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Finding a Paper Topic

Tips and tools for finding and developing paper topics; includes resources for preemption check and keeping current on your topic.

General Approach

Choose a general area that interests you (e.g., environmental law, technology and the law, health law).
Look for circuit splits, novel cases, conflicts in the law, flaws in the law, or other legal developments.
Consider other country approaches to legal problems.
Talk to scholars and practitioners.
Use a librarian, refdesk@law.uci.edu.

Legal News & Highlights

Bloomberg Law News
Practitioners rely on BNA to learn about developments in the law. Includes insight on domestic and foreign legislative, regulatory, and judicial activity.
Westlaw Topical Highlights
Documents prepared by the West editorial staff that summarize recent developments in the law. Search by practice area.
Law360
Daily, extensive coverage of all aspects of law and policy. Search by more than 40 practice areas, or by jurisdiction.

Legal Blogs

SCOTUS Blog
Editorials and other information on the U.S. Supreme Court; contributions from lawyers, law professors, and law students.
Legal Scholarship Blog
Browse conferences, symposiums, and call for papers on a variety of topics.
American Society of International Law - Insights
Balanced accounts of late-breaking international legal issues.
Blawg Search
Search for law blogs by practice and by what is most popular.

Circuit Splits

U.S. Law Week - Circuit Splits Report
Authoritative weekly report on circuit splits. Reports are organized by legal topic, and include issue summaries.
U.S. Law Week
Authoritative way to keep up with important legal developments in all areas of the law. Everything from summaries to longer analyses.
Seton Hall Circuit Review
Each issue has a summary on current circuit splits.