Learn to write computer code for free

1) Be sure you understand the client's problem. When given an assignment, ask plenty of questions. Read the relevant documents and take good notes. Learn all you can about the client's situation. If you're a junior asked to write a memo or a motion but you aren't told anything about the client's actual problem, ask what it is in some detail. You must be adequately briefed—and that's partly your responsibility. There's almost no way to write a good research memo in the abstract. As you're reading cases and examining statutes, you'll be in a much better position to apply your findings if you know the relevant specifics.2) Don't rely exclusively on computer research. Combine book research with computer research. Don't overlook such obvious resources as Corpus Juris Secundum and American Jurisprudence. Look at indexes, digests and treatises to round out your understanding of the subject matter. And when it comes to computer research, don't forget Google Books (especially the … [Read more...] about 10 tips for better legal writing

David Wochner’s day starts with a quick read of news reports on the liquefied natural gas industry. Then he writes news summaries and analyses of industry events. With the help of another colleague and an intern who is a recent journalism school graduate, he publishes a Web log, the LNG Law Blog.But Wochner does not work for a business or trade magazine, or any other kind of traditional publishing venture. He is a fourth-year associate with Sutherland Asbill & Brennan in Washington, D.C., working on liquefied natural gas accounts. Along with Rebecca Day, an associate in the same practice area, Wochner has developed a blog that has become one of the few resources covering national news on the industry.To most attorneys, a publishing venture might seem like a waste of billable hours, but Wochner believes it is a valuable marketing vehicle for the firm. “We’ve become well-known enough,” he says, “that when we go into a business pitch, before we even have … [Read more...] about Making Rain on the Net

Novartis A.G v. Union of India Denying patent rights to Novartis, the Apex Court gave its verdict, countering the infamous ‘ever greening’ of patent rights, interpreting section 3(d) of the Patents Act, 1970. In this case, Novartis had patented imatinib, which was exemplified in Example 21 of the Zimmerman patent. Novartis argued that the claimed invention involved a twofold step over Zimmerman, firstly from imatinib to imatinibmesylate, the salt form; and secondly to the β crystalline form of imatinibmesylate. Though the Court concluded that the beta crystalline form cannot be said to have been ‘anticipated’ from imatinib free base of the Zimmerman patent of 1993 or from publication on imatinibmesylate in relation to cancer research in 1996, the Apex Court pronounced that there was no “therapeutic efficacy” for the drug. The Court clarified that all/any advantages or beneficial properties do not amount to efficacy under Section … [Read more...] about Best Judgments of Supreme Court in 2013

Regulatory bodies and lawsAviation in the United States is regulated primarily by the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pursuant to Title 14 of the Code of Federal  Regulations (the Federal Aviation Regulations, 49 USC (the Transportation Code) and  the corresponding regulations.Safety regulationThe FAA regulates the safety of commercial and private air transport. Screening passengers and ensuring onboard security is the responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration. The National Transportation Safety Board conducts non-criminal aircraft accident investigations.The Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Section 1.1) define a 'commercial operator' as:"A person who, for compensation or hire, engages in the carriage by aircraft in air commerce of persons or property... [W]here it is doubtful that an operator is for 'compensation or hire', the test applied is whether the carriage by air is … [Read more...] about Regulation of Aviation Operations

When doing legal research, most lawyers first must figure out what cases are relevant and which precedents judges still enforce. Case-law website Judicata on Wednesday unveiled a new color-coding system to help researchers find which cases to cite and which to avoid. Using machine learning to analyze cases, as well as human editors to check the work, Judicata utilizes a system reminiscent of a law student’s highlighted textbook.Background colors indicate the strength of a particular case, its relevance to a user’s case, and whether its holding is still good law or has been disputed or even overturned.The color-coding process was quite time consuming. In an interview, Itai Gurari, chief executive of San Francisco-based Judicata, discussed the challenges in making practical use of artificial intelligence.“It’s very much a slow, plodding progress,” says Gurari. The Judicata site tested its technology with a narrow focus on California employment law, then … [Read more...] about Judicata adds color to case law, highlights artificial-intelligence barriers