Libraries and Learning Innovation

Legal research and tools

after University.finding good quality information for your job

search and beyond

Contents

• Access after graduation to free and

quality legal information

• Using online business databases to

research companies

• Other resources for your job hunt

(websites, newspapers, libraries)

• Your online presence-is it professional?

• Highlighting information skills on your

CV

Current access to legal information

• The big 2 legal databases - Lexis

Library and Westlaw

• Do you use them now? (If not –why

not?)

• You may find you do not have access

to them after graduation

• Top quality resources BUT expensive

• What alternatives exist and why is it

advantageous to know how to use

these?

Access after graduation to free and

quality information

Law reports

• British and Irish Legal Information Institute

http://www.bailii.org

• House of Lords judgements

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld/ldjud

gmt.htm

Legislation

• UK Statute Law Database http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk

• UK Statutes http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts.htm

Access after graduation to free and

quality information

Inner Temple Library Current Awareness

Be alerted to newspaper articles on legal topics:

http://innertemplelibrary.wordpress.com/

The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/law

The Telegraph: Law Reports and Reporting

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/lawreports/

The Telegraph: Legal coverage of new stories - with a slant on

crime http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/

Other useful free resources

• http://www.venables.co.uk/aware.htm

• http://www.venables.co.uk/caselaw.htm

Using business subscription

databases to research companies

• Business Source Premier up-to-date company profiles,

industry reports, market share information

• FAME (Financial Information Made Easy) financial

information on over 2.7 million UK and Irish companies

• Nexis UK offers UK and international newspapers and

trade publications. Includes profiles of UK and

international companies.

• OSIRIS features detailed financial profiles of around 70,

000 international listed companies, banks and insurance

companies from around the world.

• Keynote and Mintel gives information on UK

companies, products, industries and market sizes

More resources for your job hunt

Journals &newspapers

• Print copies of The Guardian, The Independent,

The Financial Times, The Observer, The Sunday

Times, The Times and The Yorkshire Post

Online resources

• http://jobs.thelawyer.com/

• http://jobs.lawgazette.co.uk/

• http://www.legalweekjobs.com/

Services at Leeds Central Library

• Business & IP Centre

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/bipcleeds/Pages/default.aspx

Enterprise Club / Inventors Club / job search sessions

• Online databases e.g. COBRA and UK Newstand

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/leisure/Pages/Online-resources.aspx

Using Leeds Beckett University Library after graduation

• Use the Library for reference access between 08:30-21:00

• To borrow items -register as a Guest User.

• Annual £50 membership fee. Applicants should provide proof of

graduation (There is a special reduced fee of £30 if registering as

an Alumnus for the first time.)

• Does NOT include access to PCs or any of our electronic

resources.

• Wide range of newspapers, books and study spaces,

which can all help you with your job search.

Your online presence

• A report in the Guardian 12th April 2011,

said that:

• 77% of recruiters used search engines to

find information on candidates

• 35% had eliminated a candidate because

of what they had found!

http://jobs.theguardian.com/article/4286494/you-

ve-been-googled-what-employers-don-t-want-to-

see-in-your-online-profile/

Your online presence

• Consider your online presence

• Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn

• What is publically viewable?

• What would a prospective employer think?

• Student Guide to Social Media

http://libassets.manchester.ac.uk/social-media-guide/

• Employability and Your Online Identity http://www.slideshare.net/cilipucryh/cilip-28964822

Highlighting information skills on

your CV

• Information literacy is a key skill, it makes sense to

promote this on your CV

• Consider adding a separate heading called “Digital

literacy skills”

E.g:

Digital literacy skills

“I am able to find, evaluate and use a wide range of legal

information. I have experience of using Lexis Library and

Westlaw (mention certificates if you have them). I am also

competent in tracking down high quality, free

sources of legal information.”

For more help…

• See your academic librarians,

parkin.wilson@leedsbeckett.ac.uk