Shawn G. Nevers

277B JRCB

+1 (801) 422-8784
neverss@law.byu.edu

Shawn G. Nevers

Paul T. and Everette E. Schooley Director of the Howard W. Hunter Law Library

Shawn Nevers joined the law library faculty in 2006 after completing a Masters of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a J.D. at Brigham Young University. As the Law Library’s Director, Professor Nevers manages the day-to-day operations of the Law Library and works to develop its collection. Professor Nevers also assists faculty, students, and other patrons with their research needs, oversees the library’s electronic database collection, and teaches Introduction to Legal Research & Writing, Introduction to Advocacy, and Advanced Legal Research.

CV/SSRN

Courses Taught

  • Advanced Legal Research
  • Introduction to Advocacy
  • Introduction to Legal Research and Writing

Education

  • M.L.I.S., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • J.D., Brigham Young University
  • B.A., Brigham Young University

Publications

  • Book Chapters and Articles
  • West, Thompson, and the Creation of the United States Code (work in progress)
  • The Treatise and the Code (work in progress)
  • The Shadow Code: Statutory Notes in the United States Code, 112 LAW LIBR. J. 213 (2020) (with Julie Graves Krishnaswami) (winner of the Law Library Journal Article of the Year Award).
  • A Closer Look at the Caselaw Access Project, 24 AALL SPECTRUM 20 (May/June 2020) (with Tina S. Ching & Jason Eiseman).
  • A Golden Opportunity: Legal Research Simulation Courses, 20 AALL SPECTRUM 18 (2016) (with Leslie A. Street).
  • Assessment in Legal Research Education, in The Boulder Statements on Legal Research Education: The Intersection of Intellectual and Practical Skills 81 (Susan Nevelow Mart ed., 2014).
  • The Practitioner’s Council: Connecting Legal Research Instruction and Current Legal Research Practice, 103 Law Libr. J. 575 (2011) (with David L. Armond).
  • Legal Research Readings to Inspire and Inform Students, 17 Perspectives: Teaching Legal Res. & Writing 6 (2008).
  • Candy, Points, and Highlighters: Why Librarians, Not Vendors, Should Teach CALR to First-Year Students, 99 Law Libr. J. 757 (2007).
  • Promote Your Electronic Resources: How to Get More Bang for Your E-Resource Buck, 11 AALL Spectrum 4 (Apr. 2007).
  • Columns
  • Taming Legal Information Overload, 42 Student Law. 18 (Apr. 2014).
  • Local Ordinances: The Often Overlooked Laws, 42 Student Law. 17 (Feb. 2014).
  • Restatements: An Influential Secondary Source, 42 Student Law. 19 (Oct. 2013).
  • The Importance of Legal Research, 41 Student Law. 19 (Apr. 2013).
  • Transactional Law Research, 41 Student Law. 18 (Feb. 2013)..
  • Becoming a Cost-effective Researcher, 41 Student Law. 18 (Dec. 2012).
  • Litigation Practice Materials, 41 Student Law. 15 (Sept. 2012.
  • Getting to Know Lexis Advance, 40 Student Law. 18 (Apr. 2012).
  • Becoming a Better Online Researcher, 40 Student Law. 17 (Feb. 2012).
  • Getting to Know Administrative Decisions, 40 Student Law. 21 (Dec. 2011).
  • Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Statutes, 40 Student Law. 18 (Oct. 2011).
  • Observations for Summer Research Success, 39 Student Law. 22 (Apr. 2011).
  • Legislative History: The Search for Legislative Intent, 39 Student Law. 18 (Feb. 2011).
  • WestlawNext: Westlaw’s Next Generation Research System, 39 Student Law. 12 (Dec. 2010).
  • Legal Encyclopedias: Research “Well Begun,, 39 Student Law. 12 (Oct. 2010).
  • Free and Low-Cost Research Resources for Any Budget, 38 Student Law. 8 (Apr. 2010).
  • Citators: The Power Tools of Legal Research, 38 Student Law. 8 (Feb. 2010).
  • Smart Researchers Save Time by Starting with Legal Treatises, 38 Student Law. 8 (Dec. 2009.
  • Thorough Academic Legal Research Will Improve Your Papers, 38 Student Law. 8 (Oct. 2009).
  • Other
  • Susan Nevelow Mart et. al., A Study of Attorneys’Legal Research Practices and Opinions of New Associates Research Skills (2013).
