DIAL News ========= 30 August 2001 2001/10 In this issue: * WORLD LAW / DIAL HAS BEEN RESTRUCTURED * LAW VIA THE INTERNET CONFERENCE 2001 * NEW LEGISLATION * OTHER NEW AND UPDATED MATERIALS * LAW AND POLICY REFORM * FEATURED WEBSITE * RESEARCH TIPS * DIAL TRAINING Welcome to the Chinese DIAL Users who participated in the recent DIAL Training held in Beijing. This DIAL News focuses on Chinese legal websites. ********************************************************************** * WORLD LAW / DIAL HAS BEEN RESTRUCTURED World Law/DIAL now has a new homepage and logo at http://www.austlii.edu.au/links/ Behind the scenes we have introduced some important new changes to make World Law/DIAL easier to use: - The new World Law homepage now integrates all the DIAL (Development of the Internet for Asian Law) features and information much more closely. DIAL shortcuts, training materials, news and user list information can be found and accessed easily. - It also has a Recent Additions (for new links and categories) section and News & Announcements section and a Quick Links area to take you into specific parts of the catalog. - We have standardised the terms used across all the catalog pages, starting with a new top level called 'Categories'. - A more sophisticated internal caching system makes World Law/DIAL usage much faster and more effective. - The catalog structure more fully integrates the Australian categories with the rest of the materials. We hope you like the new improved World Law/DIAL. ********************************************************************** LAW VIA THE INTERNET CONFERENCE 2001 AustLII (Australasian Legal Information Institute) will host its third conference on 28-30 November 2001. The conference will consist of two days of papers and panel discussions and an additional day of tutorials and special interest groups. It will be held at the Faculty of Law, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia. See http://www.austlii.edu.au/austlii/conference/ CALL FOR PAPERS This year we hope to have a particular focus on the following areas: Asian law on the Internet; community legal information; large-scale automation of legal data; standards for legal information; and use of the Internet in legal practice. Papers may be submitted on other topics dealing with internet-based legal resources. Late papers may be considered. See http://www.austlii.edu.au/austlii/conference/callforpapers.html ********************************************************************** NEW LEGISLATION "Full Text of Laws & Regulations" (China) See http://www.austlii.edu.au/links/2149.html "Codes & Statutes" (China) See http://www.austlii.edu.au/links/2149.html "China Laws & Regulations" See http://www.austlii.edu.au/links/2149.html ********************************************************************** OTHER NEW AND UPDATED MATERIALS CHINA>>INTRODUCTIONS TO CHINESE LAW "Introduction to Chinese Legal System" Provides an introduction to the legal system and the court system of China. Information is also available in Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese. See http://www.austlii.edu.au/links/3089.html HONG KONG, CHINA>>TREATIES & INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS "Bilateral and Multilateral Treaties applicable to Hong Kong" This site provides the full text in Chinese and English of the major bilateral international agreements of the HKSAR. Also includes a list of multilateral international agreements that are in force and are applicable to the HKSAR. See http://www.austlii.edu.au/links/2652.html ********************************************************************* LAW AND POLICY REFORM FOREIGN INVESTMENT "Laws and Regulation - Foreign Investment" (China) Contains text in English of Chinese laws and regulations related to foreign investment. They are published on the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation website. See http://www.austlii.edu.au/links/51104.html ********************************************************************* FEATURED WEBSITE CHINA "IsinoLaw" A comprehensive subscription legal information site providing authoritative English translations of statutes, judicial interpretations, cases, arbitration awards and other legal matters of the PRC. The site also provides access to court judgements, arbitration awards as well as up-to-date legal news and developments in China. Also available are an on-line law books service, sample application forms and contracts and an introduction to the Chinese legal system including the court system of the PRC. In English, Simplified and Traditional Chinese (Isinolaw Research Center). See http://www.austlii.edu.au/links/214.html ********************************************************************** RESEARCH TIPS BROWSING WORLD LAW FOR SUBJECTS Always check the 'Subjects' category to determine if the legal topic in which you are interested is already available in the catalog. It may be easier than trying to construct searches using search engines - it depends on the subject matter. World Law now has 84 legal categories or topics. Go to World Law>>Categories>>Subjects: Does it include subject pages for your topics of interest? If so, inspect them. -On any 'Subjects' page, check if there is an 'Other Indexes' subcategory, as it may reveal other good indexes on your topic of interest. -On any 'Countries' page there is also a list of 'Subjects' or a 'By Subject' category. See http://www.austlii.edu.au/links/272.html ********************************************************************** DIAL TRAINING CHINA TRAINING Training took place in Beijing from August 13 to 17, 2001. It was organised by the Legislative Affairs Office (LAO) of the State Council, P.R. China, and held at the Tsinghua University Law School. Photos from the training will be available soon. PAKISTAN TRAINING Details will be posted in DIAL News as soon as they are finalised. GUIDED TOUR AND EXERCISES Did you know that DIAL now has an online User Guide & Guided Tour, and a set of Online Exercises? They can help you master World Law/DIAL and internet legal research. See http://www.austlii.edu.au/dial/training/ ********************************************************************** DIAL USERS - COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS WELCOME Please feel free to distribute DIAL News to interested colleagues. Please try to avoid unsanctioned cross-postings to news groups or email lists. DIAL News will be posted to relevant Internet lists from AustLII. We would like to receive comments and suggestions for improvements to the Newsletter via the DIAL User List. Remember if you have any questions about legal research using DIAL, or other questions about legal research using the Internet, you can send your questions to the DIAL User List and the DIAL Team will do its best to assist. DIAL Users can participate in the development of World Law/DIAL by forwarding new legal websites to add to any of the source, subject or country pages either through the DIAL User list or by clicking on 'Add a Link' at the top of World Law pages. Past issues of DIAL News are located at http://www.austlii.edu.au/dial/news/ ********************************************************************** TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE DIAL USER LIST See http://www.austlii.edu.au/dial/userlist.html The DIAL Team See http://www.austlii.edu.au/dial/team.html END OF DIAL NEWS ================