The Mendik library will be offering extended hours from Monday, May 3 to Friday, May 21, 2021. Please see the schedule below.
Library Information
A Firm Perspective – Is a Deadline Really a Deadline?
A Firm Perspective is written by Martha Goldman, a retired Big Law firm library manager who then returned to the NYLS Mendik Library where her career began…
A deadline exists for a reason, and there should be no assumption that a deadline is flexible. A deadline date and/or time do not imply that you can do the work if you have the inclination or spare time, or not do it because you prefer to do something fun instead. When you are given an assignment in law school or on the job, you should presume that the deadline is not negotiable. A deadline implies a commitment that you will do what you were asked to do as thoroughly as possible within the given time frame. If you are not told when an assignment is due, ask that question. You can self-impose a deadline to help meet your goal. Occasionally, extenuating circumstances can occur on your side or by the assigning attorney or professor that can alter the deadline. Learning how to budget your time, possibly becoming a clock-watcher, is a necessary skill and comes with experience. Completing a task to the best of your abilities by meeting the deadline is a reflection of you and your professionalism, so make it count.
Elevator Ed Celebrates Earth Day
Our very own Elevator Ed will again be celebrating Earth Day this year (on April 22). If planting flowers is not your thing, head over to the Earth Day Network, which will be live streaming three days of climate action beginning on April 20, 2021, with a global youth climate summit led by Earth Uprising.
John Marshall Harlan ‘24
On March 28, 1955, NYLS alumnus John Marshall Harlan ’24 formally took his seat as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. An article titled “Mr. Worth Street,” appearing in the April/May 1998 issue of the NYLS student newspaper The Reporter, provides a short sketch of the Justice’s professional career and his connection to the school.
The law school celebrated the formal naming of the portion of Worth Street between Church Street and West Broadway as Justice John M. Harlan Way in May 1991 as part of the law school’s centennial celebration.
Lingo to Go
A Firm Perspective is written by Martha Goldman, a retired Big Law firm library manager who then returned to the NYLS Mendik Library where her career began…
As you progress through research classes, all sorts of legal jargon referred to by initials, popular or shortened names and abbreviations pass your way. It’s almost akin to learning a new language and can be frustrating. Some are universal and others are more relevant to specific areas of legal practice. Two resources that can help decipher what the abbreviations mean are the Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations and the Bluebook (you can sign up for a free trial of the online edition). For example, if you already know what the non-legal abbreviation ROTFL means, the foray into legal jargon will be easy. Once you are familiar with the most common abbreviations and their sources, you will be ready to understand and tackle an assignment.
For assistance with research and jargon translation, contact the Reference Librarians at reference@nyls.edu
