Guides: Rinn Law Library Database List: International & Foreign Law

International & Foreign Law

Legal research is often not confined to the United States’ borders. Whether helping immigrants or asylees, or finding the status of a client’s assets in a foreign jurisdiction, you may be called to find the statutes of another country or the agreements between nations. These databases are a good starting point for this kind of research.

Access UN This link opens in a new window
Current United Nations documents and publications; with some full text.
Dates Covered: 1991-present.

Foreign Law Guide
Current sources of codes and basic legislation in jurisdictions around the world.
Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals
Indexes legal literature worldwide, covering all forms of foreign (non-Anglo-American) law. Includes comparative law and legal systems, such as Islamic law; socialist law; public and private international law; and transnational commercial law.
NYU School of Law's GlobaLex Research Guides
A great, freely-available collection of research guides covering almost every foreign national jurisdiction and many subjects of international law. A great source for beginning research into the laws of another country.

Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law This link opens in a new window
A comprehensive work covering the central and essential topics in international law.
PAIS Index This link opens in a new window
Covers public affairs, policy & politics, international affairs & statistics. Includes publications from over 120 countries throughout the world, journal articles, books, government documents, statistical directories, grey literature, research reports, conference papers, web content, and more.
United Nations Treaty Collection This link opens in a new window
Includes UN and League of Nations Treaties, Multilateral Treaties deposited with the Secretary General, and other UN treaty information.
Access note: Freely available to the public.