Blog

By Andrea Black, Research Specialist, Dentons Canada LLP, Montreal / Co-chair, Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization Committee

The Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization Committee (DIDC) is pleased to let you know about the many sessions at this year’s virtual CALL/ACBD Conference that relate to issues of diversity, inclusion, and equity.

A pre-conference presentation in French on inclusive language will start off the proceedings: join us for "Formation sur la langue inclusive: le masculin ne l’emporte plus!" by Michaël Lessard and Suzanne Zaccour.

On June 1^st, Val Napoleon will give the keynote on Indigenous legal research. "There Are Lots of Boxes: Engaging with Indigenous Laws Today" will explore legal pluralism and Indigenous intellectual property law.

Later that afternoon, learn how law librarians have been monitoring COVID-19 legal responses in Latin America and the Caribbean with Abby Dos Santos, Jeanette Bulkan, Marcelo Rodriguez, and Yemisi Dina.

On June 3^rd, Avnish Nanda’s keynote, "Law as a Public Space," will explain how democratizing the law can serve the most marginalized in our society.

Next, a panel discussion with Grace Lo, Kathy Fletcher, Ronald E. Wheeler, and Yasmin Sokkar Harker will teach us about bias in legal information through the lenses of Critical Legal Theory and Critical Race Theory.

Rounding off Thursday’s program, Professor Colleen Sheppard will tell us how the pandemic has created systemic discrimination, and what legal remedies are needed to respond to these harms.

DIDC thanks all these speakers for sharing their work on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in law and legal research.

Register for the conference now!

We all have a few tricks up our sleeve when it comes to performing legal research. We sometimes share them with clients. And sometimes, we like to use those tricks to hunt down seemingly impossible to find material and wow them. Because nothing is “impossible” for law librarians.

The CALL blog has started a new regular series of research tips and tricks.

Please share your favourite or coolest strategies with Michel-Adrien Sheppard to have them published on the CALL blog.

Nous avons tous nos trucs favoris quand il s'agit de faire de la recherche juridique. Parfois, nous les partageons avec nos clients. Et parfois, nous aimons les épater en utilisant ces trucs et astuces pour mettre la main sur des informations apparemment impossibles à trouver. Car rien n’est « impossible » pour des bibliothécaires de droit.

Le blogue de l'ACBD a lancé une nouvelle série sur les trucs et astuces de recherche.

SVP partagez vos stratégies les plus intéressantes ou les plus « cool » avec Michel-Adrien Sheppard afin de les faire publier sur le blogue de CALL/ACBD.

Today: Noting Up Specific Paragraphs of Cases (by Sharona Brookman, Reference Librarian, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto).

Have you ever wanted to find cases that deal with a specific section of a case, but don’t want to look through all the cases that cite your case? Here are some tips to do just that.

CanLII

If you want to note up a particular paragraph on CanLII, look for the text box to the right of the case paragraph that interests you.

The example below is taken from Dunsmuir v. New Brunswick, 2008 SCC 9.

The number in the box on the right (in this case "12") gives the number of cases that cite paragraph 9. Click on the box, and it will open up different functionalities. Click on "Citing documents" it will take you to the list of cases that mention paragraph 9.

JustisOne

JustisOne (also known as vLexJustis) is a huge subscription-based caselaw database that includes Canadian cases and has a feature similar to CanLII for finding cases that cite a specific paragraph of a case. Here’s how to do it:

• Click on the settings icon and select Canada as your jurisdiction.

• Search for a case, e.g. Rizzo v. Rizzo Shoes Ltd. (Re), [1998] 1 SCR 27, 154DLR 4^th 193.

• The case appears on the right side of the screen. The paragraph or paragraphs that are most heavily cited appear on the left side of the screen, along with an option to highlight all quoted passages. In this case, para. 27 is cited most frequently.

• Click on “Highlight all quoted passages”. “Displaying quoted passages” now appears on top of the case, along with a “heat map” in varying shades of purple running along the right-hand side of the screen. The darker the shade of purple, the more that paragraph has been cited by other cases.

• Scroll down the case until you see the paragraph that interests you. Using paragraph 27 as an example, you’ll see that most of it is highlighted in the darkest shade of purple, as this is the part that has been cited most often.

Left click on any part of this section and a “Quoted in” list of citing cases will come up on the left. You can scroll through all the cases and click on any of them to go to the citing case, with the option of going to the specific paragraph in that case that cites the Rizzo v Rizzo Shoes case.

The list of citing cases includes cases from all the different jurisdictions JustisOne covers. If your subscription doesn’t include a specific jurisdiction you will still be able to see the citation for the case but won’t be able to access it through JustisOne. Links to free sources to the case may be available, for instance to New Zealand cases on the New Zealand Legal Information Institute (NZLII).

Lexis Advance and/or Westlaw Canada

On Lexis Advance Quicklaw and WestlawNext Canada there is no automatic or perfect way to do this, but there’s a partial workaround. Select some consecutive words in the paragraph that are likely to be cited.

