NALA Legal Research & Writing 3

Question 1

Which of the following is an example of secondary legal authority?

Accepted Answer

A law review article analyzing contract law

Answer

Secondary authority, such as law review articles, explains and analyzes the law but is not itself the law.

Question 2

When using the IRAC method in legal writing, what does the 'A' stand for?

Accepted Answer

Analysis

Answer

In the IRAC framework (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion), 'A' stands for Analysis—applying the rule to the facts.

Question 3

A legal assistant finds a 1985 circuit court case directly on point. Before citing it, what is the most important step?

Accepted Answer

Check whether the case has been overruled or distinguished by later authority

Answer

Before relying on any case, a legal researcher must verify it is still good law using a citator like Shepard's or KeyCite.

Question 4

What is the correct Bluebook format for citing a federal statute?

Accepted Answer

[Title] U.S.C. § [section] ([year])

Answer

The Bluebook format for a federal statute is: [Title number] U.S.C. § [section number] ([year]).

Question 5

Which research strategy is most efficient when beginning research on an unfamiliar area of law?

Accepted Answer

Begin with a secondary source such as a legal encyclopedia or treatise

Answer

Beginning with a secondary source provides an overview of the area, key concepts, and citations to primary authority, making subsequent research more efficient.

(NALA) National Association of Legal Assistants Certification Practice Test

(NALA) National Association of Legal Assistants Certification Practice Test

NALA Legal Research & Writing 3