CLA Bursary Reflections: BIALL Conference 2025

At CLA, we are committed to supporting professional development across the library and information sector. This year, we were delighted to offer a bursary to support attendance at the BIALL Conference. Below, our bursary recipient, Katherine Gair from Slaughter & May, shares her reflections on the experience and the valuable insights gained.

I was elated to have been awarded a CLA bursary to attend the BIALL Conference this June. As someone new to the legal sector, having previously worked in public and further education libraries, the opportunity to meet fellow law library professionals was incredibly valuable and enriching. I made some excellent contacts, including my conference buddy Emma, who guided me through the entire experience with kindness and lots of valuable insights.

The conference was packed with fascinating sessions exploring different aspects of law librarianship. The opening session by Jenni Tellyn focused on the evolving role of Knowledge Management (KM) teams in law libraries and the work currently being done within firms to improve the visibility and reach of internal know-how. This was especially relevant for me as I now support the administration of the KM system at Slaughter and May. The talk gave me a stronger appreciation for how Knowledge Management operates across the legal sector, and where I fit within this landscape. Tellyn also provided several useful suggestions for making internally produced know-how more visible and communicating its value more keenly to key stakeholders. I plan to apply several of these insights in my own work.

Anne Coles, Helena Marshall and Wendy Johnson delivered a fascinating session on how legal research skills training has evolved since the introduction of the SQE qualification route. The new qualification offers less in-depth experience with legal research databases, which may leave some new lawyers lacking confidence in using these tools. One particularly useful suggestion was to make in-person training sessions more interactive by asking attendees to rate their own research skills at the outset. This allows trainers to adapt their delivery and ensure the session is pitched at the right level. I found this session invaluable and plan to incorporate its messages into my own role supporting legal skills training.

A recurring theme throughout the conference was the use and impact of generative AI in the legal sector. Both LexisNexis and Westlaw demonstrated their AI tools, Protégé and CoCounsel, highlighting how they can support lawyers in drafting documents and conducting legal research. Other speakers, such as Lisa Paul and Susan Lamond, shared their experiences trialling AI tools for tasks like generating company reports and horizon scanning. While results were mixed, they offered practical advice on crafting effective prompts and highlighted common limitations of these tools. Alex Robinson’s session on systematically testing AI tools was particularly helpful, and I’ve already begun applying his strategies—such as using emotive language and follow-up questioning—in my own work.

Conversely, Christina Blacklaws’ keynote addressed the biases embedded in generative AI tools and the importance of maintaining human oversight. She stressed the need for further training in both using AI tools and understanding their limitations, especially in relation to vulnerable groups. These sessions collectively gave me a clearer understanding of how to use LLMs responsibly, something that had previously felt daunting.

I left the conference feeling much more confident in my role as a law librarian and with a clearer sense of how to develop my skills further. I’ve since signed up for additional legal training through BIALL and am participating in further trials of generative AI tools at work. I’m incredibly grateful to CLA for awarding me the bursary, it has strengthened my confidence in joining a sector that was completely new to me just six months ago.

We’re thrilled to see the impact this opportunity has had and look forward to supporting more professionals in the future. Congratulations again to Katherine Gair, and thank you for sharing your experience.

CLA’s bursary programme will continue, so keep an eye out for the next opportunity.

For further information about the CLA Law Licence, visit: cla.co.uk/law-licence