legal research

European Criminal Law Academic Network

The European Criminal Law Academic Network (ECLAN) is an organisation of researchers and academics from 32 countries specialising in EU criminal law. The aims of ECLAN include facilitating collaboration between universities and developing academic research and training in the field of EU criminal law. ECLAN organises conferences and summer schools details of which are given online. Details of publications are also given with a selection of reports and articles made freely available.

Centre for the Study of European Labour Law

Website of the Centre for the Study of European Labour Law at the University of Catania, set up in 1996 by Massimo D’Antona. The focus of the Centre is European social integration, the labour market and social protection systems. The Centre makes available a Working Papers Collection covering EU social law and policy, labour law and industrial relations. The papers are brought together a series of online volumes, Biblioteca 20 Maggio, which can be browsed or searched back to 2003. The papers are mostly in Italian with some in English.

LawPod

A podcast created by Dr Rachel Kellean and Richard Summerville from Queen’s University Belfast. Posted at intervals ranging from monthly to weekly, the episodes are hosted by staff and students, each focusing on a different legal issue or concept, often featuring academic or professional guests. Whilst solely audio-based, with no transcript available, the archive tab lists the episodes with accompanying notes, and occasionally relevant blog posts. The blog offers additional insight into some of the topics covered in the podcast episodes.

Peace Palace Library

This international law library supports the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the International Court of Justice and the Hague Academy of International law, as well as the wider international community. It includes over one million books, both physical and electronic, covering international law (public and private), foreign and comparative law,  and war and peace issues; it is renowned for its Hugo Grotius and Peace Movement collections. The catalogue  has English and French interfaces.

Chinese (PRC) & Hong Kong Law

This research guide to the Chinese (PRC) and Hong Kong Law systems is compiled by the University of Melbourne. On the introduction page, the guide includes various recommended sources for starting Chinese legal research. Also included are pages covering legislation, case law, treaties, books, journals & theses, law reform ,and news, all with a brief description, relevant links and materials, and often a section on how to go about finding more resources. As this guide is aimed at law students, it also includes a page on citing and referencing resources.

Southeast Asian region countries law

This research guide to the legal systems of the southeast Asian region, consisting of Japan, Korea and the 10 countries that comprise ASEAN, is compiled by the University of Melbourne. For each jurisdiction there are annotated links to sources of legislation, case law, books and journals, and for many jurisdictions there are also links to treaties and the constitution. As this guide is aimed at law students, it also includes a page on citing and referencing resources.

Australian legislation

This guide to Australian legislation is compiled by the University of Melbourne and made freely available on its website. Content includes pages on the different types of legislation, how to locate them, and advice on legislative research. Pages dedicated to the specific Australian states can be found under the finding legislation tab. These pages will usually consist of annotated links to the authoritative website, and then other sites providing legislation in that area. As this guide is aimed at law students, it also includes a page on citing and referencing resources.

Australian case law

This guide to Australian case law is compiled by the University of Melbourne and made freely available on its website. The guide outlines where to go to locate case law, gives annotated links to various resources and provides jurisdiction-specific pages covering the main reports produced for each state/territory and for Commonwealth Australia.

Researching the Legal System of the Republic of Sudan

Online guide to Sudanese law written by Mai Aman who is a Sudanese lawyer and children’s rights advocate. The guide was published in 2023 on the Globalex website and made freely available by the Hauser Global Law School Program at the New York University School of Law. The author gives background information to the political situation in Sudan and an overview of the legal framework. There is an outline of the courts system and links are given to a selection of Sudanese laws, some of which are in Arabic only. 

Welsh Legal History Society

The Welsh Legal History Society was founded in 1999 to promote interest and research into the history of law in Wales. Contents pages of the Society’s journal and a selection of full text articles are available on the site. There is also a selection of research resources aimed at researchers of Welsh legal history along with a page of links to databases and repositories containing historical legal materials. The site can be viewed in English and Welsh.

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