Author: Maryanne Daly Doran

Hispanic Heritage Month: Student Spotlight

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September 15 to October 15 is Hispanic American Heritage Month. This month traditionally honors the cultures and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans and celebrates heritage rooted in all Latin American countries. The observation began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988.

Photo of UConn Law Student Dominic Bellido posed in front of museum exhibit.
UConn Law student Dominic Bellido visiting El Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI), Lima, Peru.

The theme for 2024 is “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together”. In keeping with this concept, UConn Law recognizes the impact that Hispanic American students bring as advocates for reform, to UConn Law and the legal profession.

This month we highlight Dominic Bellido, a first-year law student who joined the library this past summer. A Colby College graduate with a commitment to justice and advocacy, Dominic intends to pursue a career in human rights or immigration law.

Dominic reflects on what it means to honor his heritage and the legacies he carries forward in his pursuit of legal education.

As a first-generation Peruvian / American law student, I have often felt intimidated or anxious entering into higher levels of education. Being the first in my family to enter law school has come with not only a sense of pride but also fear for the all the unknowns ahead of me. But whenever I begin to doubt myself, I remember the way my grandparents used to sing me lullabies in Spanish whenever I had nightmares a child, soothing me with old bolero songs or nursery rhymes.

Dominic’s family’s journey ignited a desire to pursue a career in law, aiming to create positive change and advocate for those in need.

Now I draw my strength from the love my grandparents kept for me, from all the culture and pain and joy they carried on their backs, from all the hard work it took for them to help my parents build a new home in America.  And as I pursue my studies, I think to myself, if I am able to help my community and shed light onto the new paths which my generation and the next will forge—then, all credit is due to the ancestors that came before me. Only the mistakes are truly mine.

Sentiments such as Dominic’s are a powerful reminder of the importance of representation and the positive changes that emerge from embracing diverse voices.

Check out Dominic’s library display of print and digital titles highlighting Hispanic Heritage by the entrance to the law library. By celebrating all UConn Law students of Hispanic heritage and their achievements and supporting their journeys, we contribute to a more diverse and equitable legal profession.

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!

Welcome Alumni! 2024 UConn School of Law Reunion

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Welcome back alumni! We look forward to the 2024 UConn school of Law Reunion.  This weekend’s reunion promises to be an event filled with nostalgia, reflection, and reconnection.

Check Out Our Exhibits! 

For a walk down memory lane, we have created an exhibit of photos for the classes ending in 4 and 9 near the stairs on the library’s main floor.

We also currently have an exhibit, Honor Bound: Coming out in the Military, which highlights Joseph Steffan’s papers and other items from the Steffan Collection in the School of Law Archives.

Book Jacket with title "Honor Bound"

Remember, we are here to help!  

Our expert law librarians are available to assist alumni with personalized research guidance long after graduation. Our comprehensive research guides, curated by librarians, offer step-by-step guidance on conducting legal research in a variety of practice areas.

Connect with us!

There are four easy ways to connect with us:  in person, thru online chat, via email or give us a call (860) 570-5200.
Reach out with questions, and we’ll help you find the right tools to support your legal practice.

The Law Library is turning 100! 

The Law Library will be celebrating its 100th anniversary this Spring, we invite you to join us so stay tuned for details!

FAQ – Top 5 Questions at the Law Library!

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Questions and sticky notes with question marks

We are a week into the new semester and are so excited to welcome (back) everyone!  Here are some of the most common questions we’ve seen at the front desk.  This way you can make the most of your time here on campus and focus on other things like getting ready for class!

  1. What are Course Reserves?

One copy of all required textbooks from each class is kept on reserve at the library.  To check them out (four hours at a time) just stop by the Access Service desk to see if it is available.

To return them when the library is open, just bring those books back to the front desk.  If you put them in the drop box, you may end up getting late fines, and you also deny your fellow students the ability to check the book out for themselves.

 


  1. What’s the scoop with Study Aids?

In addition to electronic study aids such as  Cali and West Academic Study Aids, did you know you can also check out print copies of numerous study aids at the library?

For example, you can check out Emanuel's, Nutshells and Examples and Explanations (AKA "E & E's) for Civil Procedure from Course Reserves at the front desk.   We even have copies of the trusty Blue Book if you happen to forget it!

For more info on study aids broken down by topic, check out this research guide.

