If, as a law student, you've ever asked yourself that question as you toil through the countless cases you have to read, Bluebook a citation or quail before your Socratic method-wielding Constitutional Law professor, read this address, given at Seton Hall  in August.  Now, as the market proves by the minute that it cannot self-regulate, more than ever, we need good lawyers. 

Searching in Hein Online's Law Journal Library has become a more richly rewarding activity.  Each result which includes your search term now displays the number of times it has been cited by scholarly law review articles.  Clicking on the citation displays the list of citing articles.  You can search within those articles for particular key terms, and in the results, clickable links to other cases and articles relating to those key terms are displayed.  This provides a nuanced historical background for the legal concept under discussion. 

Don't miss this wisdom from the Chief Justice on how not to search: 

"Roberts called computer-based legal tools "powerful," but Roberts suggested lawyers still need to be able to think for themselves to develop their arguments.  "There is, I believe, a lot of value in thinking outside the box, but the key word is thinking," Roberts said. "...You cannot think effectively outside the box if you don't know where the box is."

Tip: Slaw

First Impressions, an online companion to the Michigan Law Review, has devoted its September, 2008, issue to examining whether John McCain (a name you may recognize) is a citizen of the United States and hence eligible for the office of President of the United States.  “No Person except a natural born Citizen . . . shall be eligible to the Office of President . . . .”  according to Article II, section 1, of the Constitution of the United States.  Seems McCain was born in the Canal Zone.  Maybe the candidate who taught constitutional law should refocus tonight's debate.  Hat tip to PrawfsBlawg.

The Federal Government's search service 'USA.gov' provides links to relevant pages originating from the dramatic  Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.