INTRODUCTION

Researching international and foreign law can be complicated, cumbersome and imprecise, but the increase in Internet sites which provide access to up-to-date documents is making this kind of legal research less painful and more effective. The resources provided in this chapter are mostly Internet resources: however, some print materials are also included, all of which are available in the Law Library or Stauffer Library at Queen's.

RESEARCH GUIDES

In addition to excellent printed guides--Guide to International Legal Research prepared by the George Washington Journal of International Law and Economics and Clair Germain's Germain's Transnational Law Research, published by Transnational Juris Publications--there are research guides available on the Internet:

ASIL Guide to Electronic Resources on International Law (http://www.asil.org/erghome.cfm)
Chapters include UN, Human Rights, Treaties, International Economic Law, International Environmental law, International Criminal Law and International Private Law.

Comparative and Foreign Law Guide (http://www.llrx.com/category/1050)
Provides guides to a number of different jurisdictions and countries around the globe.

Guide to International and Foreign Legal Databases (http://www.law.nyu.edu/library/research/foreign_intl/index.htm) (from NYU Law School Library)
Includes foreign databases by jurisdiction and by collections. Subjects include international criminal law, international trade, treaties, taxation, environmental law, Council of Europe.

Guide to International Trade Law Sources on the Internet by Marci Hoffman (http://www.llrx.com/features/trade3.htm)
Research guides, bibliographies, and collections of links, collections of international trade agreements and resources for major multilateral trade agreements and regional trading areas, and selected international organizations.

United Nations Documentation: Research Guide (http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/resguide/specil.htm) (prepared by Dag Hammarskjold Library) Includes guides to International Court of Justice, UN Tribunals and the principal legal bodies of UN and their official publications.

LEGAL ENCYCLOPEDIAS & DICTIONARIES

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries are useful tools for quick reference to definitions, origins, and usage of international legal terms and concepts.

Encyclopedias

Bernhardt, Rudolf, ed., Encyclopedia of Public International Law, consolidated library ed. (Amsterdam: North-Holland Publishing Company, 1992-).
Ref. JX1226 .E56 1992

Blanpain, Roger, ed., International Encyclopaedia For Labour Law and Industrial Relations (Deventer, Netherlands: Kluwer, 1977-).
Ref. K1705 .I5

Blanpain, Roger, ed., International Encyclopaedia of Laws (Deventer, Netherlands: Kluwer, 1991-).
Ref. K48 .I57

David, R et al, eds., International Encyclopedia of Comparative Law (New York: Oceana, 1971-). This set covers various subjects on national laws, such as the legal systems, of each country in the world.
Ref. K530 .I57

Osmanczyk, Edmund Jan, Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements, 3d ed. by Anthony Mango (New York: Routledge, 2003).
KZ4968 .O84 2003

Redden, Kenneth Robert, ed., Modern Legal Systems Cyclopedia (Buffalo, N.Y.: William S. Hein, 1984-).
K48 .M62 1984

Toth, A.G., ed., The Oxford Encyclopaedia of European Community Law (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1990-).
Ref. KJE926 .T67 1990

Dictionaries

Allard, Francis et al., eds., Private Law Dictionary and Bilingual Lexicons, 2d rev. & enl. ed. (Cowansville, Quebec: Editions Y. Blais, 2003).
KEQ365 A57 D5213 2003t

Beyer, Gerry W. & Kenneth R. Redden, Modern Dictionary for the Legal Profession, 3d ed. (Buffalo, N.Y. : W.S. Hein & Co., 2001).
Ref. KF156 .B49 2001

Bouchet-Saulnier, Françoise, The Practical Guide to Humanitarian Law, 2d ed. (Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007).
Ref. KZ6471 .B6813 2007

Capela, John J. & Stephen W. Hartman, eds., Dicti onary of International Business Terms (Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series, 1996).
Ref. HD62.4 .C36 1996 (Stauffer)

Conde, Victor H., ed., A Handbook of International Human Rights Terminology (Lincoln, Neb: University of Nebraska Press, 1999).
K3239.3 .C66 1999

Dept. of Conference Services, Documentation and Terminology Service, United Nations Secretariat, Law of the Sea Terminology (New York: U.N., 1975).
JX4411 .U54

Fox, James R., ed., Dictionary of International and Comparative Law, 3d ed. (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. : Oceana Publications, 2003).
KZ1161 .F69 2003

Garner, Bryan, ed., Black's Law Dictionary, 8th ed. (St. Paul, Minn.: Thomson West, 2004).
Ref. KF153 .B53 2004

