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GlobaLex: A Unique and Valuable Tool for Foreign, Comparative, and International Law Research

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2019

Heidi Frostestad Kuehl
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How do I find Romanian statutes and cases in English? How might I better understand treaty research and use of travaux préparatoires, find available online and print resources for international agreements, and obtain a cogent overview of this topic? What sources might be helpful for researching religious legal systems, such as Hindu, Buddhist, or Islamic law? Where can I find a description of the legal system of Belarus? As U.S. law schools are becoming increasingly global in their scope and preparation of students and LLM programs abound, law librarians will more frequently encounter foreign, comparative, and international law reference questions like the above. In addition, if a reference librarian does not have a background or exposure to foreign, comparative, and international research or if there isn't a foreign and international law librarian at the institution, reliance on available online reference sources, such as research guides, and traditional reference works in foreign and international law will be essential. One excellent online resource that provides research guidance in the areas of foreign, comparative, and international law and has an authoritative and fascinating portal of research articles is GlobaLex.

Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Legal Information , Volume 34 , Issue 3 , Winter 2006 , pp. 473 - 482
Copyright
Copyright © 2006 by the International Association of Law Libraries 

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References

1 See, e.g., Alberto Bernabe-Riefkohl, Tomorrow's Law Schools: Globalization and Legal Education, 32(1) SAN DIEGO L. REV. 137-162 (Wntr 1995); John Edward Sexton, The Global Law School Program at New York University (Symposium on Globalization), 46(3) J. LEGAL EDUC. 329-335 (Sept. 1996); Stephen H. Legomsky, Globalization and the Legal Educator: Building a Curriculum for a Brave New World, 43(2) S. TEX. L. REV. 479-489 (Spring 2002); Dean David E. Van Zandt, Globalization Strategies for Legal Education, 36(1) U. TOL. L. REV. 213-220 (2004); and Adelle Blackett, Globalization and its Ambiguities: Implications for Law School Curricular Reform, 37(1) COLUM. J. TRANSNAT'L L. 57-79 (1998). See also Diane Penneys Edelman, Began at Brooklyn: Expanding Boundaries for First-Year Law Students by Internationalizing the Legal Writing Curriculum, 27(2) BROOK. J. INT'L L. 415 (2002) and Adolf Sprudzs, International Legal Research: An Infinite Paper Chase, 16(2) VAND. J. TRANSNAT'L L. 521, 524 (Summer 1983) (advocating that basic knowledge of international legal research is a “conditio sine qua non” to successfully approach problems in international law in a “contemporary reality of an increasingly interdependent, complex world”).Google Scholar

2 See, e.g., Reynolds and Flores, FOREIGN LAW: CURRENT SOURCES OF CODES AND BASIC LEGISLATION IN JURISDICTIONS OF THE WORLD (Rothman, 1989–); Rehberg & Popa, eds., ACCIDENTAL TOURIST ON THE NEW FRONTIER: AN INTRODUCTORY GUIDE TO GLOBAL LEGAL RESEARCH (Rothman, 1998); Raisch & Shaffer, eds., INTRODUCTION TO TRANSNATIONAL LEGAL TRANSACTIONS (Oceana, 1995); and Claire M. Germain, GERMAIN'S TRANSNATIONAL LAW RESEARCH: A GUIDE FOR ATTORNEYS (Transnational Juris Pub., 1991-). See also helpful electronic resources, such as the ASIL Guide to Electronic Resources for International Law, edited by Kelly Vinopal, available at http://www.asil.org/resource/home.htm (last visited March 7, 2007) and the Electronic Information System for International Law (EISIL), edited by Marci Hoffman and Jill McC. Watson, available at http://www.eisil.org/index.php?sid=297648529&t=index (last visited March 7, 2007).Google Scholar

3 See GlobaLex, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/index.html (last visited March 5, 2007).Google Scholar

4 See the Hauser Global Law School Program (About Us/Staff), available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/aboutus/aboutus.htm and http://www.nyulawglobal.org/aboutus/staff.htm (last visited March 7, 2007) (noting that Prof. J.H.H. Weiler is the Faculty Director of the Program).Google Scholar

5 See the NYU Law School (Senior Law School Administration), available at http://its.law.nyu.edu/faculty/profiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=listings.senioradmin (last visited March 7, 2007).Google Scholar

6 See “About GlobaLex,” available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/about.htm (last visited March 5, 2007).Google Scholar

