Legal Research Workshop

Legal Research WorkshopJessica BrownHead of Training

AGENDA

– Subscribed resources – a vendor view– Making the most of your resources– A worked example– BREAK– Put it into practice

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SUBSCRIBED RESOURCES – VENDOR VIEW• Primary law sources – freely available• Demonstrate the value:

– Time saving efficiencies– In depth analysis– Valued expertise– Investment – Technology & Functionality

• Vendors create the value – you can (and should) utilise it

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MAKING THE MOST OF RESOURCES• What does your subscription cover• Where do I start?• Indexing and Taxonomies• Know your resources• Submissions

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MAKING THE MOST OF RESOURCES• What does your subscription cover?• Focus tends to be on premium sources or

‘numbers’.• Look for the added extras:

– Research aids– Additional content/sources – Expert interaction– Full support services

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MAKING THE MOST OF RESOURCES• Where do I start?

– What am I trying to achieve?

• Use the ‘introductions’

• Don’t automatically think search

• Use subscribed sources to find external links

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MAKING THE MOST OF RESOURCES• Indexing and Taxonomies

– Vendors put a great deal of investment into fully indexing all documents

• Taxonomies tend to be similar across services

• Searching by keywords tends to be more effective

• Don’t automatically think Edit – think Filter

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MAKING THE MOST OF RESOURCES• Know your resources

– every services has strengths and weaknesses

• Know:– Frequency of updates across sources– Expertise – who is writing the content– Search connectors

• Sometimes the ‘weakness’ can be a benefit

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MAKING THE MOST OF RESOURCES• Submissions

– Use the services you subscribe to, to achieve business objectives.

• Most services accept some forms of external submission to their content.

• Use those resources to advertise your organisations’ expertise.

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A WORKED EXAMPLEA fee-earner has asked for wide-ranging background on religious marriage & divorce as the basis for an article they are writing.

They would also like to know what procedures commonly arise in practice.

– The Basis/Foundation of law– Primary Sources– Recommended Reading– Current news– Practice Guidance

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TIME FOR A BREAK

OVER TO YOU…

MAKING THE MOST OF RESOURCES• What does your subscription cover• Where do I start?• Indexing and Taxonomies• Know your resources• Submissions

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Any Questions?