the drop-down menu by your name to go to Grad Elite Status
2. Or Click on this link: https://lawschool.thomsonreuters.com/grad-elite-status

Continuing Students Summer Access

You can use Thomson Reuters products, including Westlaw Precision®, CoCounsel and Practical Law over the summer for non-commercial research. You can turn to these resources to gain understanding and build confidence in your research skills, but you cannot use them in situations where you are billing a client. Examples of permissible uses for your academic password include but are not limited to the following:

• Summer coursework
• Research assistant assignments
• Law Review or Journal research
• Moot Court research
• Non-Profit work
• Clinical work
• Externship sponsored by the school

Questions? Contact our Thomson Reuters Academic Account Manager, Peter Lippmann.

Join the Bar for Free!

 

Welcome Minnesota Law Students!

To support you in your emerging legal career, Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA), Hennepin County Bar Association, and Ramsey County Bar Association offer complimentary memberships during your law school tenure and while you are studying for the bar exam.

Visit the MSBA membership page to access the online membership form. You will automatically be enrolled in the New Lawyers Section and can select up to 3 additional Sections to join. There are close to 40 practice area Sections to choose from. Check out the Membership Services Guide for the many benefits of MSBA membership!

Take a Break from Your Casebook!

 The Hedin Law, Literature & the Arts Collection, located on the 2nd floor of the Law Library, holds classic and popular works of legal fiction. The collection includes plays featuring the bench and bar, poetry, legal humor, artwork, movies and television series. It also includes secondary works that comment on the relationship of law to literature and art.

 

 

 

The creation of the Barbara Steffens Hedin Alcove on Law, Literature, and the Arts was made possible by a generous donation to the University of Minnesota Law Library by Douglas A. and Barbara S. Hedin. The nucleus of the Law, Literature and the Arts Collection is Mr. and Mrs. Hedin’s extensive collection of legal fiction, including both classic and popular works of fiction.

 

 

Law Library Resources for Finals

Whether you’re working on a writing assignment or getting course outlines in shape and preparing for upcoming exams, the Law Library has resources to help you! 

Reference Librarians

Get research help from our Reference librarians 7 days per week, in person at the reference desk and remotely via email, chat, and phone.

Study Aids

Access eBook and print copies of a wide variety of study aids covering all 1L and most 2L & 3L courses. Bear in mind that study aids are a supplement and not a substitute for your own notes or advice provided by your course instructors. You can access eBook titles for many popular study aid series from these three major publishers:

Aspen Learning Library includes Examples & Explanations, Emmanuel Crunchtime, Emmanuel Law Outlines, Glannon Guides, and others.

LexisNexis Digital Library/Carolina Academic Press includes the Understanding, Mastering, and Question & Answers series.

West Academic Study Aids includes Hornbooks, Concepts & Insights, Nutshell, and many others.

Helpful Guides Covering Exam Taking Skills

Some of our study aids cover the art of exam taking in general; a list of these resources is available here.

CALI Lessons

CALI has over 1,000 online, interactive tutorials covering narrow topics of law for a wide range of 1L and 2L-3L courses, including a tutorial on how to prepare for exams. To access CALI tutorials, you first need to register with an Authorization Code that you can get from the Law Library Reference Office (625-4309 or law-ref@umn.edu).

Are there sample exams or model answers available from my professor?

First, check your course Canvas site or ask your professor to see if they will be making them available.

Faculty members will sometimes provide copies of past exams for the Law Library to place in binders that students can access at the Circulation Desk. However, it is much more common now for faculty members to post exams to Canvas.  

Success in Law School!

Check out the Law Library's collection of print & digital books and other resources on surviving and succeeding in law school. This collection includes books on a wide range of topics from preparing for class, effective study methods, and exam prep and performance, to wellness advice.

Find these titles and many others listed in the Library's Law School Success & Exam Prep Guide.

CALI's Law School Success & Exam Prep Guide features online lessons, interactive texts & podcasts.

