Foreign, Comparative and International Law (FCIL)

The Library's Foreign, Comparative & International Law (FCIL) department is responsible for developing the FCIL collection and for providing access to these materials. A more formal mission statement is published here. The FCIL department also provides assistance to the college's foreign LL.M. students. The library has created a useful webpage with current information for LL.M. students.

The collection focuses on the laws of various Commonwealth countries (England, Australia, and Canada), the European Union, laws from important U.S. trade partners such as Mexico and Germany, and international organizations such as the United Nations, International Labour Organization, and International Criminal Court. The library also collects important publications focusing on the international aspects of criminal law, antitrust, trade, environmental law, immigration, human rights, intellectual property, tax, and the law of indigenous people.

Foreign laws in the library include Halsbury's Statutes of England and Wales (KD135 .H3 1985), the Canada Gazette (KE91 .C2), and the Canadian Acts of Parliament (microfiche). When looking for foreign and international legal materials, it is important to consider the vast collections of laws available online. Useful resources to consult when searching for FCIL include the following:

. ASIL International Law Video Course - 10 part introduction to international law (circulation desk)
. BNA International Trade Reporter (online is restricted to Hastings students, faculty, and staff; print version is in research alcove)
. EISIL - ASIL's Electronic Information System for International Law.
. Foreign Law Guide (online version is restricted to Hastings students, faculty, and staff; print version is at reference desk)
. Foreign Law Internet Resources - links to useful websites for locating foreign law.
. HeinOnline's Treaties and Agreements Library - more than 18,000 image-based U.S. treaties and other international agreements.
. Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals (restricted to Hastings students, faculty, and staff)
. LawTel - UK & EU law resource (restricted to Hastings students, faculty, and staff)
. Legal Information on the Internet - links to useful FCIL Internet resources.
. Treaties and International Agreements Online - comprehensive, searchable full text database of 15,000 US Treaties and International Agreements including tax treaties where the US is not a party.
(limited to users on campus.)
. UN Documentation Centre - United Nations reports, resolutions, decisions, meeting records, documents, and press releases. For parliamentary documents, try the ODS (Official Document System of the United Nations).
. United Nations Internet Resources - links to useful UN Internet resources.
. United Nations Treaty Series (available in print on the 6th floor; available online from campus.)
. WorldTradeLaw.net - GATT/WTO resources online (restricted to Hastings students, faculty, and staff)

The FCIL department has created several guides to get you started in foreign and international legal research. The following areas of research are covered:

. European Union
. International Court of Justice
. International Environmental Law
. International Human Rights Research
. Researching International Law
. Searching for U.S. and International Treaties
. Searching for United Nations Resolutions

If you have questions about the Hastings College of Law Library's FCIL department, feel free to contact:

- Librarian: Foreign, Comparative & International Law