FAQs
General
Q: What is the Case Studies Program at Harvard Law School?
Q: Who may use the Case Studies Program website?
Q: Who actually handles orders?
Q: What are the operating hours for the Case Studies Program?
Navigating the Case Studies website and selecting resources
Q: There are so many case studies available. How do I figure out which one I need?
Q: I'm interested in several of your case studies. Is there some way I can review them to decide which one would best suit my needs?
Placing an order
Q: How do I place an order through the website?
Q: I'd rather not place my order online. How else can I order?
Q: If I'm ordering several copies of a case study, what should I enter in the Quantity box?
Q: Many of your items are offered at different prices. Which price do I get?
Q: When I click on the checkout button nothing happens.
Q: Why isn't there anything in my shopping cart?
Q: When can I expect to receive my order?
Q: How much will my total order cost?
Q: I'd like to use my credit card to order online. What security measures are in place on the Case Studies web site?
Ordering electronic copies
Q: What is a "soft copy"?
Q: Is there a price difference between hard and soft copies?
Q: What are the benefits of electronic soft copies versus hard copies?
Q: Who might want to order soft copies instead of hard copies?
Q: Do I need any special software or equipment to order soft copies?
Q: Will my firewall or e-mail security settings prevent me from receiving the electronic files?
Q: Once I order a soft copy, will I be able to download, forward, or print it as often as I want?
Q: Can I purchase and download soft copies 24 hours a day?
Q: If I purchase soft copies, can I arrange to have our copy center incorporate them into a course packet?
Q: How do I order hard copies? Are there extra costs associated with hard copies?
Q: What if I have additional questions?
After receiving your order
Q: I didn't get what I thought I ordered and/or I have questions about what I received.
Q: What is your return policy?
Special requests
Q: Do you offer accessible versions of products?
Q: May I have permission to reproduce HLS teaching materials in a course packet?
Q: I'd like to contribute something to the Case Studies Program. Where do you get your material?
General
Q: What is the Case Studies Program at Harvard Law School?
A: A recent initiative funded by the Harvard Law School Dean’s office and developed within the auspices of the HLS Library, the Case Studies Program creates a central portal for all the case study and experiential teaching materials developed at HLS, including interactive case studies, role plays, and problem sets developed for the JD program, executive education courses, and courses through the Program on Negotiation. From https://casestudies.law.harvard.edu, registered educators, students, and staff at degree-granting institutions can view free educator copies and purchase teaching materials. The general public and for-profit entities may also view and purchase materials from this website. All Case Study products have been developed or endorsed by HLS faculty or affiliates.
Q: Who may use the Case Studies Program website?
A: All Case Studies Program products and services are available to the general public via its website: https://casestudies.law.harvard.edu. Registered educators, staff, and students at degree-granting institutions receive discounted pricing on certain products.
Q: Who actually handles orders?
A: For most products, pdf documents are automatically sent via email from our e-commerce site, BigCommerce. Distribution of teaching notes and teacher’s manuals is approved by the HLS faculty authors and staff. Program on Negotiation (PON) products are distributed via the Teaching Negotiation Resource Center. For more information on the Teaching Negotiation Resource Center distribution process, see the PON FAQs page.
Q: What are the operating hours for the Case Studies Program?
A: The Case Studies website, https://casestudies.law.harvard.edu, is available for order placement 24 hours a day. Case Studies Program staff are available to answer inquiries during regular business hours: Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, excluding holidays.
Navigating the Case Studies website and selecting resources
Q: There are so many case studies available. How do I figure out which one I need?
A: Often, the best way to start is with the Browse or Search features on the Case Studies website. You can browse for materials by subject, such as International Law or Business Law; by author; or by the program that developed the material. Our search function will give you results based on a partial or whole title, author, subject, or keyword. We also have an HLS Case Studies A-Z link to an alphabetical listing of all the case studies on the website in the footer of each web page. If you see a case study you are interested in, you may download a free, watermarked copy of the full text for your review if you are registered and signed in on the website as an educator or staff of a degree-granting institution. If you are still having difficulty finding an appropriate product for your needs, please contact the Case Studies program office at (617) 495-8689 or HLSCaseStudies@law.harvard.edu with a request for recommendations.
Q: I'm interested in several of your case studies. Is there some way I can review them to decide which one would best suit my needs?
