This document provides guidance to university graduates on finding legal and business information for career searching. It discusses: 1) Free legal databases and reports that are available after graduation such as Bailii and legislation databases, as these are alternatives to costly LexisLibrary and Westlaw subscriptions. 2) Business databases one can access through libraries to research companies, including Business Source Premier, FAME, and Nexis UK. 3) Other job hunting resources like legal industry newspapers and journals, and services at local libraries. 4) The importance of curating an appropriate online presence, as employers may search candidates online, and highlighting one's information skills on a CV or resume.

1. Libraries and Learning Innovation
Legal research and tools
after University.
finding good quality information for your job
search and beyond

2. Contents
• Access after graduation to free and
quality legal information
• Using online business databases to
research companies
• Other resources for your job hunt
(websites, newspapers, libraries)
• Your online presence-is it professional?
• Highlighting information skills on your
CV

3. Current access to legal information
• The big 2 legal databases - Lexis
Library and Westlaw
• Do you use them now? (If not –why
not?)
• You may find you do not have access
to them after graduation
• Top quality resources BUT expensive
• What alternatives exist and why is it
advantageous to know how to use
these?

4. Access after graduation to free and
quality information
Law reports
• British and Irish Legal Information Institute
http://www.bailii.org
• House of Lords judgements
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld/ldjud
gmt.htm
Legislation
• UK Statute Law Database
http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk
• UK Statutes http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts.htm

5. Access after graduation to free and
quality information
Inner Temple Library Current Awareness
Be alerted to newspaper articles on legal topics:
http://innertemplelibrary.wordpress.com/
The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/law
The Telegraph: Law Reports and Reporting
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/lawreports/
The Telegraph: Legal coverage of new stories - with a slant on
crime http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/
Other useful free resources
• http://www.venables.co.uk/aware.htm
• http://www.venables.co.uk/caselaw.htm

6. Using business subscription
databases to research companies
• Business Source Premier up-to-date company profiles,
industry reports, market share information
• FAME (Financial Information Made Easy) financial
information on over 2.7 million UK and Irish companies
• Nexis UK offers UK and international newspapers and
trade publications. Includes profiles of UK and
international companies.
• OSIRIS features detailed financial profiles of around 70,
000 international listed companies, banks and insurance
companies from around the world.
• Keynote and Mintel gives information on UK
companies, products, industries and market sizes

7. More resources for your job hunt
Journals &newspapers
• Print copies of The Guardian, The Independent,
The Financial Times, The Observer, The Sunday
Times, The Times and The Yorkshire Post
Online resources
• http://jobs.thelawyer.com/
• http://jobs.lawgazette.co.uk/
• http://www.legalweekjobs.com/

8. Services at Leeds Central Library
• Business & IP Centre
http://www.leeds.gov.uk/bipcleeds/Pages/default.aspx
Enterprise Club / Inventors Club / job search sessions
• Online databases e.g. COBRA and UK Newstand
http://www.leeds.gov.uk/leisure/Pages/Online-resources.aspx
Using Leeds Beckett University Library after graduation
• Use the Library for reference access between 08:30-21:00
• To borrow items -register as a Guest User.
• Annual £50 membership fee. Applicants should provide proof of
graduation (There is a special reduced fee of £30 if registering as
an Alumnus for the first time.)
• Does NOT include access to PCs or any of our electronic
resources.
• Wide range of newspapers, books and study spaces,
which can all help you with your job search.

9. Your online presence
• A report in the Guardian 12th April 2011,
said that:
• 77% of recruiters used search engines to
find information on candidates
• 35% had eliminated a candidate because
of what they had found!
http://jobs.theguardian.com/article/4286494/you-
ve-been-googled-what-employers-don-t-want-to-
see-in-your-online-profile/

10. Your online presence
• Consider your online presence
• Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
• What is publically viewable?
• What would a prospective employer think?
• Student Guide to Social Media
http://libassets.manchester.ac.uk/social-media-
guide/
• Employability and Your Online Identity
http://www.slideshare.net/cilipucryh/cilip-
28964822

11. Highlighting information skills on
your CV
• Information literacy is a key skill, it makes sense to
promote this on your CV
• Consider adding a separate heading called “Digital
literacy skills”
E.g:
Digital literacy skills
“I am able to find, evaluate and use a wide range of legal
information. I have experience of using Lexis Library and
Westlaw (mention certificates if you have them). I am also
competent in tracking down high quality, free
sources of legal information.”

12. For more help…
• See your academic librarians,
parkin.wilson@leedsbeckett.ac.uk