Country-by-Country Guide to Foreign Law Research

This country-by-country guide will help get you started on your foreign law research by connecting you to the best research guides and databases for each country. 

Notes about the guide:

  • Links under Country go to the CIA's World Factbook.
  • The LC Call Number indicates where the print materials for that country are located on the Lower East Side (LES) of the Yale Law Library.
  • The Regional Map icons go to a map of the larger geographical region.
  • LC Country Studies provide social, political, legal and economic information
  • The FLG is the outstanding and comprehensive Foreign Law Guide which will give you the historical, political and legal framework for each country plus the past and current sources of legal information, including where to find legislation, codes and case decisions, print and online. This is a Yale subscription database.
  • HLS refers to Harvard Law School's list of online guides to doing legal research in foreign jurisdictions.
  • WorldLII is a directory of legal information available on the Internet.
  • The Online Guides column includes the most substantial guide available from a library or research site.
  • The World Law Guide is a good resource for current legislation.
  • The Gazettes column features a link to the country's national gazette.
  • Finally, the Other Databases column lists other valuable subscription or open-access databases or websites for that country.
Country
LC Call Number Range
Regional Map LC Country Study FLG HLS Legal Information Institute (WorldLii) Online Guides WorldLaw Guide Gazettes Other Databases
Pakistan (KPL)  CS FLG HLS

WorldLIIAsianLIICommonLII


GlobaLex(ADR)
LOC

WorldLaw Guide 
Palau (KWG)   

WorldLIIPacLII

LOC



Palau Gazette (not available online)


Panama (KGH)  CS FLG HLS

WorldLII

Northwestern GlobaLex LOC

WorldLaw Guide

Gaceta Oficial



Latin Laws -- Biblioteca Legal Latinoamericana

Papua New Guinea (KWH)  FLG HLS

WorldLIIAsianLIICommonLIIPacLII

LOC



Papua New Guinea Official Gazette (not available online)


Paraguay (KHP)  CS FLG HLS

WorldLII

Yale DLSAGlobaLex LOC

WorldLaw Guide

Registro oficial de la República del Paraguay



Latin Laws -- Biblioteca Legal Latinoamericana

Peru (KHQ)  CS FLG HLS

WorldLII

Yale DLSA
GlobaLex
LOC

WorldLaw Guide

El Peruano; Diario Oficial



Latin Laws -- Biblioteca Legal Latinoamericana

Philippines (KPM)  CS FLG HLS

WorldLIIAsianLII

GlobaLex LOC

WorldLaw Guide

Official Gazette of the Philippines



Lexis (International Arbitration)

Poland (KKP)  CS FLG HLS

WorldLII

LLRX GlobaLex LOC

WorldLaw Guide

Monitor Polski



Dziennik Ustaw (portal of Polish laws; in Polish)

LEX (Polish Legal Server; in Polish)

Westlaw (Patents & Trademarks)

N-Lex

Portugal (KKQ)  CS FLG HLS

WorldLII

LOC

WorldLaw Guide

Diario da Republica



N-Lex

 

Stephanie Davidson created the original version of this guide for a clinic several years ago. It has since been modified to suit general foreign law research. Thanks to Zhang Yue, YC '10 and Anna Ershova, YC '11 for their assistance in updating this guide.

Questions/Comments