Project Description

Client Instruction

Job Title: Legal Dissertation Research & Case Law Data Entry Assistant

Objective:
Support the preparation of a doctoral dissertation in law by collecting, reviewing, and systematically entering case law, statutes, and legal commentaries into structured databases. Ensure accuracy, proper citation (Bluebook 21st edition), and synthesis of legal precedents to strengthen dissertation arguments.

Scope of Work:

1. Case Law Collection & Review

   • Collect a minimum of 200 court cases relevant to the dissertation topic.

   • Sources: Westlaw, LexisNexis, HeinOnline, CourtListener, government law portals.

   • Summarize case background, issues, holding, and judicial reasoning.

   • Flag landmark precedents and cases that have been overturned.

2. Statutes & Secondary Sources

   • Compile relevant statutes, regulations, and constitutional provisions.

   • Collect legal journal articles, books, and commentaries (minimum 100 sources).

   • Track interpretations and how different courts applied the law.

3. Data Entry & Organization

   • Enter all cases and statutes into Excel + EndNote/RefWorks.

   • Required fields: Case Name, Court, Citation, Year, Jurisdiction, Legal Issue, Holding, Relevance.

   • Categorize by jurisdiction (US Supreme Court, Federal, State, International).

   • Tag sources to dissertation chapters/themes.

4. Dissertation Support Writing

   • Write a 90–100 page case law review draft organized by themes.

   • Compare judicial interpretations and evolving doctrines.

   • Highlight conflicts between jurisdictions and scholarly debates.

   • Ensure Bluebook 21st edition citation compliance in both footnotes and references.

5. Quality & Compliance Checks

   • Verify case citations against official reporters.

   • Cross-check quotations with original judgments.

   • Run plagiarism and citation audits (Turnitin or equivalent, <10% similarity).

   • Prepare a summary matrix (Excel) showing relationships between cases, statutes, and commentary.

Deliverables:

• Excel case law database (200+ cases + 100 statutes/secondary sources).

• EndNote/RefWorks reference library (exported).

• Case Law Review draft (Word, 90–100 pages).

• Statutory & Doctrinal Analysis section (Word, 30–40 pages).

• Summary Report (Word, 15 pages) highlighting key precedents, conflicts, and research gaps.

• Plagiarism report (PDF).

Required Data Fields (Excel Database):

• Case ID

• Case Name

• Citation (Bluebook format)

• Court & Jurisdiction

• Year of Decision

• Legal Issue(s)

• Holding / Rule of Law

• Judicial Reasoning

• Relevance to Dissertation Chapter

• Notes / Comments

Special Instructions:

• Deadline: September 7th, 2025 (11:59 PM EST).

• All citations must comply with Bluebook 21st edition.

• Deliverables must include both case law analysis and statutory review.

• At least 25% of cases should be from the last 10 years to ensure contemporary relevance.

• Summaries must be paraphrased in formal legal language.

• Research materials and initial dissertation outline will be shared upon hire.