This is the guy you want on your team

As a law Librarian, I deal in problems and am a purveyor of solutions.  If you've got a problem, I know where you can go to solve it.  

Small claims? I know four resources that can help you. Bankruptcy?  Pick your chapter and I've got answers. RICO, unlawful detainer, criminal, appeals (civil OR criminal), military justice, estate planning, family law, tax, federal, UCC, real property (commercial or otherwise), contracts, personal injury.  Whatever you need, answers I've got.

So, the other day, a newly minted attorney came into my law library hoping I was all I was hyped up to be.  Turns out he had just accepted a rather messy case.  I mean, it was one of those cases that if he won, it would put him on the map.  If he lost, well....

So, being newly minted and not knowing the ways of the legal world, I introduced him to the world of Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) and showed him all the great things they offered like:

• California Civil Discovery Practice (CEB)
• California Civil Procedure Before Trial (CEB)
• California Civil Procedure During Trial (CEB)
• Jefferson's California Evidence Benchbook (CEB)
• California Expert Witness Guide (CEB)
• Effective Direct and Cross-Examination (CEB)
• California Trial Objections (CEB)

Then I suggested newly minted take a look at the myriad of case and trial prep materials, like

• California Forms of Pleading and Practice (Lexis; covers most all things from initial pleadings through appeals)
• Bender's Forms of Discovery (Lexis: hundreds of special interrogatories)
• Am Jur Trials (TR; to know what questions to ask witnesses in trial)
• Am Jur Proof of Facts (TR; to know how to introduce evidence in trial)
• Trial Practice Series: Examination of Witnesses (TR)
• McElhaney's Trial Notebook (ABA)
• Trial Practice Series: Questioning Techniques and Tactics (TR)
• Trying Cases to Win: Summation (TR)

Then I suggested he take a look at some of foundational resources like

• American Jurisprudence, 2d (TR)
• Restatement 2d (TR)
• Corpus Juris Secundum (TR)
• California Jurisprudence, 3d (TR)
• Summary of California Law, 10th (TR)

Finally, I suggested he take a look at resources that would help when he won his case, like:

• California Practice Guide: Enforcing Judgments and Debts (TR)
• Debt Collection Practice in California (CEB)
• How to Collect when you Win a Lawsuit (Nolo Press)

and off newly minted attorney went with a gleam in his eye and an understanding that if ever he needed answers, his local county law library (and, by association, his local county law Librarian) was the place to be.