Forthcoming LexisNexis AU enhancements

At the Cross Currents conference last week LexisNexis gave a presentation on new features that are soon to be coming to the platform. Here's an overview of what you can expect from them in the next couple of months.

Explore by Topic

• This is essentially an implementation of a 1200 word subject taxonomy across LNAU content.
• It will allow you to combine searches on free text with selections from the taxonomy to narrow results by topic.
• It will be launched in November 2010.

 Search Assist

• Essentially a word wheel system for autocompletion of party names and legislation titles.
• Designed to make it quicker and easier to search for a particular case or piece of legislation.
• Works like Google's autocompletion - you start typing your case name or Act title and it brings up a list of possible options to select to search on.
• Due for release before the end of October.

Legal Express

• Legal Express is back!
• Provides manually selected current awareness of new case law and legislation.
• Can be delivered via email, RSS, iphone/ipad app, or on the new legal express website.
• Options to select content from 32 practice areas.
• At this stage content is coming only from Casebase and Law Now, but will include other content such as journal articles in the future.
• The Alerts themselves are free to all LNAU customers.
• Due for launch 1st week of November.

Practical Guidance

• Pitched as existing content presented to match the work flow of a legal practitioner.
• A number of areas of law will be rolled out over time such as Family Law, Business Law and Succession Law.
• It amalgamates news, legislation, cases, and commentary under one practice area.
• Roll out of this starts Q4 2010.

International Content

• Over 1000 overseas titles will now be available through the LNAU platform.
• To access the content use the source directory and browse by jurisdiction.
• Includes content from UK, New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia and other countries.
• You can also search for overseas and Australian cases at the same time if you subscribe to the relevant products.

LexisNexis also advised that they are working on releasing new products for mobile platforms (i.e. iphone/ipad). The next offering is likely to be a Casebase app.

So, plenty of interesting new stuff coming from LNAU. For more details we would recommend contacting you local LNAU rep.