Services

FIU Law Library is here for you! As FIU Law students, the Law Library supports your legal education in myriad ways. Our online user and subject guides provide detailed step-by-step instructions and guidance. But you can always just Ask a Law Librarian! We are dedicated to student success.

Student Services:

Looking for past exams? Can’t find a resource? Need help applying for the Florida Bar? FIU Law Library guides you through whatever you need to succeed at FIU Law.

Research Assistant Services:

Law student Research Assistants (RA) support FIU Law Faculty’s legal research and resulting scholarship. If you are an RA, you need specialized training in the unique resources specific to subject-area research. FIU Law Library is here to help. We provide the training you require on the tools you need to optimize your RA work.

Individual databases provide additional resources to assist you in making RA work easier. Finding creating a 50 state survey daunting? Don’t know where to begin to find the latest filing in an employment dispute filed in Los Angeles? Not sure how to access the laws of Brazil? Your legal databases have tools to help you find the answers you need to springboard your in-depth legal research and impress your faculty.

For one-on-one training or research assistance, Ask a Law Librarian to schedule an appointment.

Research Assistant Guide

Services for FIU Law Journals:

FIU Law hosts three law journals with law student support.

FIU Law Review

FIU Law Review is the flagship law journal published by FIU Law students. FIU Law Library publishes the digital editions of FIU Law Review and accompanying Symposia.

African Journal of Legal Studies (AJLS)

AJLS is a peer-reviewed journal from Brill and the Center for International Law and Policy in Africa. AJLS is supported by FIU Law student editorial assistants. FIU Law Library supports AJLS editorial board and law student assistants with research training and assistance.

World Arbitration and Mediation Review (WAMR)

WAMR addresses international and domestic aspects of contemporary arbitration practice. FIU Law Library supports the editorial board and law student staff of WAMR by providing research training and assistance. WAMR is accessible to FIU Law members via Juris Arbitration through our eResources.

Services for Advocacy and Moot Teams:

Law students participating on advocacy, negotiation and moot teams require advanced training and knowledge in legal research, litigation and writing. FIU Law Library is here to help. We can guide you to the resources you need to create a winning argument or draft a superior brief.

Specialized services for students participating in advocacy, negotiation and moot teams may be requested via Ask a Law Librarian.

Faculty Services:

FIU Law Library supports the research, scholarship and teaching of FIU Law faculty. Our online user and subject guides provide detailed step-by-step instructions and guidance. For detailed or specialized inquiries, please Ask a Law Librarian.

Scholars visiting FIU Law through the Visiting Researcher Program have many benefits through the FIU Law Library.

Access Services

Visiting Researchers must visit the Circulation Desk after receiving their FIU One Card and FIU credentials. The FIU Law Library circulation staff will use their FIU One Card to establish a Visiting Researcher account with the Library. For more information, Visiting Researchers should contact Pushyamitra Veeramachaneni, Outreach & Library Services Law Librarian.

Visiting Researchers are afforded the same borrowing, ILL, ICL, and circulation services as FIU Law Faculty. See our Policies for more information. For example:

• items from other libraries are delivered by circulation staff
• extended study room check out periods, as needed and available
• extended laptop check out periods, as needed and available

Resource Services

Visiting Researchers can use and checkout any print materials in the FIU Law Library in accordance with the item’s circulation status, limited only to the length of the Visiting Researcher’s stay at FIU Law.

All of our eResources are available to Visiting Researchers. Bloomberg Law, Lexis Advance and Westlaw passwords are provided to Visiting Researchers when they register with the FIU Law Library at the Circulation Desk. Visiting Researchers should consult our guides for additional information on our eresources. For example:

• eresource training and support
• Law Library tours

Research Support

The FIU Law Library librarians are here to assist Visiting Researchers in their scholarly needs. Each librarian has expertise in different areas of law. Visiting Researchers are encouraged to consult our directory and contact us with any legal research assistance query.

Digital Initiatives Center

The Digital Initiatives Center archives the profiles and works of Visiting Researcher Program participants as part of eCollections @ FIU Law – Visiting Researcher Program. This collection preserves and provides access to the scholarly publications resulting from the Visiting Researcher’s work while at FIU Law. Each Program participant is provided a unique Visiting Researcher Profile detailing their research focus, subject of the scholarship produced and curriculum vitae. 

Study Rooms for Bar Exam

FIU Law Library study rooms are available first-come, first-served, for FIU Law alumni studying for the Florida Bar Exam.

Using Library Materials

When visiting FIU Law Library, alumni have full use of the FIU Law Library consistent with our policies. FIU Law alumni can take advantage of the following services:

• reference and research assistance at the Reference Desk
• borrowing materials at the Circulation Desk; see circulation policy for details regarding checkout and renewal limits; there is no limit to the number of checkouts alumni may have at any time

Using Library Computers, Equipment & eResources

When visiting FIU Law Library, alumni may use the following equipment:

• Full use of FIU Law Library computers; alumni should login using their FIU credentials
• Full use and access of Law Library eResources and online databases, accessible from FIU Law Library computers or personal computers while connected to FIU wifi network while visiting the FIU College of Law campus
• Full use of Lexis printers with Graduate ID or ASPIRE ID (see proprietary access instructions below)

Online Services

FIU College of Law alumni can also continue to take advantage of the legal research assistance provided by FIU Law Library.

• Ask a Librarian (See the “Ask a Librarian” button, adjacent to this content.)
• Renew materials online
• Interlibrary Loan Service

Post-graduate Proprietary Access Instructions

FIU College of Law alumni are given continued access to Bloomberg Law, LexisAdvance and Westlaw for brief periods after graduation. Listed below are the rules regarding access and instructions for obtaining access.

Bloomberg Law

FIU Law graduates have access to Bloomberg Law for 6 months after graduation. Access extension occurs automatically.

LexisAdvance

• Access for Recent Graduates

Graduating students will automatically have seamless Lexis Advance access for 6 months after graduation. Continue to use your law school username and password. To access Lexis Advance please go to:

http://www.lexisnexis.com/grad-access/

Graduates also receive a graduation gift.  You may select from one of the following options:

• Platinum access to Law360® breaking legal news.
• Lexis Practice Advisor® for practical guidance and legal forms in 13 areas of law.
• Lexis for Microsoft® Office tool, which allows you to draft, review and research all in one place.

• ASPIRE Program

The ASPIRE program provides all FIU College of Law alumni doing verifiable 501(c)(3) public interest work. The program provides 12 months of free access to federal and state cases, codes, regulations, law reviews, Shepard’s® Citations Service and Matthew Bender® treatises. Alumni will have to show a letter from their non-profit. To apply, go to http://www.lexisnexis.com/grad-access/

Once accepted to the program, you’ll receive a new Lexis Advance ID to use for your non-profit work.

More information regarding ASPIRE can be found through Lexis’ ASPIRE documentation.

The ASPIRE program also supports alumni working in post-graduate programs affiliated with FIU College of Law. Alumni must confirm that their post-graduate program is legitimately affiliated with the law school. Please review the ASPIRE program documentation for additional details.

Westlaw

FIU Law alumni have access to Westlaw after graduation. Alumni must apply for a password extension from Westlaw in order to get full access to Westlaw for a period of 18 months after graduation. Alumni can apply for a password extension by registering with Westlaw.

Extended access begins in the first month after graduation, so the sooner the extension, the longer the benefit. In other words, if the student waits 6 months to extend, they’ll only receive a 12 month extension. For more information, please click here.