Articles Posted in Legal Research

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Introduction

Between now and 2030, law-librarian roles will transform rather than vanish. While routine tasks like first-pass reference triage, some technical cataloging, and current-awareness pathfinders will increasingly be automated, demand will rise for librarians with expertise in AI policy, knowledge architecture, data stewardship, research quality assurance, vendor evaluation, and legal analytics.

Institutions that pair clear AI governance, staff training, and data management will not only retain headcount but also create specialist positions, reshaping the profession.
Key sources: AALL State of the Profession 2025 · ILTA 2024 Tech Survey · ABA AI TechReport 2024 · Thomson Reuters Future of Professionals 2024 · WEF Future of Jobs Report 2025

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During the week ending August 15, 2025 we have received listings of 31 Government and Administrative Law Summaries,  45 Constitutional Law summaries, 78 Criminal Law Summaries, 4 White Collar Law Summaries,  6 Intellectual Property Summaries, and 5 Medical Malpractice Summaries,.     We plan is to continue posting opinion summaries, under corresponding areas of law, weekly whenever possible in order to keep blog readers updated.  To gain access to these case summaries, click on the corresponding links below:

Opinion Summaries Posted for Week Ending  August 15, 2025:

Criminal Law

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Two months ago, during a media briefing at its New York City offices, Thomson Reuters offered a glimpse of what it called the “next generation” of its CoCounsel artificial intelligence platform, a shift, the company said, from AI tools that simply respond to prompts to intelligent agentic systems capable of planning, reasoning, and executing complex, multi step workflows in professional settings.

That vision became reality on August 5, 2025 with the official launch of CoCounsel Legal, a platform that blends agentic workflows with advanced research capabilities, all powered by Westlaw’s vast legal content. Thomson Reuters is positioning it as the most comprehensive AI solution yet for legal professionals.

First unveiled to the media during a July 24 press briefing, the new platform introduces two major innovations: guided workflows that can manage sophisticated legal tasks from start to finish, and Deep Research, an AI-powered research engine that leverages Westlaw’s proprietary tools to deliver thorough, authoritative results. In an August 5 posting in LawSites Weekly Bob Ambrogi writes… “Unlike traditional AI-assisted research that summarizes search results, Deep Research creates research plans, executes them iteratively, and delivers comprehensive reports with transparent reasoning”

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During the week ending July 18, 2025 we have received listings of 31 Government and Administrative Law Summaries,  28 Constitutional Law summaries, 65 Criminal Law Summaries, 3 White Collar Law Summaries,  5 Intellectual Property Summaries,  and 2 Medical Malpractice Summaries,.     We plan is to continue posting opinion summaries, under corresponding areas of law, weekly whenever possible in order to keep blog readers updated.  To gain access to these case summaries, click on the corresponding links below:

Opinion Summaries Posted for Week Ending  July 11, 2025:

Criminal Law

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On July 4, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed into law H.R. 1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” enacted as Pub. L. No. 119–21, 139 Stat. ___ (2025). Passed through the budget reconciliation process under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this comprehensive legislation represents a central pillar of the Trump administration’s second-term domestic agenda. It enacts sweeping reforms to the federal tax code, restructures discretionary and entitlement spending. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act does not suspend the debt ceiling through FY 2027. Instead, it raises the debt limit by a specific $5 trillion—an amount projected to sustain federal borrowing for roughly one to two years [i.e., until 2026–27, depending on fiscal trends].

Legislative History and Process

H.R. 1 advanced through Congress under budget reconciliation procedures, thereby circumventing the Senate filibuster and requiring only a simple majority for passage. This expedited pathway allowed the bill’s tax and spending provisions to be consolidated into a single legislative package and enacted swiftly along party lines.

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Introduction

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the legal profession, influencing how attorneys conduct research, draft briefs, analyze litigation risk, and advise clients. As AI tools like generative language models, legal search platforms, and predictive analytics systems become more prevalent, AI literacy has become essential for legal professionals. Law librarians, long recognized for their expertise in research instruction, information curation, and professional ethics, are well positioned to take the lead in promoting AI literacy across the legal ecosystem.

This paper examines the role law librarians should play in fostering AI understanding, outlines strategies for advancing AI literacy, and identifies the challenges and opportunities involved.

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In an era where artificial intelligence is reshaping the legal landscape, understanding its practical applications becomes essential for modern practitioners. Carolyn Elefant, a seasoned attorney and founder of MyShingle.com, offers a compelling firsthand account of this evolution. In her timely article, “My Experience Comparing Lexis and ChatGPT Deep Research,” published on May 20, 2025, Elefant delves into a real world comparison between traditional legal research tools and emerging AI driven solutions. Her insights shed light on the efficiencies and challenges presented by these technologies, providing valuable perspectives for legal professionals navigating this transformative period.

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My Experience Comparing Lexis and ChatGPT Deep Research

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