The Law School Success & Exam Prep Guide also includes CALI's online interactive text, A First Generation's Guide to Law School. This text is, "written as a guide for first-generation students who are entering or are currently attending law school. It introduces students to law school vocabulary and available resources, gives guidance about how to prepare for the unique challenges of law school, and provides a roadmap for things like participating in class, studying for and taking exams, joining extracurriculars, taking care of your mental health, and networking." 

Bloomberg Law, Lexis+ & Westlaw Access for Grads & Continuing Students

 Summer 2024 & Beyond

See details below regarding continuing access to Bloomberg Law, Lexis+, and Westlaw Precision over the summer and fall.

 

*Employers may prefer/require the use of the employer-issued ID & password for client work.

Graduating Students

Spring 2024 Graduates have continued access through Nov. 30, 2024. This access is automatic (no registration required) and is unlimited and unrestricted.

Continuing Students 

Continuing Students: you have continued access to Bloomberg Law over the summer. This access is automatic (no registration required) and is unlimited and unrestricted.

If you have any questions, please contact the Bloomberg Law Help Desk or our dedicated Client Service Partner, Nick Jeon.

 
*Employers may prefer/require the use of the employer-issued ID & password for client work.

Graduating Students

Lexis+ Graduate Access: Spring 2024 3L graduates will continue to have access to Lexis+ on their law school ID through December 31, 2024. This extended access is automatic – no registration is required and there are no restrictions or limits on research time. Your Lexis law student account will automatically switch to a graduate account. This ongoing free use of Lexis+ includes all products and features available on a law school ID with the exception of Public Records, Practical Guidance, Law360 and Lexis for Microsoft Office. 

 Lexis Rewards Points for 3L Spring Graduates will expire on June 30, 2024. Don’t forget to spend or donate your Lexis Rewards points before that date! When you sign on to lexisnexis.com/LawSchool after July 1, you'll see your new Graduate Homepage. You'll also have a graduation gift from Lexis. Graduate gift choices include one of the following: Intelligize (6-months from date of redemption), Law360 (6-months from date of redemption), Practical Guidance (6-months from date of redemption), Lexis for Microsoft Office (6-months from date of redemption) or One of 13 LexisNexis eBooks.

Lexis ASPIRE Program: provides 12 months of free access to federal and state cases, codes, regulations, law reviews, Shepard's® Citation Service and Matthew Bender® treatises to graduates who are engaged in verifiable 501(c)(3) public interest work. Apply for ASPIRE access at: https://lexisnexis.com/grad-access/

Continuing Students

Lexis+ Summer Access: All other continuing law school students automatically have summer access to Lexis+ using their Lexis law school ID. You may use your Lexis law school ID for academic, professional and non-profit research. It may be used during work for a firm, clerkship, internship or externship, whether in a paid or non-paid position. There is no limit on the number of hours you can use Lexis to conduct research. Employers may ask you to use a different ID when researching for a client, so be sure to check with your employer. If you have any questions, you may contact our Lexis Academic Account Representative, Sarah Bigler at sarah.bigler@lexisnexis.com

*Employers may prefer/require the use of the employer-issued ID & password for client work.

 Graduating Students

Spring 2024 Graduates have access to Westlaw Precision, Practical Law, Practical Law Connect, Drafting Assistant and Doc & Form Builder for 18 months after graduation. Your “Grad Elite” access gives you 60-hours of usage on these products per month to meet any research needs.

To extend access logon at: www.lawschool.westlaw.com.

 Questions? Contact our Thomson Reuters Academic Account Manager, Peter Lippmann.

Continuing Students

Continuing Students: you can use Westlaw and Practical Law, over the summer for non-commercial research. You can turn to these resources to gain understanding and build confidence in your research skills, but you cannot use them in situations where you are billing a client. Examples of permissible uses for your academic password include:

Summer coursework
Research assistant assignments
Law Review or Journal research
Moot Court research
Non-Profit work
Clinical work
Externship sponsored by the school

You do not have to do anything to gain access to these tools over the summer. If you have any questions, please contact our Thomson Reuters Academic Account Manager, Peter Lippmann.