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Foreign Legal Research: when & how

Foreign Legal Research: when & how. Anne L. Abramson Foreign & International Law Librarian The John Marshall Law School Lois L. Biro Law Library. Frequent Foreign Law Issues.

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Foreign Legal Research: when & how

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  1. Foreign Legal Research: when & how Anne L. Abramson Foreign & International Law Librarian The John Marshall Law School Lois L. Biro Law Library

  2. Frequent Foreign Law Issues • Doing business in a foreign country: what types of entities can do business there? Pros and cons of a particular business organization? (i.e. export/import, distributorship, overseas office) • Potential disputes: what law applies; what forum decides; how will judgment be enforced in another jurisdiction

  3. When to Research Foreign Law • Potential conflicts of law issue • Forum selection, choice of law and arbitration provisions • Globalization & rising expectations • Harmonization: treaty may make it unnecessary to research foreign law in certain areas • Foreign counsel

  4. Foreign Legal Research Strategies • Use secondary sources • Find subject collections • Preliminary question: does a treaty apply?

  5. Hague Conference on Private International Law http://www.hcch.net/index_en.php

  6. State Department Website http://www.state.gov/

  7. Bureau of Consular Affairs http://travel.state.gov/

  8. Judicial Assistance http://travel.state.gov/law/info/judicial/judicial_702.html

  9. Getting to Know You Sources • Doing Business Guides • Martindale Hubbell International Law Digest • Department of Commerce Website • University of Ottawa Website • Introduction to the legal system of a foreign country (i.e. books, articles)

  10. Doing Business Guides http://www.bakernet.com/BakerNet/Resources/Doing+Business+In+Guides/default.htm

  11. Martindale Hubbell International Law Digest COUNTRY(germany) & TOPIC(patent!) Legal>Area of Law – Topic>International Law>Find Laws by Country or Region>Search International Law Digests

  12. Department of Commerce http://www.export.gov/

  13. Export.gov http://www.export.gov/

  14. Country Information http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/govpubs/for/foreigngovt.htm

  15. World Legal Systems Common law: judicial decisions are precedent Civil law: based on comprehensive written codes covering an entire area (i.e. civil); decisions binding only on parties; public v. private Customary, Religious, Mixed http://www.droitcivil.uottawa.ca/world-legal-systems/eng-monde.php

  16. Finding Foreign Law • Foreign Law Guide • GLIN: Global Legal Information Network • LLRX & Globalex Research Guides • Catalogs & indexes: books and articles • Last resort: Embassies or consular offices • Example: German patent law, Italian commercial agency law—Foreign Law Guide, JMLS catalog, Worldcat

  17. Foreign Law Guide Materials Indexed http://foreignlawguide.com

  18. Subject Headings

  19. Countries & JurisdictionsIntroduction to Legal System http://foreignlawguide.com

  20. Agency & Distribution Agreements

  21. Link to Materials Indexed

  22. Worldcat http://firstsearch.org

  23. Links to Websites Paraguay http://foreignlawguide.com

  24. Global Legal Information Network http://www.glin.gov/search.action

  25. Globalex http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/

  26. Globalex Country Guides

  27. Websites of Particular Jurisdictions http://www.jura.uni-saarland.de/english/glsindex.html

  28. LLRX http://www.llrx.com/

  29. Websites on Particular Topics: FAOLEX http://faolex.fao.org/faolex/

  30. NATLEX of the ILO http://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/natlex_browse.home

  31. Global Insolvency Law Database www.worldbank.org/gild

  32. Buffalo Criminal Law Center http://wings.buffalo.edu/law/bclc/resource.htm

  33. International Supreme Court Decisions www.globalcourts.com

  34. Lexis and Westlaw Coverage

  35. Embassies & Consular Offices www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls

  36. Understanding Foreign Law • Translations: consider currency and accuracy • Beware of Babelfish • Foreign Law in U.S. Courts

  37. Lost in Translation § 202c Vorbereiten des Ausspähens und Abfangens von Daten (1) Wer eine Straftat nach § 202a oder § 202b vorbereitet, indem er 1. Passwörter oder sonstige Sicherungscodes, die den Zugang zu Daten (§ 202a Abs. 2) ermöglichen, oder 2. Computerprogramme, deren Zweck die Begehung einer solchen Tat ist, herstellt, sich oder einem anderen verschafft, verkauft, einem anderen überlässt, verbreitet oder sonst zugänglich macht, wird mit Freiheitsstrafe bis zu einem Jahr oder mit Geldstrafe bestraft. (2) § 149 Abs. 2 und 3 gilt entsprechend. § 202cPrepare spying and interception of data (1) who a criminal offence after § 202aor § 202b prepared, by he 1st passwords or other safeguard codes, those the entrance to data (§ 202a Abs. 2) make possible, or 2nd computer programs, whose purpose is committing such an act, manufactures, or another provided, sold, another leaves themselves, common or otherwise accessible makes, with imprisonment up to one year or with fine one punishes. (2) § 149 Abs. applies for 2 and 3 accordingly.

  38. Types & Sources From: Hoffman, Marci & Rumsey, Mary. International and Foreign Legal Research: a coursebook Leiden: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 2008). K85 .H64 2008 7th flr Highly recommended: Germain, Claire M. Germain's Transnational Law Research: a Guide for Attorneys, Transnational Juris Publications, (1991-). K85 .G47 1991, 7th flr

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