The topic of your paper is, of course, what it is about. After finding a topic, you will narrow it down into a thesis. Ideas for topics could come from cases or from secondary sources like law review articles, treatises, ALR, legal encyclopedias, or legal practice materials. Ideas might also come from legal news stories or even stories from general news. Professors and other lawyers may have thoughts about topics, as well as knowledge of what nuances of a field have not been addressed thoroughly in the existing literature. Past work experiences can also be a valuable source of topics about which you might already have insights or thoughts.

Secondary sources that may be mined for ideas can be found in many different places. Make sure to check out these platforms:

Here are some various news sites to check: 

• Legal News
  • Law360
  • Westlaw Today
  • Law.com
  • Bloomberg News
• General News
  • Wall Street Journal
  • Financial Times
  • NY Times
  • Washington Post

Find a scholarly article that is really interesting to you and use it as a springboard for your thesis and your research. 

• Pick apart its argument/criticize it. 
• Focus in and develop one idea in it.
• Bring it up-to-date for current charges in the law or current events. 
• See how the article has been responded to over time.
• Develop a new analytical framework.
• Use it as a model to structure your paper.