UHLC Nota Bene

Cambridge University Press has recently published the Cambridge Handbook of the Law of the Sharing Economy , which focuses on the relationship between sharing entities such as Uber and Airbnb and the law. This book contains thirty-six articles authored by legal experts that explore this relationship further and is divided into two parts: 1) Understanding the Sharing Economy and its Regulatory Landscape; 2) Addressing Specific Regulatory Concerns. The first part begins with an examination of the sharing economy and its importance. Chapter 3, "Scale and the Sharing Economy" authored by UHLC Professor Kellen Zale looks at the regulatory challenge posed by the enormous amounts of peer-to-peer transactions that occur in the sharing economy. Part 1 also looks at balancing regulation and innovation, framing the regulatory response, and who should regulate the sharing economy. Part II looks at specific regulatory concerns and investigates issues related to employment law, tax law, ...

The ABA's Cybersecurity Legal Task Force has recently published the second edition of The ABA Cybersecurity Handbook: A Resource for Attorneys, Law Firms, and Professionals . This book contains fifteen chapters, each authored by cyber legal experts and is co-edited by Jill D. Rhodes and Robert S. Litt . The authors cover cybersecurity risks, the legal obligations of attorneys to provide data security, and such obligations arising from ethics rules. There are chapters in Part III that discuss considerations for large firms, in-house, public interest, and government lawyers. Data practice training, creating a culture of awareness, and cyber insurance for firms are discussed in Part IV. The appendices contain selected statutes, regulations, and cases, lists of best practice guidelines issued by certain states and the federal government, lists of relevant cases, and relevant ethics opinions from the ABA and state bar associations, among other materials. This book is now available in ...

The O'Quinn Law Library is open to the public; legal practitioners and pro se litigants alike are welcome to visit the library to conduct legal research.  Are you interested in legal research, but feel unsure where to start?  Do you want to know if the O'Quinn Law Library collection includes something you need?  Then maybe learning about resources frequently used by other researchers can provide you with inspiration for your own research. One of this month's most requested resources is O'Connor's Texas Causes of Action by Michol O'Connor.  Part of a series of litigation handbooks, this particular volume deals with the legal claims and defenses that may be raised in Texas courts.  This book is divided into four main parts: causes of action, liability, compensation, and defenses.  Researchers interested in learning about the law can review issues by subject, while legal professionals may ...

During the 2017 Fall Semester, the O'Quinn Law Library reference librarians will offer a series of lunchtime talks on legal research topics. The sessions will be given at 5:00 p.m. Mondays and 12:00 p.m. Tuesdays from September 25 through October 24. FOOD AND BEVERAGES PROVIDED FOR THE FIRST TWENTY ATTENDEES! Please visit the following link for more information: http://www.law.uh.edu/libraries/publications/brownbags.htm . 1. Federal Legislative Research Monday, 9/25, 5:00-5:45 (room 1 BLB) Tuesday, 9/26, 12:00-12:45 (room 1 BLB) Robert Clark, Reference and Research Librarian 2. Resources for Legal Practice Monday, 10/2, 5:00-5:45 ( room 109 BLB ) Tuesday, 10/3, 12:00-12:45 (room 1 BLB) Katy Badeaux, Reference and Research Librarian 3. Legal Technology for Lawyers Monday, 10/9, 5:00-5:45 (room 1 BLB) Tuesday, 10/10, 12:00-12:45 (room 1 BLB) Emily Lawson, Reference and Research Librarian 4. Power Searching on Westlaw, Lexis Advance, and Bloomberg Law Monday...

The ABA has recently published Drones Across America: Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Regulation and State Laws ( KF2406.N55 2017 ) by Dr. Sarah Nilsson . This book begins with a discussion of the definition of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) as well as the different categories. Chapter 2 analyzes regulation at the federal level with a discussion of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (FMRA) , proposed legislation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulatory action and relevant court cases. Chapter 3 explores commercial UAS rules, in particular focusing on relevant FMRA provisions, federal regulations such as 14 CFR Part 107 dealing with small unmanned aircraft, and state laws throughout the country. Rules pertaining to public aircraft operations as well as model aircraft are also covered. This is now available on the law library's new titles shelf (across from the reference desk).

Bernan Press has recently published the fourth edition of the Clean Water Act Handbook by Duke K. McCall, III . Designed for the practitioner, this source cover the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program, which regulates discharges to waters within the United States. The chapter on effluent limitations discusses standards that regulate discharges to waters based on what is economically and technologically achievable in one's industry. Another chapter provides an overview of Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) standards, which are designed to test the impact of pollution on aquatic life. The author also covers non-point sources such as agricultural runoff, the regulation of dredged or fill materials, storm water discharges, and regulation of sanitation systems, among other topics. Finally, the reader will learn about topics related to enforcement of the Clean Water Act, such as criminal and civil enforcement, defenses, and citizen suits. The full text of the C...