A: Yes – if you are a registered educator on our site, you may download a free watermarked review copy of most products. In addition, the Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program offers educators and for profit trainers free review copies of its role plays. To gain access, click the "educator copy" or "review copy" link on the corresponding product page. You will be redirected to the educator/review copy of that product. There will be a zero cost shown to the right of the page. Add this product to your shopping cart and go through the checkout process. You will not be charged for this copy. Please note that educator and review copies are for review only and contain prominent watermarks prohibiting duplication.
Placing an order
Q: How do I place an order through the website?
A: Selecting items:
When you have found an item that you would like to order, look for the price listed at the right of the webpage for that item. Enter the number of copies you would like in the Quantity box next to the relevant price. Then click on the green Add to Cart button. This will add the selected item(s) to your shopping cart. From your shopping cart, you may (1) remove or change the quantity of any item in your cart by checking the Remove box or changing the number in the Qty box; (2) Continue Shopping by clicking on the blue button, or (3) Checkout by clicking on the green button. If you continue shopping, simply add additional items to your shopping cart in the same manner. Please note: Program on Negotiation (PON) materials must be purchased through their secure website. Please click on the link next to the PON product to access the PON site directly.
Checkout:
Our products are available for both electronic download and hard copy (shipped via U.S. Postal Service). If you want hard copies of our products mailed to you, please contact the Case Studies program office at (617) 495-8689 or HLSCaseStudies@law.harvard.edu. Electronic copies can be downloaded directly from the website. To purchase an electronic copy, click the Checkout button from your shopping cart to reach the Secure Checkout page.
Step 1: Account Details. If you have not already signed in to the Case Studies website, the Secure Checkout page will offer you the choice to (1) sign in to your existing account; or (2) create a new account and then sign in. You must register or sign in on the site to purchase products. Enter the requested information and click Continue or Create an Account.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are unable to access the "Create an Account" or "Address" form pages, you probably need to clear your cache and cookies. Instructions for doing this are listed here.
Step 2: Billing and Account Details. Either click on your existing billing address or enter a new billing address and click the Bill to this Address button.
Step 3: Order Confirmation. This screen will allow you to review your order, if you need to modify your order, click on the Shopping Cart button in the upper right of your screen. If your order meets with your approval, please review and agree to our Terms and Conditions and click Continue.
Step 4: Payment Details: The fastest and easiest way to purchase products on our site is with credit card. We will not store or share your confidential credit information. We accept all major credit cards; click on the drop down menu to choose the card your prefer and enter the information. Prior to clicking Pay for Order, you may go back and review any of the checkout information by clicking Modify next to the appropriate Checkout Step; you can also modify your order by clicking on the Shopping Cart button in the upper right of your screen.
If your order meets with your approval, click the Pay for Order button to complete your order.
Please note that if you are downloading a free educator/review copy you will not have to enter payment details. Educator/review copies can be accessed by clicking the "educator copy" or "review copy" links on the corresponding product page.
Delivery Information:
After you have completed the steps to purchase an electronic copy, you will access a page that confirms your order and provides a link to download your item. You will also receive a link to your item in an email; you can either click on the website link or the emailed link to download your pdf document. If you click on the website link, you will go to a page that lists all the products you have purchased. From this page, you can (1) review your order by clicking the Review Order Details button, (2) reorder the product by clicking on the Reorder button, and (3) Download your item. When you are ready to download, click the Download Files link for the item you want, then click the pdf link on the following page to access your item.
To download your files from your email, click on the Download File link in the body of the email, then click on the pdf link on the web page.
You will need Adobe Reader to read your files.
Q: I'd rather not place my order online. How else can I order?
A: Please contact the Case Studies program office at (617) 495-8689 or HLSCaseStudies@law.harvard.edu during regular business hours.
Q: If I'm ordering several copies of a case study, what should I enter in the Quantity box?
A: Whether you are ordering hard copies or soft copies, enter the number of copies equal to the number of participants in the class. For example, if you plan to teach a role play or case study to 50 participants, enter "50" in the quantity field. Each case study document is authorized for one use/one student or participant only.
For more information on ordering Program on Negotiation Role Plays and Simulations, click here.
Q: Many of your items are offered at different prices. Which price do I get?
A: If you are a student, or ordering materials on behalf of an educational, governmental, or nonprofit institution you are entitled to the educational/nonprofit rate if one is offered. ("On behalf of" includes ordering for an employer or a client). In all other cases, you should purchase materials at full price. If you are unsure which rate applies, please contact the Case Studies program office at (617) 495-8689 or HLSCaseStudies@law.harvard.edu.
Q: When I click on the checkout button nothing happens.