  • [Link]
  • Utah Legal Research, CALI lesson (2009).
  • Book Reviews
  • Book Review, 100 Law Libr. J. 755, 770 (2008) Practicing Reference: Thoughts for Librarians and Legal Researchers in Keeping Up with New Legal Titles.
  • Book Review, 99 Law Libr. J. 829, 831 (2007) Reflections on Constitutional Law in Keeping Up with New Legal Titles.
  • Presentations
  • Presenter, The Treatise and the Code, Legal Information Symposium, Yale Law School, New Haven, CT, March 24, 2023.
  • Presenter, The Shadow Code, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Philadelphia, PA, November 2, 2022.
  • Coordinator and Moderator, A Peek Behind the Curtain of the United States Code, Legal Writing Institute Biennial Conference, Washington D.C., July 21, 2022
  • Coordinator and Presenter, Deciphering Statutory Codes: When is the Law Not the Law and Other Statutory Riddles, AALL Annual Meeting, Denver, Co., July 17, 2022
  • Presenter, Reflective Teaching, Teaching the Teachers Conference, Portland, OR, May 12, 2022.
  • Coordinator and Moderator, A Peek Behind the Curtain of the U.S. Code, AALL Annual Meeting, Washington D.C., July 15, 2019.
  • Presenter, Improving Your Teaching, Teaching the Teachers Conference, Atlanta, GA, May 31, 2019.
  • Presenter, Powered by AI, Built in the Law Library, AALL Annual Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland, July 15, 2018.
  • Presenter, Data Mining for Meaning: The Law and Corpus Linguistics Project, AALL Annual Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland, July 16, 2018.
  • Presenter, Attorney Research Skills: Join the Conversation Between Law Firm and Academic Law Librarians, AALL Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 21, 2015.
  • Presenter, Improving Your Teaching, Legal Research Teaching Academy, AALL Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 18, 2015.
  • Coordinator and Presenter, Legal Research Practices of Attorneys, Westpac Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, October 10, 2014.
  • Presenter, Success in the Classroom: Measuring Student and Teacher Performance, AALL Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, July 16, 2013.
  • Presenter, Meeting the Needs of Students and Their Future Employers: Discussion on Legal Research Instruction and Student Services Inspired by Practitioner Feedback, AALL Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, July 16, 2013.
  • Coordinator, Moderator, and Presenter, Making the Grade: Assessing Legal Research Skills in the Classroom and Firm, AALL Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 26, 2011.
  • Presenter, AALL/LexisNexis Call for Papers Award Recipient, AALL Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 25, 2011.
  • Beyond the Ivory Tower: Reaching Out to Practicing Attorneys and Law Firm Librarians to Improve Legal Research Instruction, ALL-SIS sponsored AALL Program, Washington D.C., July 27, 2009.
  • Getting Past Google: Tips for Teaching Electronic Legal Research,, Rocky Mountain Legal Writing Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2008.
  • Humble Lawyers: Can They Exist? Do They Exist? And How to Become One, Spirit in the Law, Provo, Utah, March 12, 2008.
  • Just Do It: Newer Law Librarians Have Much to Contribute to Professional Scholarship, AALL/LexisNexis Call for Papers Program, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 17, 2007.

Experience

  • Paul T. and Everette E. Schooley Director of the Howard W. Hunter Law Library (2023 to present)
  • Deputy Director, Howard W. Hunter Law Library, BYU (2014-2023)
  • Head of Reference and Research Instruction, Howard W. Hunter Law Library, BYU (2013-2014)
  • Head of Reference Services, Howard W. Hunter Law Library, BYU (2010-2013)
  • Research Librarian, Howard W. Hunter Law Library, BYU (2006-2010)
  • Graduate Assistant, Albert E. Jenner, Jr. Memorial Law Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2005-2006)