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Law: International Law

This guide is a list of sources for legal research.

Quality free sites for international law

This short list shows free sources which have proved to be of particular value.   Most will offer some kind of 'help' or 'site-map' to assist your searches, but if you still need more help, please ask us.

Introduction to sources for International Law

The Hartley Library holds a range of materials to support the study of international law.  If you are looking for a particular publication, first check Library Search, which provides access to the library catalogue.

Printed law reports are shelved at Law Reports: International.  Books on International Law are shelved at JX 2000 onwards, whilst those on Comparative Law are shelved at KX.  Most books on the law of Human Rights are at JX 4001.  Periodicals, including those for Human Rights are at per K.

The print collections are complemented by our various online sources.  In particular, Westlaw, Lexis Library and HeinOnline offer an abundance of relevant primary and secondary legal materials.   Some of our e-book packages are worth exploring for texts on international law, especially ebrary and the Intersentia Human Rights Collection.

There are also extensive free web sites, especially for primary sources including  treaties and case law.

See our links and guidance elsewhere on these pages for more detail.  If you still cannot find what you need, please ask for help.

Our online subscription sources for International Law

This short list highlights the services of most value to those seeking information on international law. 

Please note, especially when using Westlaw, that the look and functionality when using the international materials, will differ from the UK interfaces. 

Need more help?

Please contact the Law Librarian (libenqs@soton.ac.uk) if you have any difficulties using any of the services mentioned on these pages, or if you need general advice on which services to use for your purposes.  

I would also welcome comments on other information you would find helpful in this guide.