A: It is possible that you are having trouble accessing the address form page. If so, you need to clear your cache and cookies from your browser before you continue. Instructions for doing this for the various browsers are listed here. Sometimes, simply exiting and restarting your browser will fix the problem, or you can try to access the page with a different browser (for example, Firefox instead of Internet Explorer). If, after trying these steps and clearing your cookies and cache, you still experience the problem, please contact the Case Studies program office at (617) 495-8689 or HLSCaseStudies@law.harvard.edu.
Q: Why isn't there anything in my shopping cart?
A: Two steps are required to add items to your shopping cart. First, you must enter a number into the Quantity box ("Qty") next to the item price. Item prices and quantity boxes are at the right of each product webpage. Second, you must click on the "Add to Cart" button after entering a quantity. If you have followed both steps and still have nothing in your shopping cart, please contact the Case Studies program office at (617) 495-8689 or HLSCaseStudies@law.harvard.edu for technical assistance.
Q: When can I expect to receive my order?
A: If you ordered materials to be physically shipped to you, your order normally will be shipped within a maximum of two business days. The length of time between the time your order is shipped and the time you receive it depends on the shipping method you select. Shipping methods range from overnight delivery to ground delivery and are billed at cost. If you need an order processed more quickly, please contact the Case Studies program office at (617) 495-8689 or HLSCaseStudies@law.harvard.edu.
If you ordered electronic copies, you should receive them immediately. Distribution of teaching notes or manuals, if they are available, will be included in the free educator or review copies.
Your delivery may be delayed if you do not provide complete, accurate billing and shipping information (including a valid credit card number, if you are paying by credit card). On rare occasions, your delivery may be delayed if the item you ordered is out of stock. In these cases, we will contact you as soon as possible to confirm whether you still would like to place the order.
Q: How much will my total order cost?
A: You will receive an e-mail confirmation with a subtotal including cost of all materials ordered and handling charges, but excluding shipping and any applicable tax. If your items are being physically shipped, shipping costs will be added based on the actual shipping cost (there is no markup for shipping). Case Study orders are generally exempt from sales tax, with the exception of physically shipped orders to customers in California. The Case Studies Program is obliged to collect sales tax in the following circumstances:
7.25% California sales tax on purchases of any tangible (i.e., non-electronic) materials shipped to any California address. Please contact the Case Studies program office at (617) 495-8689 or HLSCaseStudies@law.harvard.edu with any questions about the applicability of sales tax. You will receive a receipt with your shipment or electronic delivery indicating the total charge for your order.
Q: I'd like to use my credit card to order online. What security measures are in place on the Case Studies web site?
A: We use industry-standard SSL ("secure socket layer") technology to encrypt your credit card number when you place an online order. For more information, click on the following icon:
|
|
If you would rather not include your credit card information with your website order, you may provide that information by contacting the Case Studies Program office at (617) 495-8689 or HLSCaseStudies@law.harvard.edu.
Ordering electronic copies
Q: What is a "soft copy"?
A: A soft copy of a case study is an electronic pdf file, as opposed to a paper "hard copy."
Q: Is there a price difference between hard and soft copies?
A: Hard and soft copies are priced identically. However, there are no shipping charges for soft copies. For large, urgent, or international orders, the savings on shipping costs can be substantial.
Q: What are the benefits of electronic soft copies versus hard copies?
A: The primary benefits of soft copies are that they can be distributed to others (such as students) electronically, the delivery time is much shorter than for hard copies, and soft copies entail no shipping charge. The primary benefits of hard copies are that they require no additional time or effort to prepare them for in-person use, and that (for multiple-role simulations) they are printed on colored paper that makes it easier to distinguish the different roles.
Q: Who might want to order soft copies instead of hard copies?
A: Purchasing a soft or electronic copy is the fastest, easiest, and least expensive way to obtain your case study. Case Study customers who might prefer soft copies include those who teach online and/or distribute their course materials via e-mail or a course website; those who wish to incorporate HLS materials into a course packet; those who need their materials on an urgent basis, and those (particularly outside the U.S.) for whom shipping costs might be an obstacle.
Q: Do I need any special software or equipment to order soft copies?
A: Soft copies are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format and may be read with the free Acrobat Reader, available here. Soft copies will be delivered via our secure check out and as one or more attachments to an e-mail; you can click on these attachments to download your documents. Please note that soft copies can only be read on a PC running Windows 2000 or Windows XP (Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0, and ME are not supported at this time), or a Macintosh running OSX 10.3 or higher. In deciding which email address to use, please note that the links for both PC- and Mac-compatible files can be sent to any e-mail address, but that PC-compatible files may only be read on a PC, and that Mac-compatible files may only be read on a Macintosh.