Gibson, John S., ed., Dictionary of International Human Rights Law (Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 1996).
Ref. K3239.3 .G53 1996

Grant, John P. & J. Craig Barker, eds., Parry and Grant Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law, 2d ed. (New York: Oceana Publications, 2004).
Ref. KZ1161 .P37 2004

Greenberg, Daniel, Stroud’s Judicial Dictionary of Words and Phrases, 7th ed. (London: Sweet & Maxwell, 2006).
Ref. KD313 .G74 2006

Lindbergh, Ernest, ed., International Law Dictionary (London: Blackston, 1992).
Ref. JX1226 .L56 1992

Lindbergh, Ernest, ed., Modern Dictionary of International Legal Terms: English, French, German (Boston: Little Brown, 1993).
Ref. JX1226 .L56a 1992

Lyons, Susan M., ed., International Tax Glossary, Rev. 2d ed. (Amsterdam: International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation, 1992).
Ref. K4459.3 .I58 1992

Martin, Elizabeth A. & Jonathan Law, eds., A Dictionary of Law, 6th ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006).
Ref. KD313 .D52 2006

Munniksma, F., ed., International Business Dictionary in Nine Languages (Deventer, Netherlands: Kluwer, 1974).
HF1002 .M84

Oxford Dictionary for International Business, rev. ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998).
Ref. HF1001 .O94 1998 (Stauffer)

Paenson, Isaac, ed., English-French-Spanish-Russian Manual of the Terminology of Public International Law, 1st ed. (Brussels: Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva and "INTERCENTRE" by Bruyland, 1983).
JX1226 .P126

World Trade Organization, Trilingual Glossary: For the Use of WTO Translators, 2d ed. (Geneva: WTO, 1997).
HF1002 .T74 1997t

TREATISES & JOURNALS

Treatises & Journals

For a novice international law researcher, leading textbooks or treatises can be an excellent starting point. They provide analysis and discussion of legal questions by legal scholars and play an important role in understanding international law. These text books are published in a wide range from comprehensive to very narrow.

For locating books in the online catalogue at Queen's and other library catalogues consult QCAT: The Library Catalogue and Accessing Other Library Catalogues in the chapter on Secondary Sources (http://library.queensu.ca/law/lederman/secondary).

Journal Articles

Journal articles are, like treatises, either broad or narrow in scope and can provide in-depth coverage. They can be an excellent introduction to a topic or an analysis and discussion of legal issues. Other useful features of periodicals are their timeliness and citations which lead the researcher to further writings on the subject.

For locating journal titles in the online catalogue at Queen's and other library catalogues consult QCAT: The Library Catalogue and Accessing Other Library Catalogues in the chapter on Secondary Sources.

Indexes & Full-Text Law Journals

For a description of journal indexes available at Queen's see Journal Indexes & Full-Text Law Journals in the chapter on Secondary Sources.

You can also search or browse HeinOnline's Foreign & International Law Resource Database, which contains some of the world's best international law publications, from the in-depth coverage of publications of the American Society of International Law and prominent Yearbooks from around the world to the Hague Permanent Court of International Justice series and the publications of dozens of other highly respected publishers.

INTERNATIONAL LEGAL MATERIALS

Although most international organizations have their documents on their web sites, International Legal Materials remains an excellent source for locating international documents from state, international organizations, etc. It is often the first place this material is published. International Legal Materials is available in print or as a database on HeinOnline, Westlaw Canada, or LexisNexis Quicklaw.

LEXISNEXIS QUICKLAW and WESTLAW CANADA

Both Westlaw Canada and LexisNexis Quicklaw contain databases of international and foreign materials. Researchers, however, should be aware of different coverage between the databases. For more information, consult the scope notes for the databases.

INTERNET LINKS FOR INTERNATIONAL & FOREIGN LAW

The following sites provide comprehensive and specialized links to international, foreign, and European Union law. Many of these sites are organized by international organization or by topic (UN, WTO, International human rights, International environmental law, International economic law, etc.).

Comprehensive Sites

United Nations Homepage (http://www.un.org)
Provides links including International Court of Justice, the Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea, the International Law Commission, and UN Documents.

Research Guide to International Law on the Internet (University of Bologna)(http://www2.spfo.unibo.it/spolfo/ILMAIN.htm). Incudes links for the United Nations, the European Union, International Organizations, Peace & Security, Current Conflicts and Humanitarian Crises, Peacekeeping Operations, Humanitarian Law of Armed Conflicts, Human Rights, International Criminal Law, Environmental Law, Law of the Sea, Air & Space Law, International Trade Law, etc.