The words should be distinct enough so as not to appear exactly in the same way in any other case and short enough that a search engine can handle the search.

Try 5 to 8 words. Then do a phrase search in a full text database. In Westlaw select Cases, use the Advanced Search function and enter the terms in the "This exact phrase" search box.

In Quicklaw select cases, use the Advanced Search function and put quotation marks around the phrase.

With thanks to CanLII's Sarah Sutherland, vLex Justis’s Mary Ibrahim and Ken Fox of the Law Society of Saskatchewan.

By Erin Clupp, Research Librarian in Norton Rose Fulbright’s Vancouver office.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully completed library school and are a freshly minted information professional. What is an exciting time in your life can also be overshadowed by what comes next: the dreaded job hunt, heightened by the fact that we are still struggling through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite this being a challenging and unprecedented time to enter the workforce, there are still many exciting opportunities that await you. Here are some tips and words of advice that I hope are helpful and comforting as you navigate through this next phase of your career:

1) Manage your expectations but be kind to yourself

First and foremost, job hunting can really suck. It’s important to acknowledge this and understand there will be periods of frustration, self-doubt, and worry (especially when we have bills to pay). This is normal! Rejection can be painful, and sending applications into that black hole where resumes seem to go can be demoralizing but don’t give up!

When job hunting, be mindful of the following:

As a new grad, you are probably eager and excited to land that first job and start working! Have some patience, the process may take longer than you would like it to be (before and during the interview process).

It is also great to have goals, but realize you may not get your “dream job” right outside the gate. That is fine! Along the way, you may find you don’t have one dream job after all, and that you enjoy doing many types of work.

Resist the urge to compare yourself to others. Some people may seem to have better “luck” or have more apparent success early on. We don’t always know their stories, what their past experiences are or who they may know. Just remember, we are all operating on different timelines and your opportunity will come. It doesn’t make you a failure or unworthy if it takes you a bit longer or if you end up in an area completely different than you originally thought.

While job hunting can become a full time job, don’t forget to take breaks and don’t let it become all-consuming. Focus some energy on your hobbies, personal relationships, and most importantly rest!

2) Beyond the library – be flexible and think outside the box

The information profession is evolving, and while there are still plenty of “traditional” LIS jobs in academic and public library settings, there are increasingly more jobs in special libraries and in larger “information teams” in government, private corporations, and non-profits. When searching for job postings, don’t just focus on the job title, be sure to also read the descriptions and position requirements. Look for buzz words like “information analyst”, “knowledge management”, “content creation”, “competitive intelligence”, “prospect research”, “information architecture”, or “data curation”, all of which use the skills of an LIS professional and are increasingly in demand as businesses recognize the need for improved information governance and user experience.

I know people with LIS backgrounds who work in academic institutions, museums, archives, law firms, government, telecommunications companies, non-profit organizations, healthcare, and international organizations doing a variety of work including research, privacy, information security, instruction, technical writing, and management. Basically any organization that deals with information and people (read: all of them) may have a position that you can apply for. Now is the time to experiment and try new opportunities. Don’t worry about pigeonholing yourself, because you can always leverage your transferable skills and move within industries and organizations.

3) Take a leap – consider a move!

While not possible (or desirable) for some, consider moving to a new city (or country!), especially if you are in a very competitive market and do not have a lot of library experience. When I struggled to find a job after graduating, I ended up taking an amazing opportunity overseas in Qatar. Not only did this give me adventure and a life changing experience, it allowed me to gain some solid work experience quicker than if I stayed in Canada the whole time. When I returned, I found I was more marketable and my application to interview ratio was noticeably higher.

While moving overseas is scary, you can also stay within Canada and still have some great experiences (many of my peers accepted jobs in northern and smaller communities). Remember, if you move away, it doesn’t have to be forever!

4) Networking Building relationships

Our profession is quite small. Chances are, if you look someone up on LinkedIn, you probably have connections in common. Use this to your advantage!

Best way to network? Stay in touch with your peers from library school. Reach out to LIS professionals on LinkedIn who are in jobs you are interested in. See how they got their current gig and if they have any advice or know of specific training available that is helpful for that role. Join a professional association where you will likely meet an array of other new professionals as well as more seasoned pros (often in management roles). You can also look into mentorship programs and alumni associations.

Treat every encounter as a potential lead. Be genuine, but always be polite and courteous as you never know who will end up on the other side of the interview table. Knowing someone may not guarantee you get a position, but it may help secure that all-important interview.

5) Be prepared – do your research!

When sending out applications, think quality over quantity. Avoid firing off generic applications to every post you see. Be discerning, take your time and use those honed research skills to learn more about different roles or industries you are interested in and tailor your application accordingly.