Q: Will my firewall or e-mail security settings prevent me from receiving the electronic files?
A: Probably not, unless your e-mail system blocks mail from unidentified senders. (If that's the case, please contact the Case Studies office at (617) 495-8689 or HLSCaseStudies@law.harvard.edu to make special arrangements).
Q: Once I order a soft copy, will I be able to download, forward, or print it as often as I want?
A: No. Case Study materials are protected by U.S. copyright laws, and one soft copy must be purchased for each time that the file will be downloaded, forwarded, or photocopied.
Q: Can I purchase and download soft copies 24 hours a day?
A: Yes, with the exception of some teaching notes and Program on Negotiation (PON) materials. Click here for more information on downloading PON materials.
Q: If I purchase soft copies, can I arrange to have our copy center incorporate them into a course packet?
A: Yes. Simply purchase the same number of soft copy permissions as the number of course packets into which you plan to insert the case or exercise (if you're having 40 course packets printed, you would order 40 soft copies of the case(s) you plan to include). If you need authorization for your copy center, please contact Lisa Brem at lbrem@law.harvard.edu. She will verify that you purchased the correct number of downloads and issue an email authorizing you or your copy center to make the appropriate number of copies.
Q: How do I order hard copies? Are there extra costs associated with hard copies?
Alternatively, customers can request hard copies of all cases and role plays by emailing hlscasestudies@law.harvard.edu or calling Lisa Brem at 617-495-8689. Customers who purchase multi-party role plays in which students receive different confidential instructions sometimes find the hardcopy/shipped option preferable. If you request hard copies, we will calculate the number of each role play you will need and send you the appropriate color coded sets of copies. Please note that handling and shipping charges will apply. The amount of shipping and handling will depend on your location, the product you choose, and the number of participants.
Q: What if I have additional questions?
A: Please contact the Case Studies program office at (617) 495-8689 or HLSCaseStudies@law.harvard.edu.
After receiving your order
Q: I didn't get what I thought I ordered and/or I have questions about what I received.
A: Please contact the Case Studies program office at (617) 495-8689 or HLSCaseStudies@law.harvard.edu and we will be happy to answer your questions. If the item(s) you received were different from what you ordered, we will promptly send you the correct items at no additional charge.
Q: What is your return policy?
A: See our return policy here.
Special requests
Q: Do you offer accessible versions of products?
A: Yes! To obtain accessible versions of our products for use by those with disaibilities, please contact the Case Studies Program at HLSCaseStudies@law.harvard.edu or +1-617-500-1038.
Q: May I have permission to reproduce HLS teaching materials in a course packet?
A: You may reproduce HLS teaching materials in a course packet designed for one-time use with a particular group of students or participants. To do so, please order the number of soft copies equivalent to the number of course packets you plan to produce (if you're having 40 course packets printed, for example, you would order 40 soft copies of the case study(s) you plan to include). This option works well for case studies and other exercises for which each student receives identical material.
If you are ordering role simulations, remember that most role simulations include different sets of confidential instructions for different participants. So, if you order 40 copies of a 2-party role simulation, you would receive 20 permissions for one party's instructions and 20 permissions for the other party's. In this case, you might choose to either (a) create different course packets for different students; (b) include only the general instructions for the role simulation in the course packet, if the simulation comes with them, and distribute the confidential instructions separately; or (c) omit the role simulation from the course packet entirely.
Please note that you may not reproduce HLS materials in any format intended for public distribution, such as a book, magazine, or journal, even if you purchase the appropriate number of soft copies. If you are interested in including HLS materials in a compilation intended for public distribution, please contact the Case Studies program office at (617) 495-8689 or HLSCaseStudies@law.harvard.edu to discuss your request.
Q: I'd like to contribute something to the Case Studies Program. Where do you get your material?
A: In general, the Case Study Program resources are written by HLS or Program on Negotiation (PON) faculty, staff, or graduate research fellows. In some cases, the Case Study website offers cases written by HLS- or PON-affiliated authors that are extensively tested and endorsed by an HLS or PON faculty member. If you are interested in contributing a teaching case or exercise to the Case Studies Program, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss the possibility of a non-exclusive distribution license. (Please note, however, that the Case Studies Program and PON do not offer author royalties).