 

  1. Where are the printers and scanners located?

Printing

Law students have access to WEPA printers and release stations at several locations on campus. Printing costs $0.08 per side (black and white) and $0.35 per side (color). Students may upload print jobs from their own laptops directly to WEPA. Law Computer Lab workstations are also configured to allow printing.

WEPA stations are located in the Computer Lab (Library 2nd Floor), Library 3rd Floor and Library 4th Floor.

Lexis Printing

It’s free to print material from Lexis to the Lexis printer also located on the 2nd floor! Lexis offers free printing from Lexis Advance from dedicated Lexis printers located outside the second floor computer lab. You can print Lexis materials from any computer using your Lexis account. For instructions:

Lexis Printing Instructions

Scanners

The Law Library provides two sheetfeed and book-eye scanners on the 3rd Floor of the Law Library, adjacent to the circulation desk. There is no charge to use the scanner. You can email scans to yourself or save them on a flash drive.

 


  1. Where can I find a filtered water fountain/fill station?

While there are a number of water fountains all over campus, the fill stations are located in a few specific spots.  From the front desk of the library, we often tell people to go through the double doors and take a right down the hallway to find the one we have in our building.  Otherwise, there is a station in the gym in Knight, and two in Hosmer, one of the first floor and one on the second.  They are located down the hallways amongst the faculty offices, so maybe say hi to a professor while filling up!

  1. How can I get my hands on library materials?

You are always welcome to come into the building and pull things from the shelves yourself and check them out at the front desk, and reference librarians love to help locate them if you need a helping hand.  During the pandemic, we also created a new on-demand service called Library2Go.  It’s still a thing!  Check out our page explaining the Library2Go pickup and digital scanning service.  

Always remember that we are here to help and available to answer any questions you may have.  Stop by the front desk anytime to say "hi" or feel free to reach out electronically.

Labor Day: More Than Just a Long Weekend

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UConn Law Library will be closed Monday, September 2, in honor of Labor Day. Although considered the “unofficial” end of summer and celebrated with cookouts, parades and athletic events, Labor Day’s purpose is to pay tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers.

Labor Day  was created by the labor movement in the late 19th century and became a federal holiday on June 28, 1894, when President Grover Cleveland signed a bill, S. 730, establishing Labor Day as a national holiday.

The earliest known celebration of Labor Day is recognized as September 5, 1882 when a parade, followed by a picnic, was sponsored by the Central Labor Union in New York City. Many workers risked their jobs to participate in this parade.

 

Photo from 1882 showing first Labor Day Parade
Illustration of the first American Labor parade held in New York City on September 5, 1882 as it appeared in the September 16, 1882 issue of Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper.

 

Did you know that many Federal holidays fall on a Monday because of the 1968 Uniform Monday Holiday Act? This act enabled federal and state employees to enjoy more three day weekends.

For more information on the history of Labor Day, check out this collection of blog posts about Labor Day at the Library of Congress Blog.  and this article, What Is Labor Day? A History of the Workers’ Holiday by the New York Times.

As we enjoy the holiday, let’s remember the dedication and struggles of those who came before us and continue to strive for a fair and equitable workplace for all. See you all on September 3, when the library reopens.

Welcome Back to the Stacks!

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Welcome Back to the Stacks!

Welcome to our new and returning students! We are eager to get to know the ILs as you begin your law school journey and are thrilled to welcome back the 2 and 3L students!  The library staff are here to aid in a successful transition to law school and excel in your academic year.  We offer a variety of services and resources to support you in your learning and research:

Study Rooms

Our study rooms are available for group study! Students can reserve a seat at  s.uconn.edu/lawlibstudyrooms, by scanning the QR code outside the room you want to use, or by clicking the quick link on the Law Library homepage. Each student can reserve a room for up to two hours per day.  We ask that you please cancel your reservation if you no longer need it so that other students can use the space. You can always reschedule for another time that day as long as the time block is available. View the entire study room policy here.

Library2Go

Library2Go is a free book and article retrieval service. Simply request a book from the library’s collection and it will be retrieved and checked out to you. Need a book chapter or an article from a print journal? We will scan and email material that falls within our copyright guidelines.  For more information on UConn’s Copyright Policy, click here. Please allow for 5 business days to fulfill your requests. Learn more about Library2Go here.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

Need a book, chapter, or article that the Law Library doesn’t own? Law students, faculty, and staff can request these items using our ILL system, tILLapia. Staff will do their best to obtain the item from libraries all around the world. Just like Library2Go, scans will be emailed, and physical items will be made available across from the Circulation Desk. To learn more about ILL or to submit a request, click here.

