This article by Joe Kennedy of Baker & McKenzie. Wong & Leow in Singapore outlines the legal system in Singapore; explains the legislative process; discusses case reporting and gives guidance on how to find legal materials in both hard copy and online sources and both free and for fee.

This paper, originally presented at the BIALL Conference in June 2010 by Rory Kingan, introduces the concept of Electronic Resource Management systems and how they can help law libraries deliver better value from online services. The goals and functions of these systems are presented, benefits that firms are achieving with them are described and several advanced uses are discussed.

The article below, which is written by Gloria Orrego Hoyos, presents an overview of the Inter-American Human Rights System, its main instruments, its organs for the protection and promotion of human rights in the Americas and the available tools for the academic research and the activism in the vindication for human rights in the region. This information is presented from the contextualization of the system within a history of violation of human rights in the region, and the role of both the Inter-American Convention and the Inter-American Court in the transformation of the social, political and institutional realities of the people of the continent.

This article by Clare Brown is based on a presentation given at the BIALL Online Annual Conference in June 2021. It takes the form of a case study that illustrates how library and information professionals can control the flow of information so as to avoid users being overwhelmed by news.

This article, written by Emily Stannard, is based on her presentation at the 2015 BIALL Annual Conference. The article discusses the recent statutory changes to the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and reflects on the impact it has had on information professionals, especially those working within the cultural heritage and education sectors. The wording of the legislation is considered in detail with the aid of case law to provide context where necessary, particularly with reference to fair dealing provisions. Developments within the Digital Single Market of the European Union also have a significant impact on national copyright law, and it is imperative that information professionals remain informed about upcoming copyright initiatives as well as making sense of the new statutory instruments.

The role of the law librarian or legal information professional is thought by some to have been diminished significantly by technological advances which provide instant access to an enormous range of materials direct to individual users at their desks. The reality is that the wide range of instantly accessible materials makes the experience and knowledge of the information professional more important, not less; and imminently expected advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence are likely to confirm the vital importance of the legal information professional at the centre of legal services.

Josephine Bailey, the inaugural recipient of BIALL's Professional Studies Bursary, provides a student's perspective on current LIS qualifications, what they can offer to individuals hoping to enter the profession and the challenges facing new professionals today. Her observations and comments are based on her experiences of the MA course in Librarianship and Information Services Management which is offered by the University of Sheffield and is currently ranked as the top university for Librarianship and Information Management.

Jackie Fishleigh summarises some tried and tested methods that can turn an intranet into an invaluable business tool. This article provides a number of top tips for engaging users and maintaining their interest and attention for the benefit of their working community. The article, which draws heavily on recently published material by Martin White and Interact Intranet, aims to be informative and entertaining!

We are a law firm with over 4,000 staff, including over 2,000 legal and business advisers, providing services to the private and public sector business and finance community. With a network of over 24 offices throughout Europe and in Asia, including offices in London, Paris, Barcelona, Brussels, Budapest, Copenhagen, Doha, Madrid, Milan, Rome, Shanghai, Singapore, Sofia, Valladolid and Vienna, Eversheds' lawyers combine an in-depth knowledge of local markets with the resources and international capability of one of the world's largest law firms.

In a previous life I was a yuppie. Double breasted suit, briefcase and a state-of-the-art-library with views across the harbour from the top floor of a glass tower in downtown Auckland. I worked hard and played even harder. My time was charged in ten minute units and I can still remember the middle initial of every partner in the firm. So how on earth did I end up trading my well polished lace-ups for flip flops and the beloved kiwi Sauvignon Blanc for a dirty brown liquid called kava?

Amanda McKenzie writes about how information professionals can play a role in creating and implementing an effective knowledge management strategy within a law firm and how they and professional support lawyers can work together.

This article by Janice Clarke of Holman Fenwick Willan covers the basic materials required for a shipping law library (both hard copy and online) and then addresses how to answer some of the queries most frequently received by the shipping law librarian. The emphasis is on specialised sources.

The 6th Willi Steiner Memorial Lecture was delivered by David Allen Green and took place on 8 June 2017 during the Annual Conference of the British and Irish Association of Law Librarians (BIALL) which was held in Manchester. His talk concerned libraries and public policy with particular reference to Brexit. He addressed the issues of how a debate like Brexit can be better informed and to what extent reliable legal and policy information makes any difference. In essence, he looks at how good information can help shape Brexit. This article is a later write-up from David's speaking notes. The lecture was, coincidentally, given on the same day as the general election.

This article written by Hester Swift is based on the online course entitled, ‘Customary International Law’, which was created by the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS) Library for the Postgraduate Online Research Training (PORT) platform and is available to all at <https://port.sas.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=120>. The PORT service is provided by the University of London's School of Advanced Study.

In this article, John Sinkins, Chairman of Wildy & Sons Ltd, outlines a brief history of the company and how his family have been involved since 1895. It describes how the company has evolved, particularly since the turn of the millennium. He describes his personal journey and that of the company since he joined in 1968, more than 50 years ago.

The amount of physical space available is a vital issue for virtually all law libraries. In this article, Dunstan Speight, Library Manager at City law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP, presents the issues involved in reducing and retaining library materials, to help library managers present a sound business case for maintaining the collection they need. Dunstan's experience is that of a law firm librarian, but it is hoped that much of what follows will also be relevant to librarians in other sectors.

This is the latest report analysing the results of the annual Academic Law Library Survey that is jointly sponsored by the Society of Legal Scholars (SLS) and the British and Irish Association of Law Librarians (BIALL). It has been compiled and written by David Gee, Librarian at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, a part of the School of Advanced Study at the University of London.

Virtual learning environments (VLEs) are successfully used by many institutions to provide content which supports and enhances taught courses. In this article, Lizz Edwards-Waller 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. The article also considers the decision-making process involved in determining which resources to make available and highlights some key copyright issues to be aware of.

The Financial Services and Markets Department is one of 11 main departments at City law firm Travers Smith LLP. Shirley Lofthouse, Head of Information at Travers Smith, considers the work of the financial services lawyer and the resources needed to support the research requirements of the department.

This article is written by Rebecca Herle who is the Head of Sales and Marketing at the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England & Wales (ICLR). Her article draws on material delivered by two of her colleagues at the ICLR, namely Daniel Hoadley's recent plenary session at the BIALL Conference 2014 called, ‘The Curious Case of the Judgment Enhancers’ and Paul Magrath's article published by Infolaw.co.uk, entitled ‘The Future of Law Reporting’. It also refers in part to Lord Neuberger's speech for the first annual BAILII Lecture (in 2012) entitled ‘No Judgment – No Justice’, and reflects upon the position of the ICLR in the legal profession today. From the birth of the ICLR in 1865 to the present day the article provides a brief history, and then explores the current day issues, of this charitable publisher in its surrounding legal environment. She also offers a glimpse into what the future might hold.