Guide to Foreign and International Legal Databases (NYU Law Library) (http://www.law.nyu.edu/library/research/foreign_intl/index.htm/)

Foreign & International Law (Washburn University Law School) (http://www.washlaw.edu/forint/index.htmll)

Legal Information Institute Law From Around the World (Cornell) (http://www.law.cornell.edu/world/)

International Organizations

United Nations (http://www.un.org/)

WTO (http://www.wto.org/)

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (http://www.oecd.org/)

World Bank (http://www.worldbank.org/)

World Intellectural Property Organization (WIPO) (http://www.wipo.int/)

International Labor Organization (ILO) (http://www.ilo.org/)

European Union (EU) (http://europa.eu/index_en.htm)

Council of Europe (http://www.coe.int/DefaultEN.asp)

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (http://www.nato.int/)

Organization of American States (http://www.oas.org/)

Yahoo links to International Organizations (http://dir.yahoo.com/Government/International_Organizations/)

Treaties

ASIL Guide to Electronic Resources on International Law : Treaties by Jill Watson (http://www.asil.org/resource/treaty1.htm)
Includes how to go about treaty research, with particular emphases on electronic resources

Treaties and International Agreements : A GSSI Research Guide (http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/doemoff/govinfo/intl/gov_trtygde.html) (Prepared by Berkeley Library) Excellent guide for locating treaties to which U.S. is a party as well as other bilateral and multilateral agreements.

UN Treaty Collection Databases (http://untreaty.un.org)

Multilaterals Project (http://fletcher.tufts.edu/multilaterals.html) (Prepared by Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy)
Excellent site for the text of international multilateral conventions and other instruments.

Canada Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade: Trade Negotiations and Agreements (http://www.international.gc.ca/tna-nac/menu-en.asp)
Excellent site for the text of bilateral treaties between Canada and United States as well as other treaties to which Canada is a party

UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office Treaty Office (http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/publications/treaties/)
Good site for locating current international agreements to which the UK is a party.

Australian Treaties Library (Australian Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade)(http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/dfat/)
Includes searchable full text Australian Treaty Series.

WTO/GATT Research (http://www.law.nyu.edu/library/research/researchguides/wtogattresearch/index.htm)
This guide lists the essential sources for researching the current WTO system and the predecessor system under the 1947 General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT 1947).

Also see Queen's Indexes and Electronic Sources list for commercial databases to which Queen's subscribes.

Courts/Tribunals

International Court of Justice (http://www.icj-cij.org/)

International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (http://www.itlos.org)

Court of Justice of European Communities (http://curia.eu)

European Court of Human Rights (http://www.echr.coe.int/)

Permanent Court of Arbitration (http://www.pca-cpa.org/)

International Criminal Court (http://www.icc-cpi.int/)

International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (http://www.ictr.org)

International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (http://www.icty.org/)

World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Panel and Appellate Body (http://www.wto.org/English/tratop_e/dispu_e/distab_e.htm)

Environmental Law

ASIL Guide to Electronic Resources for International Law: International Environmental Law by Anne Burnett (http://www.asil.org/resource/env1.htm) Covers primarily Internet resources but also includes CD-ROMs, library catalogues, and online commercial databases. It also provides Search strategies for conducting research in this area.

UN Treaty Collection Databases (http://untreaty.un.org)

Climate Change Secretariat (http://unfccc.int/2860.php)
Provides the text of the convention as well as documents of the various conferences, bodies and group created by the convention, national communications, and technical papers.

Humanitarian issues

ASIL Guide to Electronic Resources for International Law : Human Rights by Marci Hoffman (http://www.asil.org/resource/humrts1.htm)
Also includes tips for doing research as well as for locating necessary documents and materials)

University of Minnesota Human Rights Library (http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/links/reflinks.html)

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Pages/WelcomePage.aspx)

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (http://www.unhcr.ch/)
Include links to official documents of and national legal information.

Council of Europe Human Rights Court Reform (http://www.coe.int/T/E/Human_rights/)

International Committee of the Red Cross  (http://www.icrc.org)
Provides links to information regarding international humanitarian law, humanitarian issues and work of ICRC

Yahoo!s list of human rights (http://dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/Issues_and_Causes/Human_Rights/)

International Trade

ASIL Guide to Electronic Resources for International Law: International Economic Law by Jean M. Wenger. (http://www.asil.org/resource/iel1.htm)

Lex Mercatoria: International Trade/Commercial Law Monitor (University of Tromso and University of Oslo, Norway and Pace University of Law) (http://www.lexmercatoria.net/)

WTO (http://www.wto.org/)

Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (http://www.oecd.org/)