Summer Employment Research Summer Employment Research RefresherRefresher

M&A (deals)M&A (deals) Bonds Bonds

Corporate TaxationCorporate Taxation

Spring 2010Spring 2010Dana NeacsuDana Neacsu

edn13@columbia.eduedn13@columbia.edu

How to Research an How to Research an Unfamiliar Legal Unfamiliar Legal

Issue?Issue? Ask QuestionsAsk Questions Read the DirectionsRead the Directions Use Secondary SourcesUse Secondary Sources

1.1. Finding aidsFinding aids1.1. indexesindexes

2.2. Research aidsResearch aids1.1. Guides, dictionariesGuides, dictionaries

3.3. Practitioners’ toolsPractitioners’ tools1.1. Practice MaterialsPractice Materials2.2. deskbooks, manuals, CLE materialsdeskbooks, manuals, CLE materials

4.4. Legal scholarshipLegal scholarship– treatises, encyclopedias, ALR, law reviews, treatises, encyclopedias, ALR, law reviews,

restatements, etc.restatements, etc. Talk to an Expert; Use LibrariansTalk to an Expert; Use Librarians Create a Research PlanCreate a Research Plan

OverviewOverview

Research StrategyResearch Strategy–Framing your Inquiry Framing your Inquiry (think in legal and non-(think in legal and non-legal terms)legal terms)

–Research as a Cyclical Research as a Cyclical ProcessProcess

Framing your inquiryFraming your inquiry

What information do you know?What information do you know? What information do you need to What information do you need to

know?know? Case law or statutory law? Case law or statutory law? Are you ready to start Are you ready to start

researching cases/statutes, or do researching cases/statutes, or do you need to learn more about the you need to learn more about the topic first?topic first?

M&A (Deals)M&A (Deals)Legal and Non Legal Legal and Non Legal Research Research What information do What information do

you know?you know?What information do What information do

you need to know?you need to know?

M&A – DealsM&A – Deals

Preparing for a dealPreparing for a deal– Non legal researchNon legal research– Legal research (filings: SEC, EDGAR, Legal research (filings: SEC, EDGAR,

BLOOMBERG)BLOOMBERG) Closing a dealClosing a deal

– Checklist form (BLOOMBERG)Checklist form (BLOOMBERG)

Using Non-legal Using Non-legal Databases (from CU Databases (from CU Business Library)Business Library) From From

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/ Choose databasesChoose databases

– Type “the deal.com”Type “the deal.com” Choose Choose http://http://pipeline.thedeal.compipeline.thedeal.com//

– Type ThomsonType Thomson Choose thomson One banker Choose thomson One banker

http://banker.thomsonib.com/ta/?Expreshttp://banker.thomsonib.com/ta/?ExpressCode=columbiaunisCode=columbiauni

Bloomberg –The Bloomberg –The Comprehensive Research Comprehensive Research Tool for Corporate Tool for Corporate ResearchResearch Preparing for a DealPreparing for a Deal

– Company Information TabCompany Information Tab– Deal Maker TabDeal Maker Tab– Practice Area TabPractice Area Tab

Closing a DealClosing a Deal– Deal Maker Tab: Checklist formDeal Maker Tab: Checklist form

Bonds ResearchBonds Research

How can one find information on municipal How can one find information on municipal bonds: the amounts, the terms, the dates, bonds: the amounts, the terms, the dates, the purchasers and where the proceeds the purchasers and where the proceeds went?went? – How can one learn if these are tax-exempt bonds? How can one learn if these are tax-exempt bonds?

– What if we know who issued them, under what What if we know who issued them, under what

act, and what organization is in charge of act, and what organization is in charge of administering them? administering them?

Bloomberg terminals MUNI tabs Bloomberg terminals MUNI tabs – (CU Business library) (CU Business library)

Using Treatises Using Treatises (Corporate Taxation)(Corporate Taxation) What are the tax implications What are the tax implications

of a change in the filing status of a change in the filing status of a corporation from a C of a corporation from a C Corporation to an S Corporation to an S Corporation?Corporation? – What is a corporation C/S?What is a corporation C/S?– What are the tax filing forms for What are the tax filing forms for

each?each?

