32 Legal Studies
eAccess to Justice 
Karim Benyekhlef, Jane Bailey, Jacquelyn Burkell, and Fabien Gélinas
2016
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA
Will digitization projects affect fundamental justice principles? Part I examines claims that technology will improve justice system efficiency with an emphasis on the complicated relationship between privacy and transparency. Part II examines the implementation of technologies in the justice system and the associated challenges and emphasizes that these technologies should be implemented with care to ensure the best possible outcome for access to a fair and effective justice system. The chapters in Part III adopt the standpoints of sociology, political theory and legal theory and provide a unique and valuable framework for thinking with the required sophistication about legal change (Description from University of Ottawa Press). This resource is an open access publication.
Formats: PDF
Suggested for: LGST 377
A Guide to Writing in Law School
Steven Tudor and Stephanie Falconer (La Trobe University)
2025
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA
A Guide to Writing in Law School is intended to help law students to develop their writing skills. Writing clearly and effectively is a vital legal skill. Lawyers use this skill daily. Law graduates need, therefore, to have a solid competency in clear and effective writing. This book aims to help students improve their writing by presenting various pieces of advice, tips, warnings and encouragement. It contains general chapters on planning, clear writing, and acknowledging your sources, as well as dedicated chapters on some of the specific writing tasks that law students undertake: case briefs, legal problem-solving, essays, and law reform submissions. With effort and practice, virtually everyone can improve their writing. A Guide to Writing in Law School is not only for students having particular difficulties. Those who already write well will find ideas here that will help them become even better writers.
Formats: Online, PDF, eBook, XML
Suggested for: LGST 249
Law and the “Sharing Economy” – Regulating Online Market Platforms
Derek McKee, Finn Makela, and Teresa Scassa
2018
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA
The rapid expansion of sharing economy platforms has generated enormous controversy. Law and the “Sharing Economy” closely examines the challenges that arise from this phenomenon with regard to labour, market, technology and regulation through a legal and interdisciplinary lens. The controversy stems partially from the economic impact—most acutely in certain sectors such as Uber vs taxi drivers and Airbnb vs hotels—and partially from other related consequences such as a trend toward precarious work or an impact on real estate speculation. While governments in some jurisdictions have attempted to rein in the platforms, technology has enabled such companies to bypass conventional regulatory categories, generating accusations of “unfair competition” as well as debates about the merits of existing regulatory regimes (Description from University of Ottawa Press). This resource is an open access publication.
Formats: PDF
Suggested for: LGST 369
Law, Privacy and Surveillance in Canada in the Post-Snowden Era
Michael Geist
2015
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA
Years of surveillance-related leaks from US whistleblower Edward Snowden have fuelled an international debate over privacy, spying, and Internet surveillance. Much of the focus has centered on the role of the US National Security Agency, yet there is an important Canadian side to the story. The Communications Security Establishment, the Canadian counterpart to the NSA, has played an active role in surveillance activities both at home and abroad, raising a host of challenging legal and policy questions. With contributions by leading experts in the field, Law, Privacy and Surveillance in Canada in the Post-Snowden Era is the right book at the right time: From the effectiveness of accountability and oversight programs to the legal issues raised by metadata collection to the privacy challenges surrounding new technologies, this book explores current issues torn from the headlines with a uniquely Canadian perspective (Description from University of Ottawa Press). This resource is an open access publication.
Formats: PDF
Suggested for: LGST 377
Tort Law: Cases and Commentaries, 2nd Edition
Samuel Beswick
2023
Licence: CC BY-SA
The law of obligations concerns the legal rights and duties owed between people. Three primary categories make up the common law of obligations: tort, contract, and unjust enrichment. This coursebook provides an introduction to tort law: the law that recognises and responds to civil wrongdoing. The material is arranged in two parts. Part I comprises §§1–11 and addresses intentional and dignitary torts and the overarching theories and goals of tort law. Part II comprises §§12–25 and addresses no-fault compensation schemes, negligence, nuisance, strict liability, and tort law’s place within our broader legal systems. This coursebook was compiled and edited by Assistant Professor Samuel Beswick of the University of British Columbia Peter A. Allard School of Law. Maddison Zapach (J.D. expected 2023) provided research assistance on the first edition (published July 2021). We gratefully acknowledge the influence on our approach to this subject of Professor Joost Blom QC of the Allard School of Law, Professor John C.P. Goldberg of Harvard Law School, and Associate Professor Rosemary Tobin of the University of Auckland Faculty of Law. The support of Open UBC and the UBC Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund is also gratefully acknowledged (Description from resource).
Formats: Online
Suggested for: LGST 230
Vulnerable: The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19
Colleen Flood, Vanessa MacDonnell, Jane Philpott, Sophie Thériault, and Sridhar Venkatapuram
2020
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA
This essay collection was published early during the covid-19 pandemic and confronts the vulnerabilities that have been revealed by the pandemic and its consequences. It examines vulnerabilities for people who have been harmed or will be harmed by the virus directly and those harmed by measures taken to slow its relentless march; vulnerabilities exposed in our institutions, governance, and legal structures; and vulnerabilities in other countries and at the global level where persistent injustices affect us all. COVID-19 has forced us to not only reflect on how we govern and how we set policy priorities, but also to ensure that pandemic preparedness, precautions, and recovery include all individuals, not just some (Description from University of Ottawa Press). This resource is an open access publication.
Formats: PDF