Understand that there are varied requirements and expectations for different industries. For example, academic libraries often require more detailed C.V.’s and have prolonged interview and hiring processes; government applications often require lengthy online questionnaires and testing phases; private companies often prefer shorter resumes and cover letters.

Make your application stand out by showing you’ve done your homework. When applying for a job, research the organization and find out what their mandate is, their history, what their biggest successes are, and who their key players are. When preparing for an interview, find out the names of the interviewers and do some research on their backgrounds. This will show interest and will create conversation points in your interview (remember you are interviewing them too).

Conclusion

Lastly, be patient with yourself and the process. It’s a marathon, not a race and you have your whole career to look forward to. Treat each opportunity as a new stepping stone and learning opportunity and over time you will build a rewarding professional experience for yourself.

While job hunting can sometimes feel gruelling, it doesn’t have to be soul sucking! Make a plan for yourself, stay organized, have a good support system, and prioritize wellness in the process.

Most importantly, if you’re feeling burnt out, take a rest and don’t forget to reward yourself!

Good luck!

Speaker Bio

Erin Clupp is the Research Librarian in Norton Rose Fulbright’s Vancouver office. A self-proclaimed “accidental law librarian”, she previously worked in various archives and records management roles, including the BC Securities Commission, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, the College of the North Atlantic’s campus in Doha, Qatar, and as an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia’s iSchool.

Erin completed her MLIS from the University of Western Ontario in 2014 and has a BA in History and Classical Studies from the University of Ottawa. In addition to being a member of CALL, she is currently Co-Chair of the Program Committee with the Vancouver Association of Law Libraries (VALL). Outside of work, she enjoys dabbling in voice acting and bookbinding, various fitness activities, and drinking copious amounts of coffee.

2021-2022 CALL President Kim Nayyer was the subject of a recent leader profile in On Firmer Ground, the blog of the Private Law Librarians (PLLIP) Special Interest Section of the American Association of Law Libraries.

She was one of 3 panel members on the topic of "Diversity Shares: Listen to Learn" that took place during a PLLIP Diversity Summit.

Excerpt:

Name one thing that you or your team is doing this year to meet the challenges ahead.

The past year has presented some challenges that are new and others that are long-standing but more widely evident or understood. One that I feel most strongly about is the work we are doing to both interrogate and work to dismantle structural exclusion and inequalities—racial, socioeconomic, ability, for example. Structural exclusion and inequalities exist in so many facets of life, domestically and globally too, and we can focus our efforts on those closest to our home and on which our own work centers. Our team is creating learning resources to assist with learning about how structural racism and other forms of exclusion in the legal and justice systems affect or skew the legal information we research and apply in practice. We are developing our collections in ways that amplify voices and perspectives that have not traditionally been centered in legal information, even if substantively valuable. We are assisting faculty in growing their curricular resources in ways that can help them adapt their teaching. We are working to improve communication internally to ensure all members of our workplace recognize their voices matter and their work matters.

We all have a few tricks up our sleeve when it comes to performing legal research. We sometimes share them with clients. And sometimes, we like to use those tricks to hunt down seemingly impossible to find material and wow them. Because nothing is “impossible” for law librarians.

The CALL blog has started a new regular series of research tips and tricks.

Please share your favourite or coolest strategies with Michel-Adrien Sheppard to have them published on the CALL blog.

Nous avons tous nos trucs favoris quand il s'agit de faire de la recherche juridique. Parfois, nous les partageons avec nos clients. Et parfois, nous aimons les épater en utilisant ces trucs et astuces pour mettre la main sur des informations apparemment impossibles à trouver. Car rien n’est « impossible » pour des bibliothécaires de droit.

Le blogue de l'ACBD a lancé une nouvelle série sur les trucs et astuces de recherche.

SVP partagez vos stratégies les plus intéressantes ou les plus « cool » avec Michel-Adrien Sheppard afin de les faire publier sur le blogue de CALL/ACBD.

Today: Law Reform Commission Reports - Hidden Treasures for Legal Research (by M-A Sheppard).

Where in-depth legal analysis is required, law reform publications can prove to be an excellent resource. 

Law reform commissions are often sponsored by, but are independent from governments. The advantage they have is that they can deal with important public policy issues that are not on the government agenda but may nevertheless require critical analysis and potential reform.

Also, many of the reports provide historical background and you can often find comparative information about how different jurisdictions have responded to an issue.

Recent examples of reports that contain comparative information include:

• a Victoria Law Reform Commission [Australia] Consultation Paper on Jurors Who Are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Blind or Have Low Vision - Appendix B provides information about the experience of many other jurisdictions when it comes to different measures to accommodate jurors living with visual or hearing disabilities. These include New Zealand, England and Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the United States, and Canada
• a New South Wales Law Reform Commission Paper on publication bans – the document examines the situation in other Australian states, New Zealand as well as England and Wales
• the Manitoba Law Reform Commission Final Report on Abandoned Accounts and Missing Money: Establishing a Process for Unclaimed Intangible Personal Property – the report takes a look at British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick
• the Alberta Law Reform Institute Final Report on Adverse Possession and Lasting Improvements to Wrong Land – the Appendix includes a "Cross-Jurisdictional Comparison of Adverse Possession in Canada".

