In this article, Nick Jarrett-Kerr examines the long delayed implementation of the ABS structure which is likely to be finally implemented in October 2011. He reviews the plans of some early movers towards ABS and considers the possible benefits to law firms, to external investors and to clients.

Bronwen Still explains the provisions of the new SRA Handbook in implementing an entirely new system of outcomes focused regulation. This approach sets out to give firms much more freedom to tailor their services to individual clients, rather than the previous system of detailed regulation.

This article from the Chair of the Bar Standards Board, Baroness Ruth Deech, considers the impact of the Legal Services Act 2007 on the regulation of the Bar.

Vicky Ling outlines the Government's proposals to reform the legal aid scheme for family law. They would remove legal aid funding from many potential clients and threaten access to justice.

Loyita Worley reports on the SLA Europe1 seminar held in March 2011 on the impact of outsourcing in law firms. The panel included the perspectives of the provider companies and experiences of law firm information professionals who have already adopted outsourcing and those who are about to.

Mark Ross provides an overview of currently available ethical guidance from both the UK and US regulatory bodies for law firms engaged in legal process outsourcing.

Clare Brown of Collyer Bristow revisits her earlier research on how the legal landscape is changing as a result of changes in regulation; the opening up of the profession to alternative business models and the effect of the internet on legal service provision.

Amy Bell examines the controversial Bribery Act which will come into effect on 1st July 2011 and why most businesses will have to prepare for it.

Sara Meyer, the newly appointed Knowledge Manager at the Legal Ombudsman in Birmingham, describes how they are beginning to set up KM systems to deal with a completely new jurisdiction relating to the hearing of complaints against solicitors. This follows the introduction of reforms contained in the Legal Services Act 2007, which mean that all complaints are now heard by this one organisation.

OSCOLA, the Oxford Standard for the Citation Of Legal Authorities, was first devised in 2000. The fourth edition, published in November 2010, includes for the first time guidelines for citing Scottish, Irish and Welsh cases and legislation, historical legal sources and new media such as blogs. It also provides more extensive general advice about using quotations, managing and cross-referencing footnotes and organising bibliographies and tables of cases and legislation. OSCOLA can be used in conjunction with bibliographic software such as Endnote and is becoming the UK national standard for legal citation.

Alissa Sputore from the Melbourne Law School describes the ground-breaking Law Research Service which the Law Library runs for its staff and students as part of an effort to improve the quality of research and publication in the Law School.

Jackie Fishleigh from Payne Hicks Beach recently undertook a project to implement a know how database of documents for the firm's Company Commercial Department. Prior to starting she tried to find out how colleagues learnt to use the software and she discusses her findings in this article.

This article covers, and expands on, a presentation of the same name given at the BIALL Conference held in Brighton in 2010. The Health and Safety Executive Management Standards approach for tackling the cause of work-related stress was launched in November 2004. Since the launch, the HSE has worked with many thousands of organisations within the United Kingdom to implement the Management Standards approach. This work has provided the HSE with the opportunity to learn how best to manage the causes of work-related stress in the workplace.

Elena Shishmolina writes about the foundation and growth of the work of the Legal Information Centre in the National Library of Russia, Saint Petersburg, including information about its website and electronic guides.

Ufuoma Lamikanra and Dr T. O. Dada visited the IALS library in March 2010 to study the running of a large academic library with a view to trying to modernise procedures in the Nigerian Institute's library.

Daniel Harrison, professional support lawyer, and Lisa Bunker, senior information officer, at Clifford Chance LLP explain why competition law research is so heavily based on European Union (EU) law and briefly describe the organisational framework and where to find key documents.

Cathy Mattis shares some ideas for conducting KM surveys within a law firm.