Congratulations, Graduates!

As you prepare for graduation and bar study, we wanted to remind you about the ways in which you can still benefit from the Mendik Library. Click here for our Alumni Services Guide.

Bar Study Planning

The Mendik Library staff wants to support you and make your bar prep experience as stress-free as possible. We hope you will use the comfortable facilities available in the Library and on campus to study and prepare for the bar exam. Except for Memorial Day weekend and July 3rd and 4th, the Mendik Library will be open every day, including evenings and weekends. Summer hours are posted on the Library’s home page and on Mendik Matters. Extended bar study hours will begin on Saturday, July 5.

Access to Other Libraries

If you wish to use another law school’s library for bar study, you must make arrangements directly with the other library. Most local law school libraries charge other schools’ graduates a small fee for a bar study pass, and several sell only a limited number of passes.

Bar Exam Resources

New York Law School is dedicated to providing each graduate with the tools and help needed to successfully pass the bar exam. The Office of Academic and Bar Success Initiative has a Bar Exam Resources Guide for your use.

Bloomberg Law

Graduating students retain unlimited and unrestricted access through November 31, 2025.

Lexis

Graduating students may continue to use their law school Lexis account through December 31, 2025 and need not do anything further to do so. This access is intended to help you study for the bar, conduct your job search and become more efficient in Lexis research.

ASPIRE Program: The ASPIRE (Associates Serving Public Interest Research) 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. Graduates who apply to this program must work directly for a non-profit or charitable organization, and be able to provide documentation (e.g. email) from a superior of the same. Exclusions include government work (even if unpaid), work for a law firm (even if it represents a non-profit organization), and solo practice (even if it encompasses non-profit work). Graduates should receive a new Lexis ID about a week after they submit the completed application.

To apply for the ASPIRE program, please contact our LexisNexis representative, Nejat Bumin, Esq. (email: nejat.bumin@lexisnexis.com; 551-580-1920).

Students who have changed their expected graduation date since first issued a LexisNexis ID their first year must contact LexisNexis Customer Service (800-45 LEXIS) to change their graduation date on the LexisNexis system.

Westlaw Grad Elite

Graduates should register now for Grad Elite access, which provides an additional six months following your graduation date access to Westlaw and Practical Law. The Grad Elite access gives graduates 60-hours of usage on these products per month to gain understanding and build confidence in your research skills. While you cannot use it in situations where you are billing a client, Thomson Reuters encourages you to use these tools to build your knowledge of the law and prepare for your bar exam. In addition, you’ll have access to job searching databases on Westlaw and TWEN for 18-months after graduation for 1 hour a month. If you have any questions, please contact our Westlaw Account Manager Shawn Lopez (Shawn.Lopez@thomsonreuters.com)

Please contact the Reference Desk (voice: 212.431.2332; email: reference@Nyls.edu or sign into Microsoft Teams during Reference hours) if you need any assistance.

New Library Summer Hours beginning Friday May 16 through Thursday July 3, 2025

Below are the library’s hours of operation beginning Friday May 16 through Thursday July 3. We hope that you had a great and successful Spring semester and we look forward to seeing you throughout the Summer!

   Saturday, May 24 – Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day Weekend): Library CLOSED

   Thursday, June 19 (Juneteenth): Library CLOSED

   On Thursday, July 3rd Reference Hours will be 10:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. 

 

   Friday, May 16 through Tuesday, May 27, 2025:

   Summer Semester: Wednesday, May 28 through Thursday, July 3:

Course Registration: Why Focus On Research Skills?

Effective research skills are vital to all students engaged in any type of legal writing, as well as to those who are clerking, participating in internships, and entering legal practice. The ability to find the legal material you need to interpret and analyze is critical to help you prepare for the research realities of law practice. NYLS offers upper division research courses designed to build upon the skills learned in the first year. The courses offer students an opportunity to become more effective, efficient and confident researchers. Click here for course descriptions. Click here to read what other students have said about these classes.

The Mendik Library’s Reference Librarians also offer a variety of short research workshops throughout the year. To learn more about additional classes offered and to register, click here.

Legal Research: Practical Skills (1 credit)

Reviews and builds on the first-year research program to help students refine their skills, learn shortcuts, and develop research strategies. When you complete this course you will know how to find statutes, legislative materials, administrative regulations, and related cases. You will know how to use citator services effectively to enhance and update your research. You will also learn about a variety of important secondary sources and attain a comfort level with electronic research using Lexis, Westlaw, Bloomberg Law, and other databases, as well as reliable free or low‐cost legal sources. In different semesters, we also offer Legal Research: Corporate & Business Law; Legal Research: Family Law; Legal Research: Intellectual Property Law; Legal Research: Labor and Employment Law; Legal Research: Criminal Law; and Legal Research: Real Estate Law.

For the Fall ’25 semester we are offering Legal Research: Practical Skills (4 remote Saturday classes) and Legal Research: Corporate Business Law (7 weekday classes, in-person).

For the Spring ’26 semester we are offering Legal Research: Practical Skills (4 remote Saturday classes).

