The NZLLA is concerned that there is a vast range of New Zealand legal information in existence, very little of which is formally identified in terms of content and location.  Some of this is widely available, but some (particularly older) material is becoming less accessible.  This has implications both for legal and historical research, and for issues of public access to the law.

In September 2000, a meeting of Association members identified the range of categories of what we have called "legal writing" - that whole spectrum from case law and legislation to academic and law firm archives.  This list is reproduced below.

This is an ongoing discussion..  Our response to this issue could range from suggesting possible solutions to the appropriate organisations, to carrying out some of the work necessary to improve access to this valuable material.  Please contact any member of the National Executive if you would like more information or would like to suggest additions to the list below.

Academic

theses, dissertations, research papers
conference papers (given by academics on NZ topics)
speeches
popular press writing
chapters/essays in collected writings
(e-)course materials
ALTA papers

Published writings (in any medium)

NZ imprint
about NZ law
by New Zealanders
includes popular material and ephemera
journals, reviews
monographs
looseleafs

Archival material

material identified by NRAM (National Register of Archives & Manuscripts)
papers of academics, barristers, &c.
digital material (superseded CD-ROMs, etc)

Out of print/Heritage material

old conference papers
old published texts
indexes
Legal Research Foundation material
superseded looseleaf material

Practitioners

conference papers
CLE papers
Newsletters
in house seminars
speeches
media (radio, TV)

Law Librarians

conference papers
journals
web publications
MLIS papers
archival materials

Judiciary

speeches
articles
papers

Primary materials

treaties, conventions
statutes [including regs, rules, &c]
cases

Government writings

material not to be published in the "A-J’s"
old govt dept discussion papers
web publications

Ad hoc seminars & conferences