This issue of the INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEGAL INFORMATION (IJLI) marks a bittersweet transition for me. Our long-time editor of book reviews, Thomas Mills, has chosen to step back from his role of providing book reviews for the IJLI. Thomas began working as editor of book reviews not long after I took over as editor in 2005. He joined the editorial staff in 2006 and has been a stalwart contributor ever since. I have come to rely on Thomas over the years and he always came through. His contributions will be missed. Thomas had the two reviews in this issue in his pipeline. Thank you, Thomas, and all the very best in your future endeavors!
The good news is that I have already secured a successor for Thomas. My colleague, Caroline Osborne, has graciously agreed to step in as our new book review editor. Professor Osborne is Director of the Law Library and Associate Professor of Law at West Virginia University College of Law. She has led a distinguished career in law librarianship and legal practice. Caroline has published pieces in the IJLI in the recent past, and her fierce attention to detail in her own writing made me think of her almost immediately when I began searching for Thomas's successor. The IJLI is very lucky to have her. Welcome aboard, Caroline!
Of course, this issue contains much more than book reviews. It also contains the always-popular International Calendar, edited by Amy Flick. And there are three excellent articles that I know the IJLI's readers will find interesting and instructive.
The first article is by Glory J. Onoyeyan and Oludayo John Bamgbose. Bamgbose's name should ring a bell with IJLI readers as he has published with us several times – the most recent being just this spring in issue 47.1. Onoyeyan's and Bamgbose's article examines the results of a survey they administered among Nigerian law students. The authors were looking at how these students viewed their career options and the choices they made for pursuing a career in law or a related legal field in Nigeria. The results of the survey are surprising, with a majority of respondents preferring to pursue careers outside of a mainstream legal practice. Read the article, follow along with their method, and learn about the strong Nigerian legal culture and how it is developing and evolving among the most recent generation of law students in that country.
The second article in this issue is by Julienne Grant and focuses on changes in the law in Cuba. Ms. Grant was one of the principle authors of the foundational Guide to Cuban Law and Legal Research published in issue 45.2 in 2017. Her latest contribution to this area is largely a follow-up to the 2017 Guide. It is a necessary corollary as there have been many important legal developments in Cuba since 2017. One of the most important is Cuba's new constitution. If you work or do research in the area of Cuban law, Ms. Grant's article is essential.
Finally, we have an important article authored by Manuel Rodriguez. It is an extremely timely and in-depth examination of the role played by disinformation in the 2016 elections in the context of international law. Rodriguez looks at the situation from a number of angles and suggests that “disinformation operations aimed at (democratic) elections in the context of public international law will most likely be regulated (if) by a combination of custom and bottom-up law-making influencing and reinforcing each other.” It is a thought-provoking and sobering look at some of the legal implications of state meddling in a rival state's election through disinformation disseminated through social media and other outlets. It is fascinating reading and doesn't get more current than this. Enjoy!