Reference Services

The Reference team is here to answer your research questions. While they can’t do your homework for you or give legal advice, they can show you the ropes and help you when you get stuck in your research.   You can schedule a research consultation or find them at the reference desk on the main floor of the library. You can also email them at refdesk.lawlib@uconn.edu, call (860) 570-5200, or chat with them online.

Course Reserves

The Law Library keeps one copy of each required textbook that can be checked out at the Circulation Desk on short-term loan.   Please be mindful that we only have one copy to share with you and all your fellow classmates!  The Law Library also has study aids that will cater to a variety of different learning styles. For more information, check out the Study Aids section in our Student Toolkit.

The law library is a welcoming space to research, study and relax.

More questions?  You can find us at the Circulation Desk on the main floor of the Law Library, by email at lawlibrary@uconn.edu, or by calling (860) 570-5012.  Stop by with any questions or just to say "hi"!

We can't wait to see you all!

Image of students studying in the library

 

 

Get Ready for 1L Year!

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It’s August and 1L year at UConn Law is about to start!

For many of you, the law library will be considered a key part of your law school experience.  The adjoining cafe, classrooms, study rooms, IT, admissions, and of course research materials and librarians, are all housed in the library building!

There’s alot to absorb, so we figured we would start with the best resource to learn about the law library.

The Student Toolkit provides information on all aspects of the law library, from study aids, research help, course reserves and study rooms, check out this research guide to get started.

Image of landing page of research guide named Student Toolkit.
Landing page of Student Toolkit research guide

Our in-library display also features many great resources to start your 1L year, all come recommended from 2 and 3L’s who have been there, done that!

Book display featuring books about 1L year.
Book display at UConn Law Library

We look forward to greeting, and meeting you all!

New Connecticut Laws in Effect July 1

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It’s August, the bar exam is over, summer internships are winding down and the beach and back to school shopping await.  With so much activity, it’s easy to be late to the party, but it always good practice to note the new Connecticut laws that went into effect on July 1!

In fact, nearly 100 laws that the Connecticut General Assembly passed during the 2024 legislative session will go into effect on July 1. They cover a range of issues ranging from standards on THC products to medical debt to video surveillance requirements at absentee ballot drop boxes.

New laws include expanding state-funded medical assistance, HUSKY, by increasing the maximum age of eligibility from 12 to 15 years of age, and changing the kindergarten start age of 5 by September of the school year. Other laws include mandatory video cameras at absentee drop boxes, allowing firearm sellers access to the arrest records of potential buyers under 21, prohibiting the selling of a person’s health data without their consent, and requiring the departments of Social Services and Public Health to post a reporting tool on their websites that use a five-star system to compare nursing homes.

For a complete list of all the laws, take a look at the Connecticut General Assembly Site here.

Drones and Doping – The Court of Arbitration at the Olympic Games

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It’s August, the Bar exam is over, summer internships are wrapping up, the rest of the summer looms, what a law student/graduate to do?

The answer at UConn Law Library would obviously be to glue yourself to your favorite media outlet and follow the 2024 Olympics! (Full disclosure, sports enthusiasts abound at the Law Library. Cheering on sports such as swimming and gymnastics are popular pastimes with certain UConn Law librarians!)

Busy with celebrating athleticism and international unity, I became disillusioned when a news alert, Canada lose ‘disruptive’ appeal in ongoing Olympic soccer drone scandal shocked my inbox, discussing a drone spying incident in which a Canadian staffer was caught using a drone to spy on New Zealand team practices before the start of competition at the Paris Olympics.

In this case, the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Wednesday upheld a six-point Olympic tournament deduction issued by FIFA, the sport’s global governing body. On Wednesday, the panel of three judges at the CAS dismissed Canada’s appeal of the point deduction. (FIFA released a full report of the findings that led to its decision to punish Canada for using a drone to watch New Zealand practice ahead of their Olympic opener. digging into the FIFA site reveals this redacted statement)

This news piqued my curiosity, given that resolving these issues swiftly and impartially is paramount to maintaining the integrity of sporting competitions. How exactly do drones, doping and cheating get resolved in Olympic time?