Des trésors cachés: les rapports des commissions de réforme du droit (par M-A Sheppard)

Quand vous avez besoin d’une analyse approfondie d’une question, ces publications se révèlent être une excellente source d’information.

Ces commissions sont souvent mises sur pied par les gouvernements mais en demeurent néanmoins indépendantes. Leur grand avantage est de pouvoir se pencher sur des questions importantes de justice ou de politique publique qui ne font pas encore l'objet de l'action gouvernementale mais qui nécessitent une analyse critique ou qui méritent des réformes.

De plus, plusieurs de ces publications offrent une analyse historique d’une question ou adoptent une perspective comparatiste vraiment intéressante.

Voici quelques exemples récents de rapports qui contiennent une dimension comparatiste:

• la Commission de réforme du droit de l'état de Victoria en Australie a publié un document de consultation sur les jurés sourds, malentendants, aveugles ou malvoyants - l'annexe B décrit les mesures d'accommodement des jurés avec des déficiences visuelles ou auditives en Nouvelle-Zélande, en Angleterre et au Pays de Galles, en Écosse, en Irlande, aux États-Unis et au Canada 
• la Commission de réforme du droit de l'état de la Nouvelle-Galles du Sud a publié un rapport sur les ordonnances de non-publication – le document examine la situation dans d'autres états australiens, en Nouvelle-Zélande, et en Angleterre et au Pays de Galles
• la Commission de réforme du droit du Manitoba a publié un rapport sur les comptes abandonnés - on jette un regard sur ce qui se passe en Colombie-Britannique, en Alberta, au Québec, en Ontario et au Nouveau-Brunswick
• l'Institut de réforme du droit de l'Alberta a publié un rapport sur la question connue sous le nom de Adverse Possession – ["possession acquisitive" en common law] - on peut y trouver une annexe intitulée "Cross-Jurisdictional Comparison of Adverse Possession in Canada".

We all have a few tricks up our sleeve when it comes to performing legal research. We sometimes share them with clients. And sometimes, we like to use those tricks to hunt down seemingly impossible to find material and wow them. Because nothing is “impossible” for law librarians.

The CALL blog has started a new regular series of research tips and tricks.

Please share your favourite or coolest strategies with Michel-Adrien Sheppard to have them published on the CALL blog.

Nous avons tous nos trucs favoris quand il s'agit de faire de la recherche juridique. Parfois, nous les partageons avec nos clients. Et parfois, nous aimons les épater en utilisant ces trucs et astuces pour mettre la main sur des informations apparemment impossibles à trouver. Car rien n’est « impossible » pour des bibliothécaires de droit.

Le blogue de l'ACBD a lancé une nouvelle série sur les trucs et astuces de recherche.

SVP partagez vos stratégies les plus intéressantes ou les plus « cool » avec Michel-Adrien Sheppard afin de les faire publier sur le blogue de CALL/ACBD.

We all have a few tricks up our sleeve when it comes to performing research. We sometimes share them with clients. And sometimes, we like to use those tricks to wow them.

The CALL blog is starting a new regular series of research tips and tricks. Please share your favourite strategies with Michel-Adrien Sheppard and we will do our best to publish them on this blog.

Nous avons tous nos trucs favoris quand il s'agit de faire de la recherche juridique. Parfois, nous les partageons avec nos clients. Et parfois, nous utilisons ces trucs et astuces pour les épater.

Le blogue de l'ACBD lance aujourd'hui une nouvelle série sur les trucs et astuces de recherche. SVP partagez vos meilleures stratégies avec Michel-Adrien Sheppard. Nous nous ferons un plaisir de les publier ici sur le blogue.

Today: There Are Some Hard to Find Foreign Cases on CanLII  by Susannah Tredwell, Manager of Library Services at DLA Piper (Canada) LLP in Vancouver (originally published February 3, 2021 on the Slaw.ca website):

One of CANLII’s lesser known resources is its Foreign reported decisions database which “includes some decisions issued by foreign courts and tribunals and that are of special interest for Canadian law.”

For example, should you be interested in Browne v. Dunn (1893), 6 R. 67 (a decision sufficiently challenging to find online that someone created a dedicated website for it) you can find it on CanLII.

While the collection of foreign decisions is not large, CanLII will on request add cases that are of interest to Canadian legal practitioners.

(And for all your regular British case law needs, there is always BAILII).

Julie Boon, Reference Librarian | Great Library, Law Society of Ontario, Toronto

1. Tell us a little about your educational background and how you entered the legal information industry. 

I have an undergraduate honors specialization in history from King’s University College, affiliated with Western University in London, Ontario (where I am from). Going into my undergraduate degree, I certainly did not know what I wanted to do with a history degree, I just hoped that studying something I loved would get me somewhere professionally that I would love too. As luck would have it, it worked!

