Practice aids and form books are resources targeted to practitioners. These materials provide templates and checklists, cover elements of legal issues, help practitioners draft common documents, and more. They are practical, how-to sources. Practice aids and form books will often be tailored to specific jurisdictions.
Practice aids and form books are available online on Lexis and Westlaw as well as in print. Popular Texas materials include O'Connor's and Dorsaneo's. You will also often find materials published by Matthew Bender; the State Bar of Texas; and other bar associations, sections, and groups.
Law school teaches students how to "think like a lawyer," but it sometimes does not convey the practical, how-to side of practicing law. Practice aids help fill this gap by explaining how to do actual legal work. To this end, look for practice aids specific to your jurisdiction and area of law. You will want to ensure that the content is controlling in your jurisdiction.
Not every practice aid will be the same. If you have access to practice aids from multiple publishers, consider looking at more than one to review any similarities or differences. Keep in mind the characteristics of your task as well-- are you putting together something that is more repetitive and standardized or something that requires more tailoring for your client?
Most importantly, remember that practice aids and form books are a starting place for your work, not an ending place. They provide helpful guidelines and templates, but are not necessarily what you should be filing with a court or sending to opposing counsel. Always make sure that you adapt these materials to your client's specific situation. Practice materials do not come tailored to what your client needs or wants!
Following are links to Westlaw and Lexis content pages for some common practice aids and form books.
Texas Practice Series on Westlaw