Not knowing where to begin, I sought out one of the law librarian’s favorite research hacks – Research Guides! In this case, Georgetown had a Research Guide ridiculously on point; even its title, Olympics and International Sports Law Research Guide promised to guide the researcher towards introduction to researching the structure and legal aspects of the Olympics.

This research guide pointed me to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in particular the CAS Ad Hoc Division, which is a temporary tribunal convened for the Olympic Games. In addition, since news outlets often times do not provide the primary source, I learned where to find the decisions for further research.

Operating under specially tailored procedure rules, the Ad Hoc Division’s task is to quickly adjudicate disputes that arise during the course of the Olympics, operate around the clock during the Olympics and render decisions within 24 hours. They have jurisdiction over disputes arising from or connected to the Olympics, excluding field-of-play matters.

Ad Hoc Divisions have been organized during all Olympics ever since, being composed of 12 arbitrators (9 for the Winter Games) from different countries and profiles. The Ad Hoc Division has jurisdiction to hear any disputes arising on the occasion or in connection with the Olympics, from 10 days before the opening ceremony and up to the closing ceremony.

Armed with this knowledge, I can relax knowing that any disputes are covered from here until the Olympic torch is extinguished! Go Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky!!

Good Luck on the Bar Exam!

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The July Connecticut bar examination will be administered in-person on July 30 and 31, 2024. For more information, check here: https://ctbaradmissions.jud.ct.gov/home

For your final stages of preparation, check out these last minute tips:

Exam Day Tips, Bar Exam Toolbox

We wish our UConn Law graduates and the other test takers the best of luck on the bar exam! We know you’ve got this! Believe in yourself!

Meditation rocks

Empowering Justice: Disability Law Courses at UConn Law

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UConn Law Library’s July tribute to Disability Pride shifts to focusing on the crucial role of lawyers specializing in disability law as advocates for justice and equality.  There is a growing demand for lawyers that have specialized knowledge in the area of disability law. Disability law encompasses a broad spectrum of issues, and navigating these legal landscapes can be daunting for individuals with disabilities and their families. Lawyers that are interested in making a different in the field of disability rights and education are in high demand, thus understanding disability law in contemporary legal practice and highlight the growing demand for specialized knowledge in this area.

If you are passionate about making a difference in the field of disability rights consider enrolling in the following courses at UConn Law to gain in-depth knowledge and practical experience:

Law 7416 – Disability Rights Clinic

In this clinic students will provide legal advocacy for people with disabilities in Connecticut under the supervision of Disability Rights Connecticut (DRCT) attorneys, addressing such issues as disability discrimination in housing, employment, services and activities provided by governmental entities, and public accommodations; access to healthcare; individual rights; civil and criminal mental health law; abuse and neglect;  and special education. DRCT’s legal work includes both individual client representation and systemic-reform advocacy. Students will also participate in a weekly seminar in which they will receive training in substantive disability law as well as advocacy skills needed to represent people with disabilities. These skills include client interviewing and counseling; legal research; legal writing; civil litigation; and alternative dispute resolution. Students will also learn to incorporate principles of diversity, equity and inclusion in their legal representation of clients with disabilities, and to identify and resolve potential ethical issues that may arise in the course of representing such clients.

Law 7563 – Life Insurance, Annuities, Disability and Long Term Care Insurance

This course focuses on life insurance, annuities, and disability income insurance, which provide financial protection against risks associated with mortality and morbidity, supplementing Social Security benefits. It covers various insurance types, including whole life, term, universal life, immediate, deferred, and longevity annuities, examining issues like insurable interest, medical underwriting, privacy, and regulatory considerations under tax, ERISA, and securities laws.

Law 7905 – Special Education Law

This seminar will review the evolutionary process by which the civil right to receive a free and appropriate public education has been expanded to include people with disabilities. The class will discuss issues such as the standards used to define “disability,” physical access to schools and other buildings/grounds, appropriate classroom instruction, the provision of ancillary services in the least restrictive environment, and topics such as discipline and safety in the special education setting. The readings and discussions will include cases involving special education, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Improvement Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Every Student Succeeds Act, pending legislation, and a review of the international perspective toward special education and related services.

These courses offered through UConn Law are the first step in becoming advocates for justice and equality for all.