Legal writing in Australia demands precise citation following the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (AGLC). While Obsidian is an excellent tool for legal writing and research, managing citations properly can be challenging. After considerable experimentation, I’ve discovered a workflow that combines the power of Obsidian with Zotero’s citation management, while maintaining proper AGLC formatting including ‘ibid’ and subsequent ‘n’ references.
The standard approach of using Zotero’s Obsidian plugin has a significant limitation: while it can insert AGLC-formatted citations, these remain static. This means you lose the dynamic features of legal citation such as automatic ‘ibid’ references and correct numbering for subsequent citations. However, there’s a solution that preserves these essential features while maintaining the benefits of both Obsidian and Zotero.
This workflow uses Obsidian’s Longform plugin for document management, Zotero’s scannable cite format for reference tracking, and LibreOffice for final AGLC formatting. Here’s how to implement it:
First, set up your environment. Install Obsidian’s Longform plugin for managing your document structure, and configure Zotero’s export preferences. In Zotero, go to Export/Item format and select ‘Scannable cite’. This setting enables Zotero to create citations that can be processed later for proper AGLC formatting.
When writing your document, add footnotes using markdown or the Footnote plugin (Option + 8 on Mac) to create citation references. Here’s the crucial part that many (including myself, initially) miss: each footnote reference must be unique throughout your entire document. Instead of using simple numbered references like [^1], create meaningful, unique identifiers. For example:
This point is supported by recent research.[^lit-1]
Further studies have confirmed this trend.[^lit-2]
[^lit-1]: { | Smith, 2023 |p. 55 | |zu:2006667:ABCD123}
[^lit-2]: { | Smith, 2023 |p. 56 | |zu:2006667:ABCD123}To insert the Scannable Cite from Zotero, copy them from Zotero (Shift + Cmd + C) and paste them into your footnotes. The seeming complexity of the citation format doesn’t matter—it’s just temporary scaffolding that will be converted later.
When your document is complete, use the Longform plugin to compile it. Then, export the compiled markdown to ODT format using Obsidian’s Enhanced Export plugin. This creates a document that preserves your citation structure while being compatible with Zotero’s processing tools.
The final step transforms these scannable citations into properly formatted AGLC references. Use the RTF/ODF-Scan for Zotero tool to process your exported document. Open the processed document (it will have “citation” in the filename) in LibreOffice. In the Zotero LibreOffice plugin toolbar, click Set Document Preferences, choose AGLC as your citation style, and click OK. Zotero will automatically format all references according to AGLC guidelines, including proper use of ‘ibid’ and correct ‘n’ citations.
This workflow solves several common problems in legal writing. It maintains the flexibility of Obsidian for writing and organisation, preserves Zotero’s powerful reference management capabilities, and ensures proper AGLC formatting including dynamic citation features. While it might seem complex at first, the process becomes quite smooth with practice and delivers significantly better results than simpler but more limited approaches.
Remember: the key to success with this method is ensuring every footnote reference in your Obsidian document is unique. This small detail makes the difference between a smooth conversion process and frustrating formatting errors later.