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"There is no magic to it, just an interwoven process of research, analysis, and writing that enables you to be called a lawyer”
- Unknown
Legal research is the activity that identifies and collects information to legally enforce any mandate, document, or contract. The whole process begins with the extraction of facts from a wide range of sources relevant to the case, the analysis and interpretation of the facts, and finally the application of the results of the investigation that initiated the entire cycle.
Legal research is very important in the legal industry. There are many advantages of having good research skills in the legal profession. Legal research is a very important tool for individual lawyers and law firms. Every area of practice in law needs good legal research skills. It is a basic research of reference cases that regulate the issues in question. Legal research sounds simple, but it is not an easy job. The skill to conduct legal research is critical for lawyers and everyone associated with to law field, regardless of area or type of practice. The key step in legal research is to find the legal question that is included in the case. As most researchers know, this is much more difficult than it looks
The benefit of legal research is understanding and analyzing a case that begins with the research phase where they can identify the facts of the research and determine the legal issues that needed to be researched. The research also helps them to refine the laws and all legal material, the research teaches how to apply the facts of the cases with the prevailing law in the country.
The strength of lawyers does not only lie in their knowledge about the laws, but also in the ability to find the relevant sections through research and bring in the necessary and fruitful requirement through optimized interpretation of the finding. Law is a developing area it is important for the people involved in the legal field to be updated about the latest developments that are taking place.
IMPORTANCE OF LEGAL RESEARCH
Ø Analyzing the situation by reducing, breaking, and separating the law into separate elements: it can be as simple as examining and explaining new statutes and statutory schemes or as complex as explaining, interpreting, and criticizing specific cases or statutes.
Ø To blend the distinct elements of cases and statutes together into consistent or useful laws or general rules: the product of this research is the legal standard that is consistent, explains or justifies a group of specific legal decisions.
Ø To Examine Doctrinal or Theoretical Issues: Research findings are applied in advising courts or clients on applying the legal doctrine to specific cases, transactions, or other legal events. It can also criticize judicial opinions and, in case of conflicts between the decisions of another court, suggest the resolution of those conflicts.
Ø To provide educational material for law students: Final products include books and modules. This is to understand the legal doctrine and the law as it is.
Ø Gaining an understanding of legal matters while arguing for doing things in a better manner: a researcher who performs this type of critical research and comments on legal doctrine and practices from the perspective of different sciences such as economics, politics, and sociology.
Legal research will be different from any research you have done previously because legal research requires that you use forensic analysis. This analysis will tell you what problems to look for and how to use the sources you find to solve the customer's problem. Without understanding the forensic analysis, you may be able to perform the mechanical functions of the search, but you will not be able to understand the search results. Another unique aspect of legal research is that there will often not be a clear answer to the question you are researching. Instead, you'll find the pieces of a puzzle and need to use forensic analysis to put the pieces together
Legal research is generally the process of finding an answer to a legal question or checking for the legal background that can be cited in a brief or trial. Sometimes, legal research can help determine whether a legal issue is an unregulated "first impression case" or with no legal precedent. Virtually every lawsuit, appeal, criminal prosecution, and legal process, in general, requires a certain amount of legal research.
CONCLUSION
Legal research is generally taught at every law school across the country, but it is ignored by the students for the lack of luster that the subject hold but primarily it is important to note that does legal research entail.
To understand the true logic and use of a particular statute, proper legal research and writing is essential. Just like in our daily studies, practice makes perfect, legal research and writing help strengthen the analytical and problem-solving skills of a lawyer.
It is very important to focus on legal research if you want to solve any kind of legal problem. While the process can be long and tedious at times, the truth is that proper research can help turn the odds in your favor in many cases. All you need to do is work with a team of legal experts who rely on providing the best research and ensure that everything is handled at the highest level.
REFERENCE
Ø https://legodesk.com/legopedia/importance-legal-research-legal-practice/
Ø https://www.planetcompliance.com/why-is-legal-research-important/