# have a basic awareness of the shape of the UK legal system
# understand the involvement of the EU in UK law
# have confidence in finding legal materials across a variety of free-to-access and commercial databases
# have an awareness of the variety of official publications, and where to find them
# understand options for citation of legal sources
Overview:
If you’re not a lawyer but there’s a legal dimension to your research, this session will give you the confidence to find and cite the right law in the shortest time. We’ll review the legal system in this country, and also consider the important role of the EU and other international institutions. We’ll go on to examine the key sources of law: the cases and legislation that must be the reference points for proper discussion of legal matters in your writing. We’ll look at the legal databases to which the University subscribes, which are the most reliable sources of these (free sources found via Google are often risky options). We’ll also review the array of official publications that support law-making processes, both in the UK and within international organisations. Finally, we’ll touch on how to reference legal sources.
Who should attend: anyone without an academic background in law whose research involves a significant legal dimension.