The second Legal Records at Risk seminar will be held in the IALS Conference Room, 23 November 2016, 2-5.30 pm.
Background
The 2004 Clementi report: Review of the regulatory framework for legal services in England and Wales suggested that it was time for the providers of legal services to act in a more business-like way:
“Research shows that complaints arise as much from poor business service as from poor legal advice… In developing business systems to minimise costs whilst maintaining high standards, there is no reason why lawyers should not work alongside those with other skills, for example in finance or IT.”
To this the Legal Records at Risk project would add information management. Recent developments (changes to legal services; globalisation; digital obsolescence) have transformed our legal framework, yet no concerted effort has as yet been made to protect and preserve the private sector records which document these changes.
The Legal Records at Risk Project
The Legal Records at Risk project, led by the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and working in collaboration with the legal profession, the research community and archives, including The National Archives and the British Records Association, seeks to develop a national strategy to identify and preserve our legal heritage and to save modern (20th and 21st century) private sector legal records in the UK that may be at risk.
What are the specific benefits to specialized law institutions of managing their records effectively and preserving those of value for internal and external research? Here are just a few which will be explored in this seminar, along with suggestions as to how they can be achieved:
- cost and efficiency savings
- business continuity
- improved client confidence
- service to justice
- enhanced reputation
- community engagement
Come to the seminar, visit our website or contact the Legal Records at Risk Project Director, Clare Cowling at clare.cowling@sas.ac.uk for information.