2023 Conference Programme

Educating your Lawyers about AI and its Use Speaker: Hor Druma, Head of Canadian Content, Alexi

Library staff are often the first point of reliable content for lawyers looking to understand what is reputable in terms of AI. 

Lawyers are always looking for efficient ways to win their cases and resources like the popularity of Chat GPT are actively being utilized in their legal research process.   These AI resources can also produce ghost cases or hallucinations which have challenged courthouse library staff to assist lawyers efficiently since the information generated was incorrect.   Library staff across the LiRN network want to learn more about reputable sources and uses of AI to guide the lawyers towards using these resources.

Vlex’s Vincent AI is part the e-LiRN suite of electronic resources and a great source of reputable AI, for example. Manitoba & Yukon have recently published AI Practice Directions and other jurisdictions, such as the SCC, are contemplating it as well.

LiRN invited Hor Druma, Head of Canadian Content at Alexi, to speak about these challenges at our upcoming Learn with LiRN 2023.  In addition to his work at Alexi, which generates high quality answers in memo format for several Canadian law firms, Hor is an active vlogger about AI on LinkedIn.

Library staff learned about the positive and negative impacts of AI on legal research and how they can help educate their lawyers to better understand the importance of selecting a reputable choice from his engaging talk.  They also learned how it can save them time and effort in their work as well!

Presentation slide deck and Recording link

e-LiRN Vendor Panel

Each e-LiRN vendor focused their talk on their AI developments for the Canadian legal market: Thomson Reuters (Westlaw), LexisNexis, vlex

LFO Innovation Sandbox

Facilitator Vicki Whitmell (LiRN Board Member)

A brainstorming session was held to stimulate ideas for innovative ways to draw lawyers back to your library. LiRN successfully applied to the LFO for funding to help foster innovation and promote equity of access to legal resources. The Innovation Sandbox is an opportunity for individual libraries to experiment with ways to expand the traditional courthouse library service model. Network libraries will have the opportunity to execute their ideas on how to provide library users with the tools they require – now and in the future.  Libraries are invited to propose ideas that allow them to experiment with and pilot new technologies, equipment, and service models. Successful pilots may be scaled up to include to other libraries in the network. 

LiRN Board Member Vicki Whitmell hosted a dynamic session to help county/district library staff to engage in brainstorming activities of possible ideas that their libraries can try to foster innovative ideas and improve equity of access to legal resources. 

LFO Innovation Sandbox Grant Application

Best Practices & Innovative ideas from your colleagues

• Nicole Strandholm, Hamilton Law Association
  • Presentation about Library Research Tips and Tricks Webinar that they regularly host.
• Betty Dykstra, York Region Law Association & George Hawtin, Simcoe Law Association
  • Collaboration between some associations to deliver CPD & other resources for their lawyers. 
• John Gilbert, Bruce Law Association
  • John demonstrated how he updates their website (using Wix) and sends out a notice to his membership simultaneously. John demonstrated the steps he takes and how efficient it is.
    • Wix Blog Cover Letter
    • Wix Website Design and Logo Maker – Patrick Ejeke
    • Blog Page on Website
    • Email Notice of Blog Posting
    • FaceBook Notice of Blog Post
    • Wix Dashboard
    • Wix Made Easy – James Bernstein
• Jo-Ann McQuillan, Peel Law Association
  • Jo-Ann spoke about the use of security cameras & surveillance in their library.

Irwin Law Fireside Chat with Natasha Bakht

Natasha is the author of In Your Face, published by Irwin Law. Ms. Bakht joined us via Zoom for an informative talk with time for Q&A. This book explores the experiences of a group of women in Canada who are small in numbers yet have garnered much legal, political, and social attention in recent years. Muslim women who cover their faces with a veil arouse visceral reactions in people who, despite exposure to diverse ways of living through multicultural urban environments, seem to have fixed notions of how women ought to live the good life. Politicians have denounced the niqab for a variety of reasons, calling on Muslim women to simply take it off. Where such persuasion has failed, legislative attempts have been made, some successfully, to prohibit women from covering their faces in certain contexts, including courtrooms, citizenship ceremonies, public spaces, and while working in the public service.

This book analyzes niqab bans in Canada while also drawing on interviews with niqab-wearing women to reveal their complex identities and multiple motivations for dressing in this way.

Pia Williams (WLA) and Laura Dobbie (PLA) hosted the dicussion for the LiRN network. All Irwin Law titles are available electronically as part of e-LiRN.

BONUS offer for LiRN network from Irwin Law to purchase a print copy of In Your Face!
Please use coupon code LiRN20 for 20% discount for In Your Face in print. The offer will expire on November 30.

LiRN update

LiRN Update by Managing Director and Neil Guthrie, LiRN Chair

• Website Update – NEW – LiRN has a wiki
• Accounting Update 
• What are Excess Fund Balances (EFB)?
• 2025 Budget Process

Group Benefits Update for LiRN

David McCulloch Sr. VP, Group Benefits – Gallagher Benefit Services (Canada) Inc.

• David presented an overview of your UPDATED benefits as well as a Q&A.  
• Recording of Session
• Further informatioon about the Apps and other resources to come at an addition session to be offered by David and his team in November

 

Photos from the conference

 

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