How Casetext is Helping Law Students Be Better Legal Researchers
Each semester, Casetext runs an ambassador program to ensure that law students are trained on legal research technology they will likely use in practice. This semester, the Fall 2017 class of student ambassadors were able to sign up over 1,600 law students for free access to Casetext’s suite of legal research tools, all while building their legal research skills and their networks.
For Julian Harrison, a Casetext ambassador at Syracuse University College of Law, spreading the word about Casetext was easy. He describes what he calls the “The Casetext AHA moment” he often sees when demonstrating Casetext and CARA: “Your group, your friend, the attorney that supervises you, they are ALWAYS amazed that they have not heard of Casetext once they observe what the database can do.”
Harrison described the opportunity to show his classmates technology that will improve their legal research as one of the most satisfying takeaways of the ambassador program. “Offering a law student something so different and revolutionary while they are being trained to do research just completely changes the way they attack legal issues.” Molly Clinkscales, The University of Oklahoma College of Law’s ambassador, adds, “Being a student ambassador for Casetext is a great opportunity for students to be able to connect with students at their school and share a tool that is practical and offers something that no other legal research system can.”
As they spread the word about Casetext, the student ambassadors were able to build connections with their classmates, as well as with other student ambassadors at other law schools. “I have gained connections to dozens of law schools around the nation through the other schools’ ambassadors. I have also had the opportunity to meet and connect with several students at my own school that I otherwise would not have through sharing Casetext with them,” says Clinkscales.
In addition to building connections with their classmates, the 2017 student ambassadors felt that participation in the student ambassador program improved their own research skills. “I actually have become a better legal researcher,” says Harrison. Sara Lynch, the ambassador from University of Pennsylvania Law School, adds that one of her favorite elements of the ambassador program was “becoming familiar with a legal research tool that has been helpful in my classes and that I think will be helpful when I start practicing.”
At Casetext, we’re thrilled to see the results of the Fall 2017 Student Ambassador Program, and we’re looking forward to providing even more opportunities to develop law students’ legal research skills through the Spring 2018 class of Student Ambassadors. If you’d like to be a part of it, you can learn more and apply for the program at casetext.com/students.
If you are a law student and would like to sign up for free access to Casetext, visit https://info.casetext.com/lawschool/ and register with your university email address.
