LMU Law Library: Course LibGuides

To explore the study aids for a particular subject, click on the link for that subject in the column to your right (either First Year Courses or Upper Level Courses), then choose the Study Aids tab within that subject. 

The vast majority of study aids are produced by the three commercial entities that are responsible for your law school textbooks.  These are Lexis, West Academic, and Aspen Publishing. Study aids available to you at LMU Law are generally divided into the following categories: 

Commercial Outlines: These titles focus on black letter law and legal rules.  They often include exam tips and sample questions.  Examples include:

• Black Letter series (Westlaw)
• Emanuel Law Outlines (Aspen Learning Library)
• Gilbert Law Summaries (Westlaw)

Explanations of the Law:  These series provide explanations of legal concepts and black letter law and useful background information. They tend to be more detailed than most outlines or narrative study guides. The amount of detail varies with each publication.  Examples include:

• Concepts and Insights (Westlaw)
• Concise Hornbooks (Westlaw)
• Hornbooks  (Westlaw)
• Law in a Nutshell (Westlaw)
• Understanding (Lexis)

Problem-based Study Aids: These titles include problems/ questions and model answers relating to the area of law being discussed. These study aids usually include essay and multiple choice questions and/or hypotheticals followed by explanations. Examples include:

• Acing (Westlaw)
• Black Letter Outlines (Westlaw) 
• Emanuel Crunchtime (Aspen Learning Library)
• Examples and Explanations (Aspen Learning Library)
• Exam Pro (Westlaw)
• Glannon Guides (Aspen Learning Library)
• Questions and Answers (Lexis)
• Skills and Values (Lexis)

“Canned” Case Briefs: These supplements do exactly what they say.  They summarize the law, facts and analysis of the cases students are assigned from course casebooks. Many track casebooks themselves. WARNING! “Canned” briefs are NOT a substitute for reading assigned cases. They should only be used to test one’s understanding or to extract a rule if needed. Examples of canned briefs include:

• Casenote Legal Briefs (Aspen Learning Library)
• High Court Case Summaries (Westlaw)

Each linked course contains study aids available through the LMU Law Library, either in print or online. Explore the tabs in each course to find on-point primary and secondary sources.

Civil Procedure

Contracts

Criminal Law

Property

Torts

Administrative Law

Advanced Evidence

Bankruptcy Law

Business Organizations

Constitutional Law

Death Penalty Seminar

Domestic Relations

Federal Income Taxation

First Amendment

Interviewing, Negotiation, and Counseling

Labor & Employment

Professional Responsibility

Secured Transactions

Technology and the Law

Tennessee Courts Practice

Trial Advocacy 

Wills, Trusts, and Estates