LibGuides: Law (Postgraduates): Key resources

Important: this guide has been replaced

This library guide is being replaced by the new Legal Research Skills guide.

The old guide will remain available until Friday 30 June 2023.

Please update your bookmarks to point to the new Legal Research Skills guide.

Guide to Online Legal Research

The Guide to Online Legal Research points you to key online legal resources and provides step by step instructions on conducting legal research in a range of legal databases and websites.

Key databases

The Library has a range of specialised databases which you can access to find cases, legislation, journal articles and legal commentary. The following Australian databases will be useful for finding information on your legal topics. See also International legal materials.

Free databases

AustLII This link opens in a new window
Freely available Australian database containing full-text legislation & case law. Also includes journals, law reform papers and and subject specific collections.

Jade
Produced by BarNet, Jade allows you to search, annotate & share Australian case law for free. Jade Professional provides additional features & is available to students at no charge. Email editors@jade.io from your student email address with current degree & expected year of completion.
ATO Legal Database
Freely available database published by the Australian Taxation Office. Access ATO documents such as Rulings & Determinations; as well as tax-related legislation & case law.

Subscription databases

Lexis Advance Research This link opens in a new window
Provides Australian case law (including the CaseBase case citator), legislation, journals & commentary (including a comprehensive legal dictionary & the Halsbury's legal encylopaedia). Some international content (NZ, UK, US, & Canada) is also included.
View the Lexis Advance Research Quick Guide to get started. To be used exclusively for academic research only.
Westlaw AU This link opens in a new window
Provides Australian case law (including the case citator KeyCite), journals and commentary (including the encyclopaedia 'Laws of Australia').
CCH IntelliConnect This link opens in a new window
Provides subject-specific Australian commentary, legislation & case law, including commercial, competition & consumer, contract, corporations, employment, family, IP, practice & procedure, and torts law.
LawOne This link opens in a new window
Provides full-text legislation for all Australian jurisdictions, with advanced search capabilities and the option to browse legislation by topic.
InfoRMIT This link opens in a new window
Provides Australian journal content (in full-text and/or index only). Databases containing law content include: AGIS Plus Text, APA-FT and CINCH (Criminology).
HeinOnline This link opens in a new window
Primarily US content, however also includes an extensive collection of international journals in the 'Law Journal Library'.

Key research titles

Researching and writing in law by Terry Hutchinson
Publication Date: 2018 (4th ed)
Research Methods in Law by Watkins, Dawn and Burton, Mandy (eds.)
Publication Date: 2017
Research Methods for Law by Michael McConville and Wing Hong Chui (Eds)
Publication Date: 2017
The Essential Guide to Doing your Research Project by Zina O'Leary
Call Number: 300.72 OLEA
Publication Date: 2017 (3rd ed)
Doing a PhD in the Social Sciences by Francis Jegede
Publication Date: 2021