Articles Posted in July, 2006

Packaging Law: Who knew? A packaging law firm too. I came to it honestly via Inter-Alia’s July 30th Research Weekly. Wrap it around Food Law.

Legally Speaking: Jenn and I appeared with attorney Jim Hilborn on his TVCTV public access call-in program Legally Speaking (no web site yet). I know we should have told you before the program, but while I’ve spoken in front of large groups before, TV is a whole different and stressful ball-game. I figured the fewer people watching the better, at least for our debut. And if all went well and Jim wanted us back, then maybe I’d put the word out. All did go well. Jim was a wonderful host, we had callers with excellent questions (thanks to our best-ever call screeners who performed with unmatched skill and humor), and I survived, although a word of advice. Don’t wear linen on TV. It is cool if the room is hot, but the wrinkles that appear on screen aren’t pretty. (Marlene Dietrich and Ingrid Bergman can pull it off the linen look, but heaven knows, I’m no Marlene or Ingrid!) But do coordinate with your fellow guests. Jenn was lovely in her lavender and I in my pink so how wrong could we really go. The tough part is next. Is the law librarian work we do, and in particular the reference work we do, suitable for a TV call-in show, even with only periodic appearances? With Jim, who made it all seem easy and fun, we had a good time and showed viewers how a lawyer would answer the caller’s question and how a law librarian would answer the same question. But can a call-in legal research show ever hope to become the law librarian/lawyer version of Click and Clack? I don’t think so. In our defense, there isn’t ANY call-in show to match them, but realistically, can one play reference librarian on TV once a month, perhaps a 10 or 15 minute spot on the show? Maybe, maybe not. Jim is brave enough to welcome us back on so we’ll see.

Small Claims Question (WARNING: LONG ANSWER AHEAD): Non-attorneys, including non-law librarians, have a tough time understanding why law librarians just won’t answer questions. This answer from my colleague to a “simple question” will give you an excellent idea why we don’t and won’t answer questions. Law librarians will, however, show you how you might answer your own question. To use an overused analogy, we won’t hand you the fish, but we will show you how to fish.

Question from a public librarian: If someone comes in to the library and wants to sue for a small amount, is it “practicing law without a license” to suggest they consider small claims?

The short answer is “No.”

Merely “suggesting” someone “consider” a particular course of action would not likely constitute the unauthorized practice of law. However, it doesn’t hurt to recognize that this is a very fine line. For example, telling someone they “should” consider small claims, might constitute the unauthorized practice of law.

Criminal History Checks: The search for criminal history records is harder than most people think, especially if you want a thorough and accurate history. BJS has just issued a new report on the subject, which you can find here. Thank you as always for beSpacific for the lead and the link.

ABA Report on Presidential Signing Statements: The report is out and available, here.

Passport Duplication: Color-copy your passport and use the copy instead of the original. This is interesting (and the usual disclaimers apply). Posted on July 22 to Kevin Kelly’s Cool Tools.

And … Another Thing You Should Know: MySpace server was hacked (use this phrase in the search engine of your choice.) My point being – make sure your computer security (hardware, software, knowledge, common sense, and awareness) is up to date. Those are your personal files, your client’s files, and your secret-life files that are floating around in cyberspace. There’s still a place in this world for paper, pencil, the telephone, and whispering in the middle of fields or in parking garages.

Another Thing You Should Know: The latest issue of O[prah] has a plug for Legalmatch.com. Never underestimate Oprah.

Things You Should Know: I’ve added Future Lawyer to my list of blogs to check regularly (no, not compulsively – but definitely a must for now (how fickle we can be – amuse me, intrigue me, provoke me, or lose me)). The rest of the list of Things You Should Know is much too long, but if you haven’t heard about The Long Tail, then you’re not paying attention. It may be a flavor of the month, but what’s wrong with that, unless you mistake it for the Meaning of Life. (But don’t confuse the long tail with the Long Now 🙂

Kurt Anderson interviewed Chris Anderson, Wired Magazine editor-in-chief and author of Long Tail, on Sunday, 7/23. (Studio 360 is one of my favorite Sunday evening rituals – it’s broadcast on OPB at 8 pm, after Speaking of Faith , which is turning out to be quite wonderful. Sunday night’s program on Darwin was terrific.)

The Onion, Viacom, and The Herti: Legal research takes you many places. I learned today from digg that Viacom is poised to buy The Onion and, from the BBC, that The Herti is going to be sold to civilians. Should these things make me nervous?