The American Bar Association has recently published Images with Impact: Design and use of Winning Trial Visuals by Kerri L. Ruttenberg . This title is now available in the law library ( KF8915.R88 2017 ) o n the new titles shelf across from the reference desk. This book, ideal for both the trial lawyer and law student, focuses on turning themes into visuals to communicate effectively with the jury. The author begins with a discussion of the importance of visual communication and then covers tools such as charts, maps, diagrams, graphs, tables, outlines, photos, and timelines. Those who are not familiar with the basics of graphic design will also find the chapters in Part III to be very helpful. Tips on spotting misleading visuals, practical tips for creating and using visuals at trial, and an overview of the law on demonstrative evidence are among the other topics addressed.

Each semester the law library presents a series of presentations covering legal research topics . These presentations are held at 12 noon (see schedule below for the dates of the presentations). All presentations will take place in Room 4 BLB. We will be offering the following sessions for the Spring 2017 semester : 1. International and Foreign Law Research Tuesday, 1/31, Wednesday, 2/1 Dan Donahue, International and Foreign Law Librarian 2. Researching Texas Agency Regulations Tuesday, 2/7, Wednesday, 2/8 Emily Lawson, Reference and Research Librarian 3. Texas Legislative History Research Wednesday, 2/15, Thursday, 2/16 Robert Clark, Reference and Research Librarian 4. Researching Oil & Gas Law Tuesday, 2/21, Wednesday, 2/22 Chris Dykes, Reference and Research Librarian 5. Resources for Legal Practice Tuesday, 2/28, Wednesday, 3/1 Katy Badeaux, Reference and Research Librarian

Each semester the law library presents a series of presentations covering legal research topics. These presentations are held at 12 noon on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and will take place in Room 115 BLB (except for Federal Administrative Law Research on Wednesday, October 12, which will be held in 113 BLB). We will be offering the following sessions for the Fall 2016 semester (click here for more details): 1. Federal Legislative Research Tuesday, 9/27, Wednesday, 9/28 Robert Clark, Reference and Research Librarian 2. Power Searching on Westlaw, Lexis, and Bloomberg Law Tuesday, 10/4, Wednesday, 10/5 Katy Badeaux, Reference and Research Librarian 3. Federal Administrative Law Research Tuesday, 10/11, Wednesday, 10/12 Dan Donahue, International and Foreign Law Librarian 4. Empirical Legal Research Tuesday, 10/18, Wednesday, 10/19 Mon Yin Lung, Associate Director of the Law Library 5. Advanced Databases Search Strategies Tuesday, 10/25, Wednesday, 10/26 Emily Lawson, R...

Neal-Schuman has recently published the second edition of Fundamentals of Government Information: Mining, Finding, Evaluating, and Using Government Resources ( ZA5055.U6 F67 2016 ) by Cassandra J. Hartnett, Andrea L. Sevetson, and Eric J. Forte. The authors begin with an overview of government information resources, discussing the history of government history, depository libraries before the existence of the web, classification of government documents, and government information in the era of the internet. This title also covers congressional publications, statutes, regulations, case law, and presidential and executive branch documents. There are specialized topics such as statistical, patents, health, environment and energy, and archival information. This source, now available on the law library's new titles shelf , is beneficial for anyone interested in an overview of researching government information.

The law library now has Critical Government Documents on the Environment ( KF3775.P45 2015 ) published by BernanPress . This book, authored by Don Philpott, looks at critical environmental issues with the goal of providing arguments for and against major environmental issues being debated today. The resources used for this book are mostly from the public domain and range from scholarly journals to government documents from various federal agencies involved in environmental regulation. Both sides of issues pertaining to global warming, clean air, clean water, and renewable energy are explored by the author. The appendices contain a timeline, glossary, and list of resources.

This week, Houston received near-record levels of rainfall (over 13 inches on Monday), resulting in floods that destroyed millions of dollars of property and even took the lives of several residents. Heavy rain is not unusual for Houston, but this type of flooding is far from ordinary. By some accounts, this week’s storms are the most damaging since the city weathered Tropical Storm Allison in June 2001. Though the recent storms did not negatively impact the Law Center and the University of Houston main campus, this was not the case in 2001. Tropical Storm Allison dropped nearly 37 inches of rain within a 24 hour period, leaving behind five billion dollars in damage. On June 8, 2001 the O’Quinn Law Library’s underground floors were flooded when the campus’s underground tunnels, which connect utilities throughout U of H, overflowed and filled the library with eight to twelve feet of water. Over 170,000 print volumes were destroyed, and some irreplaceable materials were lost forever...

I am mighty glad to announce that a brand new version of the annual O'Quinn Law Library free CLE workshop is forthcoming.  The inaugural presentation of Specialized Legal Research for the Generalist: Tax, Health, and International Law will be held on Saturday, April 23, 2016.  Each session carries one Texas CLE credit.  First created in 2012 to help recently graduated alumni to meet the needs of a demanding legal environment, this year's workshop marks the 5th round with all new contents.  For detailed information and registration please click here .  Librarians and non-UH folks are equally welcome.   