I didn’t get into the legal information industry right away, and in fact, that wasn’t even on my radar. I was very certain I would be going into public librarianship. I held down a couple of jobs at a couple academic libraries while attending U of T for my master’s in information. During the summer of my first and second year, I worked at the Ministry of Attorney General library. I had never worked in a legal environment before and hadn’t taken a class in law since high school! However, I had some awesome colleagues who helped me along the way and showed me the ropes.

My job at the MAG gave me a sense of how challenging and exciting the legal industry could be and encouraged me to apply for my current job at the Law Society of Ontario’s library – the Great Library – as a reference librarian. Again, I have been incredibly fortunate to meet some really great mentors here, and love working at a job that constantly challenges me to learn new things and create valuable content.

2. How has being involved in CALL helped you professionally? 

CALL has helped me professionally in that I have met some really, really great people through the organization. Whether it was through the CALL mentorship program or the CALL Conference in 2019, it has given me the opportunity to meet amazing professionals I otherwise may not have crossed paths with. Recently, CALL has acted as a balm to the isolation and disconnect that the pandemic has brought into everyone’s lives in some way. Attending virtual conferences and tutorials has maintained my feeling of connection to the legal industry and its professionals, which has been a huge relief.

3. What was your first library-related job? 

While I was attending King’s University College, I applied for a job posting at the London Public Library. I had never worked in a library before, but I had worked at Chapters for a couple of years and knew that I loved being surrounded by books and people who loved books. I was lucky enough to land that position at LPL, and absolutely loved every second I worked there. From then on out, I knew that I would be pursuing a job in library sciences.

4. What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone looking to break into the legal information industry?

Don’t be intimidated! There is a lot to learn, but it’s kind of great in a lot of ways to be working in an industry where there is so much to know and understand – it never gets boring! Plus, it’s important to remember that even if you don’t remember every legal concept, term or piece of jargon off the top of your head, it doesn’t mean that you’re bad at your job, or not learning quick enough. Far from it! There is a vast ocean of legal information in the world, and even those legal professionals who have worked in the industry for years and years still need refreshers from time to time. Just remember that there are people out there, like your colleagues, who are probably happy to lend a helping hand!

5. What is your greatest professional success? 

My greatest professional success would definitely be taking the plunge and entering the legal information industry in the first place. Entering special libraries was not on my horizon mentally, and I wasn’t sure I was cut out for the legal world which I viewed as very big and very scary. Even though I do have those moments of feeling a little overwhelmed over all there is to learn, I’m really proud of myself for putting in the work to become attuned to an industry to which I was completely and utterly new. I’d like to say I’ve done a pretty good job so far and look forward to learning more and improving more as I go forward in my career.

Member Profile nominations and Project Profile ideas are welcome for 2021. Please email Alexandra Farolan at afarolan@courthouselibrary.ca for more information, ideas, and nominations.

Julie Boon, bibliothécaire de référence | Grande bibliothèque, Barreau de l’Ontario, Toronto

1. Parlez-nous un peu de vos antécédents scolaires et de la manière dont vous vous êtes intégrée au secteur de l’information juridique. 

Je possède un baccalauréat spécialisé en histoire du King’s University College, qui est affilié à l’Université de Western Ontario à London (d’où je suis originaire). Je ne savais pas vraiment ce que je voulais faire avec un diplôme en histoire en commençant mes études. J’espérais juste quand étudiant quelque chose que j’adorais cela me mènerait vers une carrière que j’aimerais aussi. Le hasard fait bien les choses, et ma stratégie a fonctionné!

Je ne me suis pas lancée tout de suite dans l’information juridique et, en fait, ce domaine ne faisait pas partie de mes plans (j’étais sûre que j’allais travailler en bibliothéconomie publique). J’ai occupé quelques emplois dans des bibliothèques universitaires pendant mes études de maîtrise en science de l’information à l’Université de Toronto. Au cours de l’été de mes deux premières années de maîtrise, j’ai travaillé à la bibliothèque du ministère du Procureur général (MPG). Je n’avais jamais travaillé dans un milieu juridique et mon dernier cours en droit remontait au secondaire! Cependant, j’ai eu la chance de travailler aux côtés de collègues formidables qui m’ont aidée en m’apprenant le métier.

Mon travail au MPG m’a ouvert aux possibilités de carrière stimulantes et passionnantes dans le secteur juridique et c’est ce qui m’a poussé à postuler pour l’emploi que j’occupe actuellement à la bibliothèque du Barreau de l’Ontario – la Grande bibliothèque – à titre de bibliothécaire de référence. Encore une fois, j’ai eu l’occasion rêvée de rencontrer des mentors vraiment formidables dans le cadre de mon travail, et j’adore travailler dans un milieu qui me pousse à apprendre de nouvelles choses chaque jour et à créer du contenu intéressant.

