Staff Picks: The Little Black Dress of Legal Resources!

In 1926, French designer Coco Chanel published a picture of a short, simple black dress in Vogue Magazine, and it was immediately hailed as “the frock that all the world will wear.” Since then, designers such as Dior, De Givenchy, Donna Karan and most recently Carly Cushne have all put their own spin on the “LBD”…

And like Chanel’s initial creation, my own favorite legal source — also with Black in the title! –has been updated and revised by every succeeding generation. The Little Black Dress may indeed be THE dress, but if you are making your case, keep in mind that Black’s Law Dictionary is the most cited law book in the world.

Now in its 12th Edition and regarded as a definitive legal authority, Black’s Law Dictionary was first published in 1891.  The original preface describes the work as “a concise and yet comprehensive book of definitions of the terms …necessary to be understood by the working lawyer and judge, as well as student…”.

And much like the “LBD,” Black’s Law Dictionary continues to be the enduring “go to” for all occasions — Consider – since 2000, approximately 250 U.S. Supreme Court cases have cited Black’s Law Dictionary. With its 70,000 terms and thousands of authoritative citations and quotations, Black’s Law Dictionary is sure to put the finishing research touch on any brief, law review or oral argument.