Law
Specialist advice on finding legal sources, referencing and evaluating the credibility of information.
Databases
Westlaw UK
Nb. To access Westlaw resources through the Loughborough University subscription you must register using your University email address.
Law Trove
Click on the top right and sign-in via your institution.
Westlaw UK
Nb. To access Westlaw resources through the Loughborough University subscription you must register using your University email address.
Law Trove
Click on the top right and sign-in via your institution.
Westlaw UK
Nb. To access Westlaw resources through the Loughborough University subscription you must register using your University email address.
Google Scholar
You can integrate our Loughborough subscriptions with Google Scholar by clicking by going to the Google Scholar homepage > Menu (top left) > Settings > Library links > search for Loughborough University. Note: not everything on Google Scholar will be accessible with your Loughborough account.
Westlaw UK
Nb. To access Westlaw resources through the Loughborough University subscription you must register using your University email address.
How to guides
Here you will find information and guidance about legal information and where to find it.
English and Welsh cases
Introduction to cases
Cases and case law are an integral part of the legal system. The legal principle of precedent means that decisions made in previous cases can influence the rulings made in later cases involving similar facts.
For this system to work, important cases are published in law reports. To identify cases, they are given a legal citation. The following guide introduces you to law reports and explains the two different types of case citations (neutral citations and law report citations).
📖 Neutral citations and law reports
To understand how law reports are structured, have a look at the guide below.
Sometimes cases can have very similar names, the following guide explains how to tell the difference.
📖 Similar name, different case
How to find cases
There are various databases where you can search for cases. Some of these are free, and others (Westlaw and Lexis) are subscribed to by the University. The UK cases and legislation tab in the databases section above will provide you with the links. This guide will show you how to search these databases.
📖 Finding English and Welsh cases
UK legislation
Legislation in the UK is separated into primary (Acts of Parliament) and secondary (Statutory Instruments [Orders, Regulations, Rules], Statutory Rules and Orders, Church Instruments).
There are various databases where you can search for legislation. Some of these are free, and others (Westlaw and Lexis) are subscribed to by the University. The UK cases and legislation tab in the databases section above will provide you with the links. This guide will show you how to search these databases.
Books and journal articles
Books
Books (also known as monographs) provide an introduction and background to a topic. They are the best place to start if you are new to an area of law. Law Trove has many books on the core areas of UK law. However you should also refer to your reading list for other titles recommended by your tutors.
The Library catalogue brings together all books that the library has access to in both print and e-book formats. Some databases like Westlaw UK and Lexis have their own book collections that should be searched separately.
Journal articles
Journal articles are shorter and more specific than books. While you may read a book on family law as a whole, a journal article will look at specific legal issues, e.g. ‘Should England and Wales introduce financial remedies for cohabiting couples upon separation?’.
There are a number of literature databases that provide access to articles. Links can be found in the Books and journals tab of the databases list above.
[Guide coming soon]
Cant access what you need?
You may come across articles that can not be accessed with your Loughborough login.
We suggest adding the LibKey Nomad extension to your browser. This checks for subscribed and Open Access content while you browse the web, providing one-click access to full-text PDF articles.
If we do not have access to an item you need, you can request it (for free) via our interlibrary loan (books) and document supply (journal articles) service.
International law
This section refers to both law in other jurisdictions and law between countries. The databases listed below are linked in the International law tab in the databases section above.
Law in other jurisdictions
There is no one database that provides access to primary sources of law in other jurisdictions.
GlobaLex – Guides for many jurisdictions that explain the legal system and include links to primary legal sources
WorldLII - Provides links to primary and secondary sources for various (but not all) jurisdictions. You can also search the internet for the jurisdiction + ‘lii’. For example ‘Zambia lii’. See also: AfricanLII
BAILII - British and Irish case law & legislation, European Union case law, Law Commission reports, and other law-related British and Irish material
EUR-Lex – Access to European Union law
Westlaw US – Access to federal and state cases (use the Westlaw UK link. On the home page under 'More resources', click 'Westlaw US)
Law between and against jurisdictions
Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law - Comprehensive collection of articles on every aspect of international law
International Court of Justice – Cases and legal advice relating to disputes between jurisdictions
International Criminal Court – Cases against individuals for serious crimes against the international community
European Court of Justice – EU case law, setting disputes between EU jurisdictions (use the EUR-Lex link)
European Court of Human Rights - Settles disputes from individuals and groups against governments
Treaties
HeinOnline US Treaties and Agreements Library – Only treaties relating to the United States (use the HeinOnline link and on the homepage, scroll down to 'U.S. Treaties and Agreements Library')
WORLDLII International Treaties Collection - Brings together treaties from different organisations. May hold items not deposited with the UN.
UN Treaty Collection – Database for treaties and international agreements
Referencing
Referencing is an important skill which helps others trace the sources and ideas you have used in your work and ensures that you give proper acknowledgement to the work of others.
LLB (undergraduate) referencing style – OSCOLA 5th edition is the standard referencing style for law. However you are permitted to use a different style if you wish.
LLM (postgraduate) referencing style – Choice of Cite Them Right Harvard or OSCOLA 5th edition.
OSCOLA 5th edition guides
Other referencing style guides
Guides for other referencing styles can be found on our Referencing page.
Mooting
Mooting is a competitive activity that allows LLB (undergraduate) students to practice orally presenting a legal issue in a simulated court environment.
The guides below will help you prepare for your moot.