2. En quoi votre adhésion à l’ACBD/CALL vous a-t-elle été utile sur le plan professionnel (p. ex. bourses et subventions, formation continue, réseautage)? 

L’ACBD/CALL m’a aidée sur le plan professionnel en me donnant la possibilité de rencontrer des gens remarquables. Que ce soit par l’intermédiaire du programme de mentorat de l’association ou de son congrès annuel en 2019, ces activités m’ont donné l’occasion de rencontrer des professionnels extraordinaires que je n’aurais probablement jamais rencontrés. Récemment, l’ACBD/CALL a agi comme un baume pour rompre l’isolement et la coupure causés par la pandémie que chacun vit différemment. Le fait de participer à des conférences et des formations virtuelles m’a permis de maintenir mon sentiment d’appartenance au secteur juridique et à ses professionnels, ce qui a vraiment fait du bien pour le moral.

3. Quel a été votre premier emploi ou votre premier emploi lié à la bibliothéconomie? 

Pendant mes études au King’s University College, j’avais postulé à un poste à la bibliothèque publique de London. Même si je n’avais aucune expérience de travail dans une bibliothèque, j’avais travaillé chez Chapters pendant quelques années et je savais que j’aimais être entourée de livres et de personnes qui adorent les livres. J’ai eu la chance de décrocher ce poste, et j’ai bien aimé chaque seconde de mon expérience. À partir de ce moment-là, je savais que j’allais travailler dans le domaine de la bibliothéconomie.

4. Quel conseil donneriez-vous à quelqu’un qui cherche à percer dans l’industrie de l’information juridique? 

Ne vous laissez pas intimider! Même s’il y a beaucoup de choses à apprendre, travailler dans un secteur où il y a tellement de choses à savoir et comprendre est fantastique à bien des égards – on ne s’ennuie jamais! De plus, il est important de se rappeler que même si on ne se souvient pas spontanément de chaque concept, terme ou jargon juridique, cela ne signifie pas que vous n’êtes pas à votre place ou que vous n’apprenez pas assez vite. Loin de là! Le monde regorge d’un vaste océan d’informations juridiques, et même les professionnels juridiques de longue date doivent encore suivre des cours de recyclage de temps à autre. N’oubliez pas qu’il y a des gens, comme vos collègues, qui seraient probablement heureux de vous donner un coup de main!

5. Quelle est votre plus belle réussite professionnelle? 

Ma plus belle réussite professionnelle serait sûrement d’avoir fait le saut dans le domaine de l’information juridique. Je ne pensais pas travailler dans les services bibliothécaires spécialisés, et je ne savais pas trop si j’étais faite pour le travail dans le milieu juridique (que je jugeais immense et intimidant). Même si je me sens parfois un peu dépassée par toutes les choses qu’il y a à savoir, je suis très fière d’avoir effectué le travail nécessaire afin de m’adapter à un secteur entièrement nouveau. Je tiens à dire que je me débrouille très bien jusqu’à maintenant et que j’ai hâte d’en apprendre davantage et de m’améliorer au fil de ma carrière.

Nous acceptons les propositions pour les blogues Profil de membres et Profil de projets en 2021. Pour obtenir de plus amples informations ou proposer une idée ou une candidature, n’hésitez pas à envoyer un courriel à Alexandra Farolan (afarolan@courthouselibrary.ca).

Découvrez le site Web de la Cour suprême du Canada

Krisandra Ivings et Emily Ann Da Silva
Bibliothécaires de référence, Cour suprême du Canada

La Cour suprême du Canada publie une foule de renseignements concernant les dossiers dont elle est saisie sur son site Web public. Nous décrivons, ci-dessous, où vous pourrez trouver des renseignements sur les prochaines audiences, les décisions de la CSC, ainsi que de l’information qui vous permettra d’être à l’affût des activités de la Cour et de vous connecter à la bibliothèque de la CSC.

Renseignements sur les dossiers

Au fur et à mesure qu’ils sont disponibles, les renseignements sur chacun des dossiers sont ajoutés à la section du site Web intitulé Dossiers > Renseignements sur les dossiers de la Cour. Effectuez une recherche de dossier au moyen du numéro de registre ou de dossier, du nom d’une des parties ou du numéro de dossier du tribunal dont la décision est portée en appel. En sélectionnant un numéro de dossier, vous pourrez consulter le registre du dossier. En cliquant sur les liens qui se situent du côté gauche, vous obtiendrez de plus amples renseignements sur les parties et les procureurs, ainsi qu’un sommaire du dossier, les mémoires relatifs à la demande d’autorisation d’appel, les mémoires relatifs à l’appel et l’enregistrement de la diffusion Web, s’il est disponible.

