Today is a day to celebrate for LawNow staff, the Legal Resource Centre and the Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta. Today we launch the new, totally re-designed LawNow website. It is a day to share with you how very far we have come. In 1975, LawNow began as a short, small, black and white newsletter called Resource News with content entirely generated by Legal Resource Centre staff. It was targeted for law librarians and lawyers and it featured news of interest to the legal and library communities. By 1980 Resource News had evolved into a 24-page magazine and it began to feature articles about the law from contributors from outside the Centre, a major development. In 1989 a complete revamp of the magazine saw it re-christened LawNow. This new magazine featured lots of material from volunteer contributors, the use of photos and illustrations on the cover and inside, and even the use of colour. Only one colour, but still, colour!
Now, in 2012, LawNow is once again undergoing a transformation. We made the move to a digital-only format in 2010. At the time, it was due to budget constraints, but more and more we are feeling that digital publishing will be the way of the future and we are capturing that evolution at just the right time. And, just this year, we were able to offer LawNow free of charge. We are so excited about the possibilities that this opens up: the tremendous potential to raise our profile across the country, the schools, law firms, not-for-profit organizations and libraries we will be able to reach, and the thousands of new readers we can attract.
To help us celebrate, check out our latest issue; it’s all about sex and taxes! Our Feature examines the Canadian tax system and where to turn when you have a tax issue. Our Special Report looks at where sex and the law meet: prostitution, sex tourism, gender identity. Our regular columns provide practical information on a variety of topics, including human rights law, not-for-profit law, employment law, family law, and more!
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Visit www.lawnow.org to see what all the excitement is about!
Thanks for your support,
Teresa Mitchell and Kristy Rhyason
New Issue of LawNow Magazine: Corporate Social Responsibility
The latest issue of LawNow Magazine looks at Corporate Social Responsibility.
Margo Till-Rogers writes in Online Law Column: Resources about Corporate Social Responsibility:
“The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) draws together social, environmental and economic concerns with a view to making organizations not only fiscally responsible, but socially responsible. Through community investment, environmental stewardship and ethical employment practices, corporations, government and non-profit organizations demonstrate their commitment to good corporate citizenship.”
Canadian businesses operating around the world are discovering that corporate social responsibility is not only the right thing to do, but also can be good for business!
Our feature articles this issue look at the issue of corruption and the complexity of the ethics of corporate social responsibility. Our contributors dissect three examples: the British Petroleum disaster, the case of Niko Resources Ltd., and the Chevron Corp. vs. Naranjo.
The unique special report looks at where the limits of the law are tested. In “Which Passport Should I Take to the Olympic Games?”, Hilary Findlay discusses legal issues that will arise with new drug testing standards in place for the 2012 Olympics. “Human Trafficking: A Call for Reform” looks at the reality of human trafficking within Canada, and specifically in Calgary, and summarizes research on what has been done and how the law can help counter this terrible crime. Finally, we have “What Ever Happened to… Jim Keegstra”, an example that freedom of expression is not absolute and the content of one’s expression can be criminal. The article also explains how criminal law may be a poorly suited instrument to achieve social control.
Our usual columns round out the issue, including “Employment Law: Avoiding Conflict – 6 steps to keeping the peace”, and Rosemarie Boll’s follow-up to her column in the last issue, “Family Law: Opening Closed Doors – The Downside of Suing your Abuser”.
See the Table of Contents or the Full Issue.
LawNow: Where There's a Will, There's a Way
The latest issue of LawNow: Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way is available.
Carole Aippersbach states in Viewpoint – A Cautionary Tale:
Let’s face it, no one wants to think about what happens if the thing that does not work out is your entire life. Who likes to think about death, or, worse yet, the possibility of being completely incapacitated for the rest of your natural life?
But writing your will and planning your estate don’t necessarily have to be gloomy affairs. The latest issue of LawNow shows that it can be life-affirming to plan ahead for those you love. As Carole concludes, “don’t play the odds – have the back-up plan.”
Alberta has a new Wills and Succession Act; read our articles to find out the top ten things you need to know about the new Act and how the Act amends family law.
Did you know that different rules apply to the wills and estates of Aboriginal people? Read John Edmond’s article to find out more.
Articles on testamentary trusts and unjust enrichment complete the focus on wills and estates.
The special report for this issue is Freedom of Conscience. Linda McKay-Panos describes what Freedom of Conscience means for Canadians. Rob Normey writes about PEN Canada, an organization that advocates for freedom of expression.
LawNow’s columns are full of interesting information as usual; check out columns such as Human Rights Law: Sizing Up Discrimination, Whatever Happened To… The Irwin Toy Company, and Not-for-Profit Law: Transparency for All?.
See the Table of Contents and select articles for free at www.lawnow.org
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