7 See e.g., Hauser's Global Law Working Papers, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/workingpapers/glwpsmain.htm (last visited March 7, 2007); Human Rights and Global Justice Working Papers, available at http://www.nyuhr.org/research_publications.html (last visited March 7, 2007); Jean Monnet Working Papers, available at http://jeanmonnetprogram.org/papers/index.html (last visited March 7, 2007); Institute for International Law and Justice Working Papers, available at http://www.iilj.org/papers/index.html (last visited March 7, 2007); and Book Review Project: European and Global Law Books Reviews, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/researchtools/bookreview.htm (last visited March 7, 2007).Google Scholar

8 See GlobaLex, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/index.html (last visited March 7, 2007.Google Scholar

9 E-mail from Mirela Roznovschi on March 8, 2007. The new section will include two new articles by Barbara H. Garavaglia (University of Michigan Law Library) on collection development policies and building a foreign, comparative, and international law collection and Dennis Kim-Prieto (Rutgers School of Law Library) on databases for Spanish-speaking jurisdictions.Google Scholar

10 Note also that many of the foreign law guides had to be translated by authors or translators from those countries into English from the foreign language before being published in GlobaLex (e.g., Guide to Doing Research in Brazil).Google Scholar

11 Interview with Mirela Roznovschi on March 5, 2007.Google Scholar

12 See Do Hyung Kim, Research Guide on TRIPS and Compulsory Licensing: Access to Innovative Pharmaceuticals for Least Developed Countries, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/TRIPS_Compulsory_Licensing.htm (last visited March 5, 2007). Other recent examples of “Hot Topics” include Jonathan Pratter's guide to Travaux Préparatoires, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Travaux_Preparatoires.htm (last visited March 7, 2007), and Victor Essien's Regional Trade Agreements in Africa, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/CEMAC_ECOWAS.htm (last visited March 7, 2007).Google Scholar

13 See e.g., Tatyana Khodosevich and Nadia Shalygina, Guide to Legal Research in Belarus, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Belarus.htm or Otto Saki and Tatenda Chiware, The Law in Zimbabwe, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Zimbabwe.htm (last visited March 7, 2007). This might be considered a great sacrifice by authors in those nations because of the current state of the governments. Interview with Mirela Roznovschi on March 5, 2007.Google Scholar

14 Interview with Mirela Roznovschi on March 5, 2007.Google Scholar

15 See GlobaLex, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/index.htm (last visited March 7, 2007) and the link through the Hauser Global Law School Program webpage, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.com/index.htm (last visited March 7, 2007).Google Scholar

16 See “Register to Go Global” on the homepage of the Hauser Global Law School Program homepage, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/index.htm (last visited March 5, 2007). There are also neat links to recent reviews of “European Law Books” and “Global Law Books” on Hauser's homepage, available at http://www.globallawbooks.org/home.asp and http://www.europeanlawbooks.org/home.asp (last visited March 5, 1007).Google Scholar

17 See Mark Engsberg, An Introduction to Sources for Treaty Research, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.com/globalex/Treaty_Research.htm (last visited March 5, 2007) and Linda Tashbook“ Researching the United Nations: Finding the Organization's Internal Resource Trails, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.com/globalex/United_Nations_Research.htm (last visited March 7, 2007).Google Scholar

18 See, supra note 12, for these guides by Victor Essien (ECOWAS and CEMAC) and Do Hyung Kim (TRIPS).Google Scholar

19 See, e.g., Sophie Lobey, History, Role, and Activities of the Council of Europe: Facts, Figures, and Information Sources, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.com/globalex/Council_of_Europe.htm (last visited March 7, 2007) and Duncan E. Alford, European Union Legal Materials: An Infrequent User's Guide, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.com/globalex/European_Union.htm (last visited March 7, 2007).Google Scholar

20 For example, the European Union law guide provides helpful guidance for understanding the principal institutions of the EU, as well as pointing researchers toward primary sources like EU treaties, legislation, case law, and official reports on EU activities. Id.Google Scholar

21 Pratter provides four useful models of travaux préparatoires publication in his article and gives examples of researching the drafting history of international agreements, such as the Hague Conference on Private International Law. See Jonathan Pratter, Á la Recherche des Travaux Préparatoires: An Approach to Researching the Drafting History of International Agreements, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.com/globalex/Travaux_Preparatoires.htm (last visited March 5, 2007).Google Scholar

22 Research guides currently presented in the “International Law Research” section of GlobaLex include the following topics: APEC, ASEAN, Council of Europe, ECOWAS and CEMAC, European Union, International Commercial Law, International Criminal Law, International Environmental Law, International Health Law, International Marine Environmental Law, International Sports Law, International Trade, International Treaties, NAFTA and CAFTA, Sustainable Development Law, Terrorism, TRIPS, and the United Nations. See International Law Research, http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/index.html# (last visited March 7, 2007).Google Scholar

