Information management services ensure the availability and quality of information in judicial administration

The Information Management Services unit of the Legal Register Centre (LRC) ensures that the information used in judicial administration is of high quality and available to organisations, supporting their operations. The unit provides information management services for the entire administrative branch of the Ministry of Justice.

LRC’s information management services unit is responsible for tasks such as disclosing information to the media, developing information architecture work and reporting in judicial administration. The unit is led by Information Management Manager Aino Tylli, who has worked at LRC for over five years. Tylli has previously worked at Statistics Finland, and she is a Master of Arts.

The tasks of information management services have expanded and developed significantly over the past five years.

“The growing needs of the judicial administration for information and its utilisation have increased the importance of the unit at the level of the entire administrative branch,” Tylli says.

Various information management tasks

Information management services involve working with information using different approaches, and the unit employs specialists with a number of different backgrounds. The unit works in four teams.

The data platform service team develops a shared data platform service for the entire administrative branch that supports the use and analysis of data in the form of reports. The work emphasises requirements related to data protection and information security. The information architecture team, on the other hand, describes and develops the information architecture of the judicial administration and harmonises the structures and concepts of information.

“In our information architecture work, we describe the datasets and data pools of the judicial administration and harmonise core information so that the information is comparable and can be used in the entire administrative branch,” explains Senior Specialist Merja Tavajärvi-Mikkonen.

The information management specialist service supports the client agencies in the administrative branch of the Ministry of Justice in their information management tasks. Specialist services are provided for the entire administrative branch as well as for the LRC and its projects. The information disclosure team is responsible for the information service tasks of the national data resource of the judicial administration, i.e., processing requests for information.

The unit is also closely involved in the cooperation group on knowledge-based management appointed by the Ministry of Justice. The task of the cooperation group is to bring together the strategic development needs of knowledge-based management in the administrative branch and to strive to enhance the understanding of the benefits of knowledge-based management.

More information disclosed to the media

A significant part of the work of information management services is information disclosure, i.e., responding to requests for information. Information is disclosed to the media, to authorities for planning and reporting, for scientific research and for students’ theses.

LRC discloses to the media information from the national processing system of register data and case management information in a centralised manner. The system can be used to disclose, for example, basic information about legal proceedings or other record data if disclosure has not been restricted by a court. The centralised approach enhances the media’s access to information by directing journalists to the correct court to obtain more detailed information.

In 2024, the LRC received public recognition for its information disclosures when it was awarded the Jääraappa prize for promoting the openness of society. The award was granted by Tutkivan journalismin yhdistys (the Finnish Association for Investigative Journalism). The association justified its choice by thanking LRC for its contribution to serving the media and promoting socially significant journalism.

The number of requests for information made by the media has increased steadily over the years. In 2023, the number of requests was 530, while in 2025, it had already reached 840. The number of requests for information made by students has also increased in recent years.

Development projects support efficient information management

Information management services are actively involved in various development programmes and projects that improve the information management in judicial administration and increase cost-effectiveness.

The information architecture development programme will, for example, build a common foundation for information management in judicial administration. The programme has promoted master data management, developed information management models and relevant tools, and prepared a new joint preservation solution. The aim is to improve the quality and interoperability of information, facilitate the availability of information in different processes and reduce data duplication in the administrative branch.

One of the key development projects is the media portal, the pilot for which is expected to be launched this year. In the future, the media portal will allow journalists to seek specified information as a self-service almost around the clock, without making a separate request for information to the LRC.

Meaningful work in good company

Tylli says that interesting and socially significant work tasks and a friendly work community have made her enjoy working at LRC. She feels that supervisory work is an important part of her role.

“My most important task is to support specialists and help them succeed,” Tylli describes.

Tavajärvi-Mikkonen also says that she has enjoyed her time at LRC.

“Our unit has an open atmosphere and we work well together. You can always ask for help, and we also work closely with other teams,” Tavajärvi-Mikkonen says.