Guide last update by Balqees Khan, September 2025.
This guide was created by Katherine Read, Principal Library Assistant at the IALS Library.
Email katherine.read@sas.ac.uk
We'd love to hear your comments about this Research Guide.
Email ials@sas.ac.uk
This guide aims to give a brief introduction to the Library's holdings on Legal Research. Please consult the Library Search for complete information on current titles and locations. If you require further assistance please contact us.
Monday-Friday 9:30-17:00
Tel (0)20 7862 5790
Email ials@sas.ac.uk
This Subject Guide only lists a selection of Library resources to assist with Legal Research. To find additional resources you will need to search the Library Search, which covers the complete holdings of the Library. It is possible to search for books, journals and series of law reports by author, title or keyword. Please note it is not possible to search for individual chapters, journal articles or legislation (e.g. individual Acts or SIs).
IALS Library is mainly open access and readers are able to browse the shelves in the main collection. There are two main exceptions to this:
Please request these at the Library Enquiry Desk.
For more information on understanding the catalogue record and further guidance on the location of materials please refer to our guide Classmarks and the Location of Resources in the Library.
The Library classifies textbooks either by jurisdiction (GO13, GA2 etc.) or according to subject area, examples of which include Comparative Law (SB), Public International Law (SG) and Private International Law/ Conflict of Laws (SH). Textbooks on Common Law topics for Common Law jurisdictions (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, USA) are shelved in a special section (SJ). All classmark sections have a FOL section for oversize volumes, which is located on the same floor of the Library.
When you are searching the Library Search for books, please note that only the current edition is held on the open shelves or in the Short Loan collection. IALS has a rich collection of previous editions held in the closed basement and these will display a Depository number on the catalogue. Please request previous editions from the Library Enquiry Desk.
Guides to research skills are mainly shelved at RF60
The following list represents a selection of textbooks on research skills. Please follow the links to Library Search for further information and location. Titles are available in both print and electronic formats, unless indicated otherwise on the list below.
Allbon, E., et al. Legal Research: a practitioner's handbook. 3rd ed. 2019 Wildy, Simmonds & Hill Publishing
Armstrong, J., et al. Where the law is: an introduction to advanced legal research. 5th ed. 2018 West Academic Publishing
Barkan, S., et al. Fundamentals of legal research. 10th ed. 2015 Foundation Press
Bell, J. Doing your research project. 6th ed. 2014 OUP
Blaxter, L., et al. How to research. 4th ed. 2010 OUP
Bradney, A., & Cownie, F. How to study law. 9th ed. 2021 Sweet & Maxwell
Cryer, R., et al. Research methodologies in EU and international law. 1st ed. 2011 Hart
Finch, E., & Fafinski, S. Legal skills. 10th ed. 2025 OUP
Grant, F. Legal research skills for Scots lawyers. 4th ed. 2021 Thomson Reuters
Hanson, S., et al. Learning legal skills and reasoning. 5th ed. 2021 Routedge
Higgins, E., & Tatham, L. Successful legal writing. 3rd ed. 2015 Sweet & Maxwell
Hoffman, M., & Rumsey, M. International and foreign legal research: a coursebook. 2nd ed. 2012 Nijhoff
Holland, J., & Webb, J. Learning legal rules: a students’ guide to legal method and reasoning. 11th ed. 2022 OUP
Howard, K., et al. Management of a student research project. 3rd ed. 2002 Gower
Hutchinson, T. Researching and writing in law. 2nd ed. 2006 Lawbook Co.
Knowles, J., & Thomas, P. Effective legal research. 4th ed. 2016 Sweet & Maxwell
Lammasniemi, L. Law Dissertations: A step by step guide. 2nd ed. 2022 Routledge (e-book)
Lomio, J., et al. Legal research methods in a modern world. 3rd ed. 2011 Djøf Publishing
May, T., & Perry, B. Social research. Issues, methods and process. 5th ed. 2022 OUP
Morris, C., & Murphy, C. Getting a PhD in law. 1st ed. 2011 Hart
Olson, K. Principles of legal research. 2nd ed. 2015 West Academic
Prince, M (ed). The Bluebook: a uniform system of citation. 22nd ed. 2025 Harvard Law Review Association
Reynolds, T., et al. Foreign law: current sources of codes and basic legislation in jurisdictions of the world. 1st ed. 2000 University of California (e-book)
Riley, A., & Sours, P. Common Law legal English and grammar: a contextual approach. 1st ed. 2014 Hart
Salter, A., & Mason, J. Writing law dissertations: an introduction and guide to the conduct of legal research. 1st ed. 2007 Pearson
Watkins, D., & Burton, M. Research methods in law. 3rd ed. 2025 Taylor & Francis Group
Webley, L. Legal writing. 5th ed. 2024 Routledge
Williams, G., & Smith, A (ed). Glanville Williams: learning the law. 17th ed. 2020 Sweet & Maxwell
Zillman, D., & Roth, E. Strategic legal writing. 1st ed. 2008 CUP
Eagle-i is an internet portal maintained and updated by IALS library staff. It allows you to search for quality web resources on banking and financial law.
A valuable free source is BAILII, the British and Irish Legal information Institute which is based and maintained at IALS. It provides free access to full text UK judgments and legislation on a wide range of subjects including banking and financial law and also links to other free World Law databases. Jurisdictions covered in these resources include Commonwealth countries eg. AustLII (Australia) and CanLII (Canada), France, Germany, Italy, the USA and South Africa.
The following represent a sample of the available quality individual web resources which may help with your legal research:
A guide to finding printed sources of legislation and law reports for foreign jurisdictions in UK libraries
A searchable database of basic information on mainly multilateral treaties. Further information available
Provides an introduction to legal information sources with hyperlinks for a wide range of jurisdictions and areas of international law.
Bodleian Law Library Research Guides
A wide selection of subject and jurisdiction guides with hyperlinks to further sources.
A selection of open access practical guides to finding different resources