Lexis Corporate/Taxation Lexis Corporate/Taxation TabsTabsWestlaw –Directory Westlaw –Directory (WestlawNext)(WestlawNext)Lexis:Lexis: Corporate: Corporate: Corporate Attorney's Corporate Attorney's

Practice Guide (natural language or Practice Guide (natural language or Boolean: “corporation /3 C /10 filing”)Boolean: “corporation /3 C /10 filing”)

Taxation: Taxation: Federal Tax Practice and Federal Tax Practice and Procedure (natural language or Procedure (natural language or Boolean: “filing forms /10 Boolean: “filing forms /10 corporation /3 C or S”)corporation /3 C or S”)

Westlaw:Westlaw: Taxation: Keatinge and Conaway on Taxation: Keatinge and Conaway on

Choice of Business EntityChoice of Business Entity

Using Specialized Using Specialized Databases (taxation Databases (taxation RIA)RIA) How to avoid double taxation for How to avoid double taxation for

corporation S?corporation S?– Go to Go to PegasusPegasus– Choose RIA checkpointChoose RIA checkpoint– Type double taxation corporation SType double taxation corporation S– Choose among answersChoose among answers

The Legal Research The Legal Research ProcessProcess Two-prong research processTwo-prong research process

– Research plan (Secondary Sources –Research plan (Secondary Sources –outlined above)outlined above)

– Research log (do not simply rely on Research log (do not simply rely on the W/L/B research history; create the W/L/B research history; create your own log) your own log)

Sample LogSample Log**

Date Date AssigneAssignedd

SupervisoSupervisorr

ProjectProject DueDue When When will I will I work on work on it?it?

DoneDone

7/27/2 Anne Anne McDonalMcDonaldd

Ferguson Ferguson case — case — prepare prepare memo on memo on prescriptive prescriptive easement easement QQ..

7/107/10 researcresearch 7/6-7, h 7/6-7, write write 7/87/8

7/97/9

7/6 7/6 David David

MarksMarks Fein med Fein med mal case — mal case — find Pa. find Pa. statute of statute of lim; copy w/ lim; copy w/ annotationsannotations

7/7 7/7 researcresearc

h 7/6h 7/6 7/7 7/7

7/7 7/7 Jane Jane

HansenHansen memo re memo re compensation compensation for em. dom. for em. dom. taking of a taking of a leaseholdleasehold

7/15 7/15 ????*see “Managing a Research Assignment” by M. Whisner. Perspectives: Teaching Legal Research & Writing (Fall 2000).

Plan Your TimePlan Your Time

Mon. Mon. 7/67/6

Tues. Tues. 7/77/7

Wed.7/Wed.7/88

Thur.7/Thur.7/99

Fri.7/10Fri.7/10

a.m.a.m.meet w/ meet w/ Pete H.Pete H.

p.m.p.m.go to lib. go to lib. to to researchresearch

a.m.a.m.more more research research at lib.?at lib.?lunch w/ lunch w/ Liz M.Liz M.Give Give David Pa. David Pa. S/L infoS/L info

draft draft Ferguson Ferguson memomemo

p.m.p.m.observe observe depositiodeposition w/ Jackn w/ Jack

Ferguson Ferguson memo memo must be must be done!done!

If you use a handheld or PDA for your to-do lists and calendar, see JurisPDA, http://www.nyls.edu/pages/520.asp, a site with PDA tips for law students and lawyers.

Start a Research Log Start a Research Log (Journal)(Journal) When you When you

finalized your finalized your research planresearch plan

Start recording Start recording the entire process the entire process of your researchof your research– Every resourceEvery resource– Every search termEvery search term– Every search Every search

strategystrategy

ResourcResourcee

Search Search TermsTerms

Search Search StrategStrateg

yy

NY Jur NY Jur 2d2d

Conflict of Conflict of Laws;Laws;

Choice of Choice of law law contractscontracts

See See annotatioannotations Use ns Use topic & topic & key#s to key#s to find 1º find 1º sourcessources

Before You Leave for Before You Leave for the Summerthe Summer Talk with a librarianTalk with a librarian Try to do some background Try to do some background

readingreading Review selected print sourcesReview selected print sources

– If practicing out of state, look at a If practicing out of state, look at a source like:source like:

Searching the Law: The StatesSearching the Law: The States by F. by F. Doyle (3Doyle (3rdrd fl. ref. KF1.D69 2003) fl. ref. KF1.D69 2003)

Have a Wonderful Have a Wonderful Summer!Summer!

Summer Reference Desk HoursSummer Reference Desk Hours

Monday-Friday 10am-5pmMonday-Friday 10am-5pm