In order to stay up-to-date on the legal topics that interest you it can be helpful to use alerting services. There are many available but here are some recommendations for you to try.
Westlaw
Once you are logged in "Alerts" will appear as an option in the top right hand bar. Click on this and then click on the "Create a New Alert" button on the left.
Lexis
Login to Lexis+ using the Raven option from the Legal Databases page on the Squire Law Library homepage. If you login via the IP address you will not be able to set up an alert and receive an error message.
Lexis have provided step-by-step instructions on the following webpages: Lexis+® UK Help.
iDiscover (the Library catalogue)
It can be useful to keep up to date on the material being added to the Cambridge University Libraries in subjects that interest you. You can run a search in iDiscover utilizing the filters to focus your requirements including narrowing your results to material held at the Squire Law Library. Save the search and then enter your email address to receive updates whenever a new book is added to the Library. Here’s a short video showing you how to do it:
Google provides instructions on how to set up alerts. This can be good for keeping an eye on a law firm or a person or a place. However, if you are conducting academic research consider setting up your alerts via Google Scholar as it will search scholarly publications. Go to Google Scholar, carry out a search, and then create alert will appear as an option on the left. You will need to have a Google account.
JournalToCs
JournalToCs allows the user to follow journals out of a collection of 32,567. Many law journals included - but weighted towards international and American journals.
Browzine
BrowZine's organization of journals by a subject taxonomy lets you select those journals you want to read for your research by drilling down to the journals in your subject areas. Start using Browzine and add the journals that interest you to My Bookshelf..
Lexology
Sends daily alerts of articles and blogposts from law firms so it is aimed at people in practice but can be interesting to monitor a variety of topics. You will need to register.
FT.com
The Financial Times is widely recognised as a very authoritative news source and the University Library has an institutional subscription. Create an account on FT.com by clicking the “Sign in” link on the FT.com site. Cambridge users can enter their cam.ac.uk email address and create an account. After creating your account you can access your FT.com content via the Single Sign-On (SSO) button which will recognise you as a member of the University.
Then click into My FT (on the right beside the Financial Times banner) and chose "Contact preferences". There are various alerting and email options.
Blogs
Follow blogs written by authoritative sources such as:
- UK Constitutional Law Association;
- Current Awareness by Inner Temple Library;
- Professor Mark Elliott: Public Law for Everyone;
- UK Supreme Court blog.
These sites offer comprehensive lists of legal blogs: Delia Venables and Chambers Student.
Podcasts
The Institute of Advanced Legal Studies maintain a list of legal podcasts available on the web.
X (Twitter)
If you use Twitter fill your feed with informative and authoritative sources (academics, journalists, societies, government bodies, law libraries). If you don’t want to join Twitter just keep an eye on the Squire Law Library’s Twitter feed (@Squire_law).
Further suggestions
There's an extensive LibGuide on current awareness produced by the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.