Avant l’audition d’un appel

Demandes d’autorisation d’appel

Dans la plupart des cas, il faut présenter une demande d’autorisation d’appel avant que l’appel soit entendu par la CSC. La Cour peut accueillir ou rejeter une telle demande. Les décisions relatives aux demandes d’autorisation d’appel se trouvent sous la rubrique Dossiers > Jugements sur demandes d’autorisation. La fonction de recherche avancée vous permet de trier les demandes selon, entre autres, le ressort, le sujet ou le statut.

Audiences prévues

Une fois qu’une demande d’autorisation d’appel a été accueillie, ou qu’un dossier a obtenu la permission d’être entendu par la CSC d’une autre façon, une date d’audience sera fixée. Le calendrier des prochaines audiences prévues se trouve sous la rubrique Dossiers > Audiences prévues. Sélectionnez l’année et le mois pour consulter la liste des audiences prévues, qui indique si l’audience sera diffusée en direct sur le site Web, ainsi que l’heure de diffusion. Peu de temps avant la tenue de l’audience, un lien vers la diffusion en direct s’affichera dans la colonne intitulée « Diffusion Web ».

Pour de plus amples renseignements sur une audience prévue, cliquez sur le nom du dossier afin de consulter la page des Renseignements sur les dossiers de la Cour.

Après l’audition de l’appel

Une fois que le jugement a été rendu dans le cadre d’un appel, la décision est publiée sur le site Web de la CSC dans les deux langues officielles simultanément. Les décisions se trouvent sous la rubrique Dossiers > Motifs de jugements. Vous pouvez effectuer une recherche de base au moyen de mots clés ou sélectionner Recherche avancée et puis Afficher plus de champs pour de filtres additionnels.  Les options de recherche avancée comprennent notamment les suivantes : Référence, Date, Parties, Juges, Sujets.

Créer des alertes

Afin de suivre les nouvelles décisions de la CSC sur un sujet ou un domaine du droit particulier, créez gratuitement un compte lexbox (géré par Lexum) et établissez un fil des alertes qui vous avisera lorsque des arrêts qui correspondent à vos critères de recherche sont publiés. Créez une alerte en entrant vos critères de recherche dans les champs de la page de Recherche avancée, et en cliquant ensuite sur le bouton Veille – nouveaux résultats à partir du menu lexbox et en suivant les directives dans les messages-guides.

La cause en bref

Depuis 2018, un résumé, rédigé dans un langage accessible, de chaque décision rendue par la Cour est préparé par le personnel des communications de la Cour et publié sous la rubrique Dossiers > La cause en bref. Il y a aussi un lien dans le texte intégral de chacune des décisions écrites qui vous dirigera vers « La cause en bref ».

Recueil des arrêts de la Cour

Plusieurs mois après la publication initiale d’une décision, une version officielle imprimée de celle-ci est publiée dans le Recueil des arrêts de la Cour suprême du Canada (RCS) dans les deux langues officielles, côte à côte. Il est aussi possible de consulter les versions numérisées des RCS imprimés remontant à leur création en 1878. Effectuez une recherche ou naviguez dans la base de données de tous les RCS sous la rubrique suivante : Accueil > Dossiers > Décisions et ressources > Recueil des arrêts de la Cour suprême du Canada.

Sources internet citées dans les jugements de la CSC

Restez à l’affût

S’abonner à la liste de diffusion de la CSC

Pour être à l’affût des nouveautés, abonnez-vous à la liste de diffusion de la CSC sous la rubrique Médias > Communiqués, décisions et renseignements sur les dossiers. Ceux et celles qui s’y abonnent reçoivent les communiqués de presse annonçant les prochains jugements sur demandes d’autorisation, les jugements qui seront rendus en appel, et d’importantes mises à jour, telles que des directives de pratique et les modifications apportées aux Règles de la Cour suprême du Canada. Un communiqué de presse est habituellement envoyé quelques jours avant la publication d’un jugement.

Bulletins des procédures

Renseignez-vous sur la date à laquelle de nouveaux dossiers pourraient être entendus par la CSC en consultant les bulletins des procédures hebdomadaires dans la base de données interrogeable qui se trouve sous la rubrique Dossiers > Bulletins des procédures. Les bulletins présentent des renseignements détaillés sur les décisions portant sur des requêtes. Ils comprennent aussi une liste des avis d’appel déposés, des demandes d’autorisation d’appel déposées, des jugements rendus sur les demandes d’autorisation et des avis à l’intention de la profession.

Statistiques et Rétrospective annuelle

La bibliothèque de la Cour suprême du Canada

N’importe qui peut effectuer une recherche à même le catalogue de la bibliothèque de la CSC, qui se trouve sous la rubrique Bibliothèque > Catalogue de la bibliothèque. Le catalogue contient toutes les ressources imprimées de la bibliothèque, ainsi que quelques ressources électroniques. Les coordonnés de la bibliothèque de la CSC, les procédures de prêt entre bibliothèques, et d’autres renseignements encore, se trouvent dans la section Bibliothèque du site Web de la CSC.

