The Canadian Foundation for Legal Research has announced its award for the 2023 Walter Owen Book Prize to Modern Criminal Evidence (Toronto, Emond Publishing) for exceptional legal scholarship in Canada.

The Walter Owen Book Prize honours its namesake (1904–1981) who privately practised law for 40 years; served as President of the Canadian Bar Association; and in 1959, became the Foundation’s first President.

A Jury appointed by the Foundation recommended prize recipients from a list of 35 book nominees after more than four months of deliberation. All selections by the Jury were unanimous.

On behalf of the Jury, Professor John N. . . . [more]

Good morning Colleagues!

La version française suit.

We are writing to you on behalf of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries AI Working Group (WG).

The WG is responsible for developing guidance on the use of artificial intelligence in legal technologies, including both commercial and non-commercial databases. The databases anticipated to be covered would be those that use legal information sources (statutes, regulations, cases, commentary, and other sources) as their primary data source.

At this time, we are soliciting feedback from the legal profession.

Your feedback is important to the process, and will be used to help frame our final . . . [more]

Applications and nominations are now being received for the Walter Owen Book Prize offered by the Canadian Foundation for Legal Research. The deadline for submissions is May 26, 2023. Additional information is available at:
https://cflr-fcrj.ca/walter-owen-book-prize/ . . . [more]

While searching for cases in Saskatchewan, I came across this CanLII entry:

Duzan v. Glaxosmithkline, Inc., 2009 SKQB 230

Court of King’s Bench for Saskatchewan — Saskatchewan

2009-06-16 | 3 pages | cited by 4 documents

designated — defence — expires without it being delivered — application — time

There are others; I don’t know how many. In 2009, the court was the Court of Queen’s Bench, and its name was not retroactively changed on Her Majesty’s death; the effect of her death is prospective only. I have no idea what CanLII did to cause this change to be . . . [more]

As Past-President of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries, I have the pleasure of Chairing the 2022 Hugh Lawford Award for Excellence in Legal Publishing Committee. This award honours Hugh Lawford (1933-2009), Professor of Law at Queens’ University and founder of Quicklaw. It is awarded to a publisher (whether for-profit or not-for profit, corporate or non-corporate) that has demonstrated excellence by publishing a work, series, website, or electronic product that makes a significant contribution to legal research and scholarship. After reviewing a number of excellent nominations, the Selection Committee is pleased to announce the short-list of nominees for this . . . [more]

CALL/ACBD is accepting nominations for the 2022 Hugh Lawford Award for Excellence in Legal Publishing. The Canadian Association of Law Libraries has long had an annual award for excellent legal publishing. Some years ago, we renamed the award we present after Queens University Professor Hugh Lawford (1933-2009) to recognize his contributions to legal publishing in Canada. As a group of legal information specialists, our work depends on being able to access and share high-quality legal knowledge. We value innovation and this award is open to legal content in all information formats. Slaw.ca was recognized with this award in 2009. The . . . [more]

The Canadian Association of Law Libraries / Association canadienne des bibliotheques de droit (CALL/ACBD) is pleased to announce thatThe CanLII Manual to British Columbia Civil Litigation, by Brent Anderson et al, John Fiddick and Cameron Wardell (eds.) is the winner of the 2021 Hugh Lawford Award for Excellence in Legal Publishing! This resource is a volunteer-written, open access publication that supports legal professionals and self-represented litigants with their civil justice research. It consists of nine “pathfinders” dealing with specific areas of the law, a guide to civil procedure at the BC Supreme Court, and annotated rules of court . . . [more]

The Canadian Association of Law Libraries has long had an annual award for excellent legal publishing. Some years ago, we renamed the award we present after Queens University Professor Hugh Lawford (1933-2009) to recognize his contributions to legal publishing in Canada. As a group of legal information specialists, our work depends on being able to access and share high-quality legal knowledge. We value innovation and the award is open to all information formats. Slaw.ca was recognized with this award in 2009. The CALL/ACBD is accepting nominations for the 2021 Hugh Lawford Award for Excellence in Legal Publishing. This award . . . [more]

As we embrace technology in our courtrooms, meetings, and classrooms, it is time we do the same with delivery of legal information. The law’s track record on disability within the profession is mixed, at best. While some universities and employers have an excellent track record with students and lawyers with disabilities or learning difficulties, others do not. Law, and wider society, also tend to ignore less visible or invisible disabilities. Those among us who have difficulty with traditional learning methods often struggle with the barriers created by traditional learning. There is a gap in access to legal information for people . . . [more]

I might have titled this post “pandemic pleasures” or some other alliterative title that made it clear that ONLY in 2020 would some opportunities be available. This year I had the benefit and pleasure of attending a conference that I have longed to go to – Law Via the Internet. LVI 2020 was originally intended to be in the UK. The conference is almost always overseas. Slawyers know that in-person conferences and travelling are not possible. Slawyers should also know by now that many, many things are now feasible like attending a global conference of interest but perceived as not . . . [more]

The Canadian Association of Law Libraries / Association canadienne des bibliotheques de droit (CALL/ACBD) is pleased to announce that LGBTQ2+ Law: Practice Issues and Analysis, Joanna Radbord, General Editor, is the winner of the 2020 Hugh Lawford Award for Excellence in Legal Publishing! Members of the LGBTQ2+ community face unique hurdles, especially in areas of family, immigration, estates, and criminal law. LGBTQ2+ Law: Practice Issues and Analysis takes a practical approach to identifying and analyzing key LGBTQ2+ issues that arise in these various legal contexts. The first text of its kind, it draws on the expertise and . . . [more]

May is typically the beginning of the season for conferences that law librarians attend, kicking off with the CALL/ACBD conference. This year, we are attending virtually, and you are invited to our events!

You may consider yourself a law librarian, knowledge manager, legal researcher, legal information provider, legal technology developer, legal information specialist or user, or not – it doesn’t matter to us – you are welcome to join in. You may be a member of CALL or a member of a law library sister association, or not – regardless of whether you paid your modest CALL/ACBD membership fee for . . . [more]