 Legal Research: Skills for the Digital World (3 credits)

Reviews and builds on fundamental research skills as described in the Legal Research: Practical Skills courses. This course allows students time to concentrate on more advanced techniques using both electronic legal research and, where appropriate, print resources, to maximize research effectiveness and efficiency. The course provides detailed instruction in developing appropriate research strategies and in evaluating the various electronic and print sources in order to choose the best source for particular projects. Students pursue research assignments that may be geared to their individual subject interests. Students complete take‐home assignments that test and enhance their understanding of research tools, their understanding of important process and strategy considerations, and their ability to perform various research tasks. This class will be offered only during the Spring ’26 semester.

Questions? Contact Professor Michael Roffer, Interim Director of The Mendik Library.

T 212.431.2150   E Michael.Roffer@nyls.edu

 

2025 Summer Research Challenge and Research Skills Workshops

Ramp Up Your Research Skills!

This summer, take advantage of multiple opportunities to up your research game and learn more about tools you’ll need in practice through our popular Summer Research Challenge! Click here for details. Each virtual session begins at 6:00 p.m., with a short introduction to the research area, and then moves on to a concrete research problem where you need to              efficiently identify the law bearing on your client’s situation. The sessions are two hours long and will wrap up with a discussion of results and strategies.

Attend whichever sessions most interest you, but researchers who successfully complete all four will receive a certificate signed by both Dean of Faculty William LaPiana and Interim Library Director Professor Michael Roffer recognizing this achievement. It’s a great practical skill certification for your resume.

June 4:           Researching Statutes and Legislative Material

June 11:         Navigating the Regulatory Maze: Research in Administrative Law

June 18:         Research on the Road to Trial: Experts, Juries, Discovery and More

June 25:         Legal Research for Transactional Lawyers

For more information and to register, click here. Select the sessions you would like to register for and you will be taken to the registration page.

Research Skills Workshops

In addition to the Summer Research Challenge, we will also be offering our regular Research Skills Workshops. These virtual sessions are intended to give pointers on how to handle research situations you might face this summer. The workshops are either 30 or 60 minutes long and will be offered on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. from June 3 through June 26, 2025. To register, click this link. Select the sessions you would like to register for and you will be taken to the registration page.

 

 

Celebrating Law Day – May 1, 2025

On May 1 we come together to celebrate Law Day, an annual observance that honors the role of law in our society and reminds us of our shared commitment to justice, equality, and the rule of law. Established in 1958, Law Day is an opportunity to reflect on how the legal system shapes our democracy and safeguards our rights.

This year’s official theme, “The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One,” comes from the American Bar Association (ABA). It calls on us to consider how the U.S. Constitution unites us as a nation while protecting the diversity of our voices and experiences. The theme invites conversations around inclusion, civic engagement, and the enduring strength of constitutional democracy.

As a law library, we are proud to support the pursuit of justice by providing access to legal resources, supporting research, and promoting public understanding of the law.

Happy Law Day! Let’s continue working toward a more informed and just society.

Celebrate Earth Day!

Each year on April 22, we join people around the world in celebrating Earth Day—a time to reflect on the importance of protecting our planet for future generations. Earth Day is not only a call to environmental action, but also an opportunity to explore the science, history, and policy that shape our relationship with the natural world.

If you’re conducting legal research related to climate change, sustainability, or environmental justice, we invite you to explore our Treatises by Topic research guides. These treatises offer in-depth explanations of the general principles and specific areas of environmental law, along with extensive commentary on statutes, regulations, cases, and other primary materials. They’re excellent resources for background research and for locating authoritative legal citations.

We also encourage you to visit EarthDay.org to learn more about this year’s theme: “Our Power, Our Planet.”

Happy Earth Day—today and every day

A Carrel to Call Your Own!

 

 

If you are preparing for the July 2025 Bar Exam, we invite you to reserve a study carrel on L3 or L4 for your own exclusive use from Tuesday May 20 through Monday, July 28, 2025—we’ll even put your name on it.

A library carrel can be your home away from home! Let it be your own personal study space while you gear up to rock the bar exam. Stop by and look around or visit our homepage and take a virtual tour. Just click on the photo above.

The reservation period will begin Thursday May 1. All you need to do is email Chantelle James at chantelle.james@nyls.edu and indicate the floor and carrel number that you’d like to call your own. Once you have sent your request, you will receive an e-mail confirming your reservation.

Some important points to note: First, we recommend that you do not leave any personal belongings unattended in your carrel. Neither the Library nor the law school will be responsible for these items. Second, we expect you to use your carrel on a regular basis—if not every day, at least several days a week. Given the demand for carrels, it would be unfair to some of your classmates to let your reserved carrel sit idle. We will be monitoring usage during the bar exam study period. Finally, your carrel should be clear of any items by Monday August 4.

Don’t wait—get the study carrel of your choice. Beat the demand and check this off your list—reserve your carrel soon.

The Mendik Library is here to support you. We look forward to seeing you on a regular basis this summer.

If a carrel is not your vibe, we have reserved room L402 for exclusive use by bar studiers. We also have three additional group study rooms available on L2, and spacious study tables located on each level of the library. Rooms and study areas beyond the library will also be available for occupancy and will be announced by the Bar Success Department at a later time.