Current trends in the purchasing and supply of electronic products James Mullan (BIALL LIG Chair) LPE/LIG Meeting BIALL Dublin Conference June 2008

Presentation coverage The current marketplace for electronic products The impact on Law Firms The impact of free products The flourishing of niche products Disaggregation Costs and Budgets Integration CD-Rom and other alternatives to online New “technologies”

The current marketplace for electronic products

The impact on Law Firms

The impact of free products

The flourishing of niche products

Disaggregation

Costs and Budgets

Integration

CD-Rom and other alternatives to online

New “technologies”

The current marketplace is…. … a shrinking marketplace Consolidation of the marketplace means that the Legal Sector is dominated by the “big three” Kluwer/CCH Thomson Reuters/Sweet & Maxwell Lexis Nexis Butterworths

… a shrinking marketplace

Consolidation of the marketplace means that the Legal Sector is dominated by the “big three”

Kluwer/CCH

Thomson Reuters/Sweet & Maxwell

Lexis Nexis Butterworths

What does this mean for Law Firms? Less choice/competition “ Cross selling” of products A captive market for the big three Pressure from fee-earners to subscribe to products that other Law Firms have

Less choice/competition

“ Cross selling” of products

A captive market for the big three

Pressure from fee-earners to subscribe to products that other Law Firms have

The impact of free products This is still unknown, however there have been major developments to free online databases this year including; The Statute Law Database The OPSI Legislation Website BAILLI (British & Irish Legal Information Institute) PreCYdent http://www.precydent.com/ a U.S. database which is making a big splash in the U.S.

This is still unknown, however there have been major developments to free online databases this year including;

The Statute Law Database

The OPSI Legislation Website

BAILLI (British & Irish Legal Information Institute)

PreCYdent http://www.precydent.com/ a U.S. database which is making a big splash in the U.S.

Niche Products Increasingly Law Firms are being offered “niche”products by publishers These products are aimed at users within specific practice groups for example; Complinet (Financial Services) DebtWire Mlex Ultimately more products no matter how good they are = more cost!

Increasingly Law Firms are being offered “niche”products by publishers

These products are aimed at users within specific practice groups for example;

Complinet (Financial Services)

DebtWire

Mlex

Ultimately more products no matter how good they are = more cost!

Disaggregation This has become a major issue recently: FT Content is now only available through Lexis Nexis or Westlaw with an additional licence PLC has often “hived” off content to create additional services at extra cost Factiva refusing to sell direct to the Legal Market

This has become a major issue recently:

FT Content is now only available through Lexis Nexis or Westlaw with an additional licence

PLC has often “hived” off content to create additional services at extra cost

Factiva refusing to sell direct to the Legal Market

Costs and Budgets Many firms are experiencing downward pressure on their budgets Justifying the cost of a new subscription is becoming increasingly difficult Yet Publishers continue to rollout above inflation price increases

Many firms are experiencing downward pressure on their budgets

Justifying the cost of a new subscription is becoming increasingly difficult

Yet Publishers continue to rollout above inflation price increases

Integration Increasingly Law Librarians are looking to provide federated search solutions These provide their users with an easy way to access content from multiple sources Publishers should be aware of this and provide tools to support its development Lexis Nexis Butterworths have developed some tools in this area (LNB Publisher, Ozmosys)

Increasingly Law Librarians are looking to provide federated search solutions

These provide their users with an easy way to access content from multiple sources

Publishers should be aware of this and provide tools to support its development

Lexis Nexis Butterworths have developed some tools in this area (LNB Publisher, Ozmosys)

Integration (2) Publishers are also increasingly offering integration as an added extra Unfortunately the provision of this service is not consistent across all publishers, some offer it for free, some charge for access to their content Law Librarians need to check contract terms carefully if they are considering integrating content from an external source

Publishers are also increasingly offering integration as an added extra

Unfortunately the provision of this service is not consistent across all publishers, some offer it for free, some charge for access to their content

Law Librarians need to check contract terms carefully if they are considering integrating content from an external source

CD-Rom and other media types Most Law Librarians agree that CD-Roms are an outdated technology. They require installation, regular updating and often are only available for single users. Yet many publishers continue to offer these as “additional” content. The White Book (Sweet & Maxwell) Palmers Company Law (Sweet & Maxwell)

Most Law Librarians agree that CD-Roms are an outdated technology.

They require installation, regular updating and often are only available for single users.

Yet many publishers continue to offer these as “additional” content.

The White Book (Sweet & Maxwell)

Palmers Company Law (Sweet & Maxwell)

CD-Rom and other media types (2) There are alternatives to CD-Roms which publishers could utilize including; Secure internet sites which allow the downloading of content and could be password protected

There are alternatives to CD-Roms which publishers could utilize including;

Secure internet sites which allow the downloading of content and could be password protected

New “technologies” I couldn’t help myself… … what about Web 2.0? Publishers are and should look to develop their databases to take advantage of Web 2.0 technologies. Particularly around the use of RSS as a means to distribute content

I couldn’t help myself…

… what about Web 2.0?

Publishers are and should look to develop their databases to take advantage of Web 2.0 technologies.

Particularly around the use of RSS as a means to distribute content

New “technologies” (2) This should make their services more “marketable” especially outside of the Legal Sector The Legal Sector is at the very early stages of adopting Web 2.0 technologies Adoption and development of these technologies will only grow and publishers should be aware of its impact

This should make their services more “marketable” especially outside of the Legal Sector

The Legal Sector is at the very early stages of adopting Web 2.0 technologies

Adoption and development of these technologies will only grow and publishers should be aware of its impact

Questions/Thoughts I hope to see you all at the BIALL Conference. If not… [email_address] http://ligissues.blogspot.com http://www.twitter.com/jimmy1712

I hope to see you all at the BIALL Conference. If not…

[email_address]

http://ligissues.blogspot.com

http://www.twitter.com/jimmy1712