Carter Newell Lawyers last night launched the 7th edition of the Australian Civil Liability Guide at Customs House in Brisbane’s CBD, for the iPad.

The e-publication itself is nothing extraordinary, but it is the first Australian law firm release of an iPad-friendly guide for clients.

The publication provides a overview of the maze of legislation and case law impacting upon the tort reform in Australia since the reform process began in 2002 and is a valuable source of information for claims managers, underwriters, brokers and other insurance professionals. It is also compatible with the iPhone and other mobile devices.

At last night’s launch of the iPad-ready publication, guests were greeted by some of the firm’s technologically savvy staff members who were on hand

to demonstrate the guide in its electronic application. One guest won an iPad

Carter Newell partner Paul Hopkins said: “For us, it’s a very real and tangible way to share our knowledge and expertise with our clients.”

Richard Susskind, author of The End of Lawyers? and visiting Professor of Internet Studies at the Oxford Internet Institute, recently questioned the worth of the iPad for lawyers in an article in The Times.

Susskind writes: “The big problem for lawyers… is that nether Microsoft Work nor Powerpoint runs on the iPad.”

Various work-arounds are available, through Apple’s equivalents, “but most legal practitioners will find this reeks of hassle”.

“For lawyers indifferent to high-tech devices and who like immediate gratification from their technology, the first iteration of the iPad unlike the BlackBerry, will not dominate the legal world,” Susskind writes.

While for the rest of humanity the iPad is “a game-changer”, according to Susskind, “only for the gadget-liking lawyer will the presently configured iPad be a compulsory accessory”.

His Honour, Justice Ipp notes in the forward to Carter Newell’s new legal update that the publication enables one to quickly undertake desired research simply and efficiently and that the material is comprehensive and well organised.

“The time and trouble that has been taken in the production of the guide is obvious. Its quality as a reference work speaks for itself,” he said.

The guide can be downloaded via the Carter Newell website at www.carternewell.com with hard copies available through the firm.