Nouveautés à la bibliothèque

Pour de plus amples renseignements, nous vous encourageons à explorer le site de la CSC, à communiquer avec la bibliothèque ou à participer à une visite guidée à distance de la CSC!

Discover the Supreme Court of Canada Website

Krisandra Ivings and Emily Ann Da Silva, Reference Librarians, Supreme Court of Canada

The Supreme Court of Canada publishes a wealth of information about cases coming before it on its public website. Below, we describe where you can find information about upcoming hearings, SCC decisions, staying up to date with the Court, and connecting with the SCC Library.

Case information

As it becomes available, information about each case is added to the Cases > SCC Case Information section of the website. Search for a case using the docket/case number, name of a party, or file number from the Court appealed from. Selecting a case number will bring you to the case’s docket. Links on the left-hand side provide further details on the parties and counsel, as well as a summary of the case, memorandums of argument on the application for leave to appeal, factums on appeal, and a recording of the webcast when available.

Before an appeal is heard

Applications for leave to appeal

Most cases must apply for leave to appeal before they can be heard by the SCC. The Court can grant or dismiss this application. Decisions on applications for leave to appeal are available under Cases > Judgments in Leave Applications. The advanced search function allows you to filter applications by jurisdiction, subject, status, and more.

Scheduled hearings

Once an application for leave has been granted, or a case is otherwise permitted to be heard by the SCC, a hearing will be scheduled. The upcoming hearing schedule is available under Cases > Scheduled Hearings. Select the year and month to see a list of cases scheduled indicating whether a hearing will be webcast live and when. Shortly before the hearing, a link to the live stream will appear in the ‘Webcast’ column.

For more information on a scheduled case, click on the case name to view the SCC Case Information page.

After the hearing

Once judgment has been rendered in an appeal, the decision is published on the SCC website simultaneously in both official languages. Decisions are available under Cases > Reasons for judgment. Use the basic search to search by keyword or for additional filters, select Advanced Search and then Show more fields. Advanced search options include Citation, Date, Parties, Judges, Subject and more.

Creating alerts

To monitor new SCC decisions on a particular issue or area of law, create a free lexbox account (maintained by Lexum) and set up an alert feed notifying you when cases are published that match your search criteria. Set up an alert by creating a search using the options on the Advanced Search page, then selecting Set up alert feed on the lexbox menu and following the prompts.

Cases in Brief

Beginning in 2018, for each of the Court’s written decisions, a reader-friendly summary is prepared by the Court’s communications staff and published under Cases > Cases in Brief. The “Case in Brief” is also linked to from the full text of each written decision.

Supreme Court Reports

Several months after a decision is first released, an official print version will be published in the Canada Supreme Court Reports (SCRs) in a side-by-side bilingual format. Digitized versions of the print SCRs are available dating back to their inception in 1878. Search or browse the database of all SCRs under Home > Cases > Decisions and Resources > Canada Supreme Court Reports.

Internet Sources Cited in SCC Judgments

An archive of webpages cited in SCC judgments is available for decisions published between 1998 and 2016 under Library > Internet Sources Cited in SCC Judgments. Since 2017, a link to an archived version of each internet source is provided directly from the Authors Cited section of each judgment.

Staying up to date

Joining the SCC mailing list

Stay up to date by subscribing to the SCC mailing list under Media > News Releases, Decisions and Case Information. Subscribers receive news releases announcing upcoming judgments on leave applications, judgments to be rendered on appeal, and important updates such as practice directions and changes to the Supreme Court Rules. A news release is typically sent out a few days before a judgment is published.

Bulletin of Proceedings

Find out when new appeals may be headed to the SCC by consulting the weekly Bulletin of Proceedings in the searchable database found under Cases > Bulletins of Proceedings. The Bulletin provides details about rulings on motions. Bulletins also include a listing of notices of leave to appeal filed, applications for leave to appeal filed, judgments on applications for leave, and notices to the profession.

Statistics and Year in Review

For annual statistics, including a breakdown of leave to appeal applications filed by subject and jurisdiction, consult the annual Statistical Summary and Year in Review under Cases > Year in Review. New since 2018, the Year in Review presents a visually-based, reader-friendly summary of statistics, significant decisions, and important developments at the Court.

The Supreme Court of Canada Library

Anyone can search the SCC Library’s catalogue, available under Library > Library Catalogue. The catalogue contains all of the Library’s print resources and some electronic resources. Contact information for the SCC Library, interlibrary loan procedures, and more are also available under the Library section of the SCC website.

New Library Titles

Find out when new titles are added to the SCC Library’s collection by viewing the New Library Titles list under Library > New Library Titles and subscribing to our mailing list to receive semimonthly updates.

For more information, we encourage you to explore the SCC website, contact the Library, or take a remote tour of the SCC!