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.



Valentine’s Day Info Hunt Returns to Mendik Law Library!

Love is in the Air at the Mendik Library!

As a special early Valentine’s Day treat, starting on Wednesday, February 5, you have a chance to WIN lovely prizes such as study aids, Lexis reward points, law dictionaries, NYLS travel mugs, and Bluebooks.

To participate, just answer our eight Valentine’s Day Info Hunt questions. Your answers don’t need to be perfect—just close! Click here to access the questions. Each slide features one question, along with step-by-step instructions to help you find the answer.

Hunt ends at 1:00 p.m., on Thursday February 13th.  Winners will be selected randomly from all valid entries outside the library at 1:30 p.m. on February 13th. Those present have twice the chance to win!

Don’t forget to stop by the Reference Desk on Friday, February 14, to enjoy some Valentine’s Day chocolates. Remember, whatever you do, do it with love!

Happy hunting!


New Group Study Rooms!

Welcome back! We hope you enjoyed a wonderful holiday season, and we offer our best wishes for a happy New Year!

We have exciting news for you: more group study rooms are now available in the library.

Room L204, formerly a printing/scanning room, has been converted into a group study room similar to existing ones.  Rooms L203, L206, and L207, which have until now served as  computer labs, have been converted into group study rooms (although they are not configured in the same way as existing group study rooms). Use of these new rooms is subject to the same rules that apply to existing rooms.

Desktop computers have been removed from rooms L203, L206, and L207. If you need to   access a computer, you can find them available in L205.

As always, if you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please let your librarians know.

Wishing you a successful new semester! 😊

-Mendik Library

 



Remembering President Jimmy Carter

NYLS joins the nation in mourning the loss of President Jimmy Carter.

In October 1985, President Carter delivered the inaugural Mario Biaggi Lecture on Human Rights at New York Law School. He was then awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

For more details about President Carter’s remarks and to view photos from the event, see the Winter 1985 issue of New York Law School In Brief. Additional photos are available here and here.

A student review of the lecture can also be found in the New York Law School Reporter.