Legal Research 2012

Friday, April 20, 2012
Time: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
Pan Pacific Hotel, 999 Canada Place, Vancouver

Rebroadcast: Time: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
"Last Kick at the Can": Monday, December 17, 2012
"Last Kick at the Can": Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Who should attend: Lawyers and legal support staff; anyone who has occasion to conduct legal research.

Learning level: Intermediate/Advanced

Legal research is an essential skill set for every lawyer!
Legal research is an area of the practice of law that has undergone a major transformation as a result of new technology. The Internet, for one, has revolutionized legal research. Amid this backdrop, lawyers now have a wide array of resources at their disposal, from free databases to fee for service providers. When faced with so many options, what resources and skills should counsel focus on? This intermediate/advanced level course is designed to give busy practitioners a comprehensive review of the tools and techniques they must have at their disposal to effectively manage legal research. You will benefit from the wealth of experience of research lawyers who have combined traditional strategies with the creative use of technology to solve the most challenging research problems. Don’t miss this opportunity to update and sharpen this essential element of every lawyer’s skill set! 

Law Society of BC CPD Hours: 6 hours (a minimum of 1 hour will involve aspects of professional responsibility and ethics, client care and relations, and/or practice management)

CLEBC is using Twitter at this program. You can post a question or comment on Twitter using the hashtag: #clebc. Want to find out more? Download: A Guide for Using Twitter at CLEBC Programs.

Course Chairs 
Paul Dawson — Dolden Wallace Folick LLP, Vancouver
Lisa A. Peters — Lawson Lundell LLP, Vancouver

Registration includes course materials. Note: You will continue to receive a print copy of the materials at the course. In addition, you will receive an email with a link to the online version of the materials approximately one day before the course.

CLEBC Program Lawyer
Raymond Lee
rlee@cle.bc.ca

Can't make the course? 
Order the course materials
Price for papers published for this course, determined on publication, ranges from $90 to $195 plus shipping and HST.

Course Chairs 
Paul Dawson — Dolden Wallace Folick LLP, Vancouver
Lisa A. Peters — Lawson Lundell LLP, Vancouver

Faculty 
Catherine P. Best — Boughton Law Corporation, Vancouver
Johanne A.C. Blenkin — Executive Director, Courthouse Libraries BC, Vancouver
Carmen Cheung — Litigation Director (Acting), BC Civil Liberties Association, Vancouver
Paul Dawson — Dolden Wallace Folick LLP, Vancouver
Do-Ellen S. Hansen — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver
Susan E. MacFarlane, PhD — Barrister & Solicitor, Burnaby
Meghan Maddigan — Courthouse Libraries BC, Vancouver
Raji Mangat — Associate Counsel, BC Civil Liberties Association, Vancouver
Timothy R.B. Outerbridge — Court of Appeal for BC, Vancouver
Gregory S. Pun — Alexander Holburn Beaudin & Lang LLP, Vancouver
Margaret “Peggy” Stanier — Stevens Virgin, Vancouver
Ellen M. Vandergrift — OnPoint Legal Research LC, Vancouver

Welcome and Introduction

Paul Dawson — Dolden Wallace Folick LLP, Vancouver
Lisa A. Peters — Lawson Lundell LLP, Vancouver

More Than Just Books: The BC Courthouse Library Society

• not all legal research can be done online
• what the Courthouse Library can help with

Johanne A.C. Blenkin — Executive Director, Courthouse Libraries BC, Vancouver 

Electronic Research of Canadian Law: New Developments and Best Practices

• is CanLII all you need?
• Quicklaw and Westlaw Canada—where they fit in
• secondary sources online: a growing resource
• the new and the neat!

Catherine P. Best — Boughton Law Corporation, Vancouver

Networking Break

The Canadian Lawyer's Guide to Conducting US Legal Research

• understanding the US court system
• navigating the US Code
• using secondary sources of US Law

Carmen Cheung — Litigation Director (Acting), BC Civil Liberties Association, Vancouver  
Raji Mangat — Associate Counsel, BC Civil Liberties Association, Vancouver

Lunch (on your own)

Efficient and Effective Research Practice

• researching under time constraints and budget constraints
• how to work effectively with instructing lawyers and clients

Margaret “Peggy” Stanier — Stevens Virgin, Vancouver

Tactics For Effective Written and Oral Advocacy

• how to translate your research product into an effective advocacy tool
  • common mistakes and oversights
  • effective tactics for oral and written submissions
  • how much of my research product do I need to include?

Timothy R.B. Outerbridge — Court of Appeal for BC, Vancouver

Researching Legislation

• keeping current: how to know you are dealing with the most current legislation and regulations
• working backwards: tracing provisions in time
• listening in: looking at judicial consideration of your provision
• mixing it up: using both print and online sources together to efficiently find what you need
• practical tips and pointers to make legislation manageable

Meghan Maddigan — Courthouse Libraries BC, Vancouver

Networking Break

Non-Traditional Research Tools

• looking at blogs, social media, and more
• using non-traditional tools and non-traditional approaches

Paul Dawson — Dolden Wallace Folick LLP, Vancouver
Susan E. MacFarlane, PhD — Barrister & Solicitor, Burnaby

Research Strategies and Tactics

• developing a research strategy at the outset
• decision making in the research process
• when do you stop the research?

Do-Ellen S. Hansen — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver
Gregory S. Pun — Alexander Holburn Beaudin & Lang LLP, Vancouver
Ellen M. Vandergrift — OnPoint Legal Research LC, Vancouver

Concluding Remarks

Paul Dawson — Dolden Wallace Folick LLP, Vancouver
Lisa A. Peters — Lawson Lundell LLP, Vancouver