Skip to Main Content

Foreign and International Law Research Basics: Selected Databases for International and Foreign Research

A basic introduction for those interested in researching international law or the national law of non-US jurisdictions.

A Quick Note about Lexis Nexis and Westlaw

The main databases used for American law research are excellent for some jurisdictions (e.g. the UK, Canada and Australia), and not as good for others (particularly non-English speaking countries in the global south). For most jurisdictions, they will only offer a handful of law reviews or other secondary sources. Check the available content, but do not be surprised if there is very little, and turn instead to a specialized database, government site, or other tool recommended by the research guidance you've found.

Some Major Databases for Multinational Research

A good research guide, research manual or finding tool will help you identify the right database or website for finding the law, many of which will be accessible through Biddle's E-Resource list. These are just some of the most frequently-used sources for multi-national research.

Specialized Databases

For a guide to the best databases for a given country, consult a good research guide, the Foreign Law Guide, or NYU's list of databases by country. Please not that some will have little or no content in English, and will require that you read the native language in order to make use of it.

Some of the main country- or region-specific databases Biddle subscribes to are listed here. Most do not require a separate login/password, but please email Susan Gualtier if you have access issues, or would like help navigating the database.