Law Subject Guide

Legal encyclopedias are a useful starting point when researching an unfamiliar area of law. They contain brief overviews of legal concepts and references to leading case law and key legislative provisions.

Australian legal encyclopedias

Legal encyclopedias are typically divided into:

• titles (subject areas)
  • chapters
    • sub headings
      • paragraphs.

The notes beneath each paragraph include references to primary sources, including legislative provisions for each Australian jurisdiction. Two online Australian legal encyclopedias are available:

LexisNexisAustralia, 'Halsbury's Laws of Australia' (YouTube, 9 July 2021) <https://youtu.be/DQoyhuOWAJY%3E>.

The Laws of Australia - Westlaw (Australia) (Thomson Reuters, 2021) <https://support.thomsonreuters.com.au/product/new-westlaw-australia/video/laws-australia-westlaw-australia