Step 1: Start early (as in "earlier than you think"); foreign law research will likely take longer than a U.S.-based research project because of:
- (un)Familiarity - you will likely be using resources you're not familiar with
- Availability - there is no Lexis/Westlawesque "one stop shopping"; you may need to check multiple resources and/or request print resources from other libraries
- Language - You may need to locate & compare translations of foreign law resources
Step 2: Learn about the selected country & its legal system through secondary sources & research guides
- Secondary sources, i.e., traditional reference works, monographs/treatises, periodicals, websites (practice source evaluation!), etc.
- Country specific guides (I'll recommend some in the designated portion of this guide)
Step 3: Find published laws (which is much easier said than done)
- Availability will vary based on the selected country, its respective legal system, & languages used
- What law is even created/published in the first place may vary by country
- Country specific legal research guides (I'll recommend some sources in the designated portion of this guide)
- Possibly reprinted in appropriate secondary sources (consider doing topic-based research in addition to country-based)
- Library catalog (limited selection but it's always worth a try)
- Lexis, Westlaw (limited selection)
- Websites (practice source evaluation!)
- Sadly, unless you can travel to a law library in the selected country (& read a language their laws are printed in), there's always the risk that you won't be able to locate the information