Each semester the law library presents a series of presentations covering legal research topics. These presentations are held at 12 noon on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and will take place in Room 1 BLB (except for Texas Legislative History Research, on Wednesday, February 17, which will be held in Room 115 BLB). We will be offering the following sessions for the Spring 2016 semester (click here for more details): 1. Texas Administrative Agency Research Tuesday, 2/2, Wednesday, 2/3 Emily Lawson, Reference and Research Librarian 2. Researching Oil & Gas Law Tuesday, 2/9, Wednesday, 2/10 Chris Dykes, Reference and Research Librarian 3. Texas Legislative History Research Tuesday, 2/16, Wednesday, 2/17 Robert Clark, Reference and Research Librarian 4. Resources for Legal Practice Tuesday, 2/23, Wednesday, 2/24 Katy Badeaux, Reference and Research Librarian 5. International and Foreign Law Research Tuesday, 3/1, Wednesday, 3/2 Dan Donahue, International and Foreign Law...

The ABA has just published Contract Law: Analyzing and Drafting , which is now available in the library (see the new titles shelf, which is located across from the reference desk, next to the public computer terminals) ( KF801.C6135 2015 ). This book, edited by Karen F. Botterud, contains nineteen chapters (each authored by different attorneys who are experts in contract law) focusing on the concepts of contract law as well as contract drafting. The topics covered include, among others, essentials of contract formation, problems in contract formation, contract formation under UCC Article 2, statutes of fraud, parole evidence rule, contract performance, breach of contract and nonperformance, warranties, disclaimers, and limitations, and equitable remedies. There is even a chapter that covers drafting specific contract clauses in employment agreements. This book is thoroughly researched as indicated from the numerous excerpts from the Uniform Commercial Code , Corbin on Contracts ( K...

This Monday, August 24, is the first day of classes for the Fall 2015 semester at the University of Houston Law Center.  Many of the arriving students will be 1L or foreign LLM students, each of whom will receive their first introductions to an academic system that in some ways is notably different from anything in their educational background.  For anyone interested, the O'Quinn Law Library collection contains a number of resources designed specifically to help these new law students find their footing.  The following books are held on reserve: Nygren,  Starting off Right in Law School Miller, Law School Confidential Edwards, LL.M. Roadmap Noyes & Noyes, Acing Your First Year of Law School And the following books are in the library stacks available to be checked out: Gallacher, Coming to Law School Stropus & Taylor, Bridging the Gap Between College and Law School Gader-Shafran, The International Student...

Nearly every day at our reference desk, I direct patrons to  the wide  array of resources accessible through HeinOnline.  From journal articles to session laws and treaties to agency decisions, I am still amazed at the breadth and depth of our HeinOnline content.  Starting today, the O’Quinn Law Library now has even more content accessible through HeinOnline for researchers to discover. The newly available collections include: Foreign & International Law Resources Database: A vast collection of international yearbooks, international tribunals and judicial decisions, English translations of foreign penal codes, and materials from the Court of Justice of the European Communities. American Law Institute Library: Materials from the American Law Institute including restatements, drafts, studies, and more from the American Law Institute. History of International Law: Library includes more than 1,100 titles and 800,000 pages dating back to 1690 on International...

This week the new edition of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation arrived at the O'Quinn Law Library. Nearly 50 pages longer than 2010's 19th edition, the rules and structure are largely similar to previous editions, but some important changes have been made. Here are a few of the major revisions: Bluepages: The Bluepages (for non-academic citation) have been re-formatted to follow the same structure as the white pages (academic citation) and Bluetable BT2 includes revised jurisdiction-specific citation rules. Quotations, Rule 5.2(d)(i): No longer requires indication of the ommission of internal quotation marks. Short Forms of Cases, Rule 10.9(iii): Addition guidance provided for short forms of cites for slip opinions. Administrative & Executive Materials, Rule 14: Rule 14.2(b) has been expanded to include detailed information on citing comments to agencies. Rule 14.2(d) gives more detailed information on citing guidance documents. Rule 14....

The People’s Law School will be returning to the University of Houston Law Center tomorrow.   The People’s Law School is a biannual program in which volunteer lawyers, judges, and law professors teach registered attendees courses on specialized legal topics designed for members of the general public.   The O’Quinn Law Library will also be participating in tomorrow’s activities: law librarians will be teaching the class Finding the Law , an introduction to legal research. See the official announcement for the People’s Law School here .

I am glad to announce that this year's Law Library free CLE workshop is now opened for registration.  To help recently graduated alumni to meet the needs of a demanding legal environment, the University of Houston O'Quinn Law Library will hold a free workshop on April 25, offering special training in legal research and the application of the latest information technology: two hours of intensive training in advanced Texas legal research and free or low cost online resources for lawyers, and one hour on special mobile device applications for attorneys. First created in 2012, this year's workshop marks the 4th round with updated contents.  For detailed information and registration please click here .  Librarians and non-UH people are equally welcome.