Harvard Law School Library

The Supreme Court’s shadow docket has been in the news and is a subject of continued scholarly interest. HLS research librarian Deanna Barmakian has turned a light on the shadow docket and the availability of filings from these important cases. To learn more, see our blog for "What we do in the shadows: Library access to Supreme Court shadow docket filings."

Photo sources:
The Supreme Court image: Wikimedia, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Supreme_Court.jpg
Docket image: National Archives, https://perma.cc/M8VD-U8BR

Class Day 2026! 🎓 Langdell Hall understood the assignment for Commencement Week! 🎓

TODAY: Class Day Pop-Up Exhibit: The HLS Library will host a Historical & Special Collections Pop-Up Exhibit on Class Day, May 27, from 12pm-2pm, in Langdell Hall, Root Room, 4th floor. The exhibit will feature an early manuscript Magna Carta, a deposition given by Wyatt Earp, HLS Admissions photographs of current and former faculty, Oliver Wendall Holmes, Jr.’s personal copy of The Common Law, and more. Join us for a look into our extensive collection.

Image credits:
- Condemnation of Franz Muller, H. Disley, printer [1864], Trials Broadside 633, Harvard Law School Library, Historical & Special Collections.
- Dom Ioam por graça de deos rey de Portugal... [1647], Foreign Primary Portugal, Harvard Law School Library, Historical & Special Collections.
- Magna Carta Cum Statutis (ca. 1325) HLS MS 12, fol.2r, Harvard Law School Library, Historical & Special Collections.

On Memorial Day, we pause to remember all servicemembers who lost their lives in wartime service to the nation. With gratitude and reflection, we particularly honor members of the Harvard Law School community who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The names of those lost in World War I and World War II are engraved into the stone wall surrounding the entrance to the Caspersen Room on the 4th floor of Langdell Hall. Nearby, an additional tribute commemorates members of the HLS community who died in Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan. Together, these memorials serve as a daily reminder to students, staff, and visitors alike that the study and practice of law are inseparable from the ideals of justice, service, and sacrifice.

The inscription on the World War I and World War II wall reads, “In memory of these men of the Harvard Law School whose death in two wars gave new meaning to the heritage and promise of law.” In columns underneath are the names of 83 men lost in World War I, and 111 men lost in World War II. For a full list of names, visit our blog at bit.ly/AmicusLibris.

Getting ready...

What more is there to say?

Two of our biggest fans: Jonathan Zittrain, Vice Dean for Library and Information Resources, and 🧡

Finals are over and it’s time to relax!

Final exams might have your world turned upside down, but we know you’ve got this! Just think, soon you’ll be relaxing like our feline friend Sir Benoit, who recently received Honors in Animal Law, according to his human Debbie Ginsberg (also our Manager of Emerging Technology Initiatives).

As you make your way through final exams, Bear is sending you pawsitive vibes! He knows it can be ruff, and he knows you've got this! Thanks for sharing this photo :)