OneLs: Resources for Negotiating and Drafting Agreements

Remember, if you have any questions at all during this assignment, please feel free to contact any of our reference librarians, many of whom have practiced law and all of whom have J.D.s. Good luck!


Negotiating/Drafting Guides

To locate books on specific types of agreements, use the BU libraries online catalog. Conduct a word search using a topic keyword, conjunction "and," and any of the following terms: negotiating, drafting, or agreements.

Example: corporate and agreements

If you are drafting an agreement for Massachusetts, Massachusetts Practice (Law Pappas Upper) is a good resource. This set covers many different legal topics, some with practice tips and forms. You can get the forms electronically on Westlaw, but we recommend that you first consult the books to determine which section contains the form you need. Then use the section number and title of the form to search on Westlaw: ci(section number) & ti(title)

Books published by Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education are also helpful for Massachusetts-based agreements. To locate books published by MCLE, conduct a word search in the BU libraries online catalog. Use a topic keyword, conjunction "and," and the term Massachusetts. Then limit by publisher "MCLE."

Example: massachusetts and employment
(type "mcle" in the textbox for publisher)

Selected MCLE books are available on Westlaw. Use the title of the book and words from the pertinent section to search: pr(title of the book) & keywords

Forms

  • General Form Books:

    NOTE: Although these formbooks are also available online, it is best to consult the print indexes to locate the desired form and then use the title of the form to locate the electronic version.
    • AmJur Legal Forms
      Print: Law Reference KF 170 .A41
      Westlaw Database: AMJUR-LF
    • Current Legal Forms (Rabkin & Johnson)
      Print: Law Reference KF 6286 .R3
      Lexis Source: MATBEN;CLFTA
    • Nichols Cyclopedia of Legal Forms
      Print: Law Reference KF 170 .N5
      Westlaw Database: NICHOLS-LF
    • West's Legal Forms
      Print: Law Reference KF 170 .L53
      Westlaw Database: WEST-LF

  • Topical Form Books

    To locate form books on specific types of agreements, use the BU libraries online catalog. Conduct a word search using a topic keyword, conjunction "and," and the words forms or contracts.

    Example: entertainment and contracts

  • World Wide Web

    Many legal forms are available on the World Wide Web. Try these sites which contain free forms:

    Findlaw Forms
    The 'Lectric Law Library Forms Room
    LexisOne List of Free Forms (forms free but registration required)
    Mass. Trial Court Libraries Legal Forms
    US Court Forms (forms free but registration required)
    Washlaw Legal Forms

  • LexisNexis and Westlaw

LexisNexis: When you sign on, the "Legal" tab should be selected under "Look for a Source." Click on the folder for "Area of Law - By Topic." Under each topic, there is a subfolder called "Treatises and Analytical Materials."

Westlaw: Use the Westlaw directory to browse within the jurisdiction that applies to your question. Every jurisdiction has a subdirectory for "Forms, Treatises, CLEs and Other Practice Materials." There is also a category on the general Law School introductory page for Forms. Here, you can search the individual forms databases, or just go for broke and give All Forms a try.


Page Maintained by: Steve Donweber
Last updated: February 2008