Editorial

Welcome to the summer 2018 issue of Legal information Management.

FOCUS ON GDPR

We begin by continuing our interest in the topical subject of data protection and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which, by the time you read this editorial (ie. after 25 May 2018), will have replaced the Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC. Following the two articles published in the spring issue, we have a couple more contributions here. Firstly, Paul Magrath, Head of Product Development and Online Content at the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting, addresses the tensions between data protection and transparency in the context of the long overdue digital revolution in the courts of England and Wales. This is followed by a piece written by Susan Doe, Director of Compliance & Data Protection – Europe at Sidley Austin LLP. She writes from the perspective of the law firm sector and gives an introduction to the General Data Protection Regulation. In her article she highlights some practicalities for law firms when considering compliance with GDPR and offers a useful ‘to do’ list.

BIALL PRO BONO PROJECT IN SIERRA LEONE

Due to importance of pro bono work and BIALL's commitment to those principles, I have devoted a stand-alone heading for this project in Sierra Leone. The article is entitled The World Turned Upside Down: Reaching Out to Law Libraries in Sierra Leone and is written by Sarah Bracey and Tony Simmonds. The article details some of the challenges faced with regard to this project which seeks to enhance and support law library services in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

FOCUS ON LEGAL PUBLISHERS AND SUPPLIERS: JUSTIS

This new heading is intended to be an occasional series focusing on legal publishers and suppliers. This time around the focus is on Justis and the delivery of legal information by that company over its 30 year history. Masoud Gerami, Managing Director, and Aidan Hawes, Head of Commercial Development, describe the development of technology and look at Justis’ key milestones over the period. They discuss the range of innovations Justis has been responsible for, the changes in the legal research industry and, then, they offer an insight into some future aspirations for the company.

CURRENT INTERESTS

In this section we have four articles each on very different themes. Firstly, Robert Lankester, Founder and Director of RLegal Engineering Ltd, takes a look at implementing document automation projects. This follows his presentation at a recent BIALL KM Group meeting. He discusses what document automation is and the benefits to knowledge management (KM). He also gives guidance on project implementation, with a specific focus on resourcing, and offers some tips for preparing documents for automation. Next, a colleague of mine, Lizz Edwards-Waller who works at the Squire Law Library at the University of Cambridge, takes a look at virtual learning environments (VLEs) in the context of learning and teaching. She explores the role of the library in uploading articles, case notes and book excerpts to a VLE for law students, and discusses the need for librarians to collaborate with course leaders and administrators. In a second article that originates from the Squire, Josephine Bailey and Kate Faulkner write on usage and user experience in an academic law library setting. Finally, Terry McDonald, provides an introduction to the library of Trinity College Dublin (TCD), where she is the subject librarian for law. The particular emphasis of her article is on the legal resources available to students and visiting readers. She outlines the history of the library and the University's School of Law before turning attention to the law collections, the legal deposit status, the role of library and its law subject specialists.

CURRENT AWARENESS

This issue of LIM concludes in the traditional way with the current awareness section compiled by Katherine Read and Laura Griffiths.