23 Interview with Mirela Roznovschi on March 5, 2007. This number accounts for the number of jurisdictions covered by Finding the Law: the Micro-States and Small Jurisdictions of Europe, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Microstates.htm (last visited March 8, 2007) and Introduction to Researching South Pacific Law, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/South_Pacific_Law.htm (last visited March 8, 2007).Google Scholar

24 See, e.g., Dahmene Touchent, A Guide to the Tunisian Legal System, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Tunisia.htm (last visited March 5, 2007).Google Scholar

25 See, e.g., Lubabalo Booi, Botswana's Legal System and Legal Research, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Botswana.htm (last visited March 7, 2007); Jose Miguel Alvarez and Jessica Ramos, Guide to Legal Research in Honduras, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Honduras.htm (last visited March 7, 2007); and Odgerel Tseveen and Battsetseg Ganbold, The Mongolian Legal System and Laws: A Brief Overview, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Mongolia.htm (last visited March 7, 2007).Google Scholar

26 See, e.g., Tatyana Khodosevich & Nadia Shalygina, Guide to Legal Research in Belarus, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Belarus.htm (last visited March 7, 2007); Edilenice Passos, Doing Legal Research in Brazil, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Brazil.htm (last visited March 7, 2007); and Angel Panayotov, Lora Kapelovska, and Nikolay Bebov, The Bulgarian Legal System and Legal Research, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Bulgaria.htm (last visited March 7, 2007).Google Scholar

27 See Tatyana Khodosevich & Nadia Shalygina, Guide to Legal Research in Belarus, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Belarus.htm (last visited March 7, 2007) and Sania Battalova, A Guide to the Legal System and Legal Research in the Kyrgyz Republic, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Kyrgyz.htm (last visited March 7, 2007). Perhaps it is understated how valuable it is to have citation to online and print resources available in English, which is often one of the main challenges of foreign law research.Google Scholar

28 See Emmanuel Barthe, French Law on the Internet: The Basics and Free Resources, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/French_Law_Free_Resources.htm (last visited March 5, 2007); Lucy Cox, Material on Russian Federation Law in English: Selection of Sources, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Russia.htm (last visited March 5, 2007); and Makoto Ibusuki, Japanese Law via the Internet, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Japan.htm (last visited March 5, 2007).Google Scholar

29 See Martina Kammer and Anne Scharrenberg, German Business and Commercial Laws: Guide to Translations into English and Select Auxiliary Sources, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Germany_Business.htm (last visited March 5, 2007). See also topical areas within foreign law guides, e.g., topical civil codes in jurisdictions like Brazil or the formal laws on certain topics in Sudanese legal research.Google Scholar

30 See, e.g., Victor Essien, Researching Ghanaian Law, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Ghana.htm (last visited March 5, 2007) and Ana Cristina Rodriguez, Guide to Legal Research in Guatemala, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Guatemala.htm (last visited March 5, 2007).Google Scholar

31 Interview with Mirela Roznovschi on March 5, 2007.Google Scholar

32 Marylin Johnson Raisch, Religious Legal Systems: A Brief Guide to Research and Its Role in Comparative Law, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Religious_Legal_Systems.htm (last visited March 7, 2007).Google Scholar

33 Id. Marylin Johnson Raisch, for example, provides a neat chart in her guide with the implementation of religious laws in several jurisdictions. See also Andrew Grossman, Finding the Law: The Micro-States and Small Jurisdictions of Europe, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Microstates.htm (last visited March 7, 2007).Google Scholar

34 See Mary Rumsey, Basic Guide to Researching Foreign Law, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Foreign_Law_Research.htm (last visited March 7, 2007) and Paul Norman, Comparative Law, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Comparative_Law.htm (last visited March 7, 2007).Google Scholar

35 These articles are also quite helpful for law librarians who are guiding the researcher's location of pertinent materials during a reference interview.Google Scholar

36 See, supra note 32; Annmarie Zell, Immigration Law- A Comparative Approach Guide to Immigration Law of Australia, Canada and the United States, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Comparative_Immigration_Law.htm (last visited March 7, 2007); and Marylin Johnson Raisch, Transnational and Comparative Family Law: Harmonization and Implementation, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Transnational_Comparative_Family_Law.htm (last visited March 7, 2007).Google Scholar

37 See Annmarie Zell, Immigration Law- A Comparative Approach Guide to Immigration Law of Australia, Canada and the United States, available at http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Comparative_Immigration_Law.htm (last visited March 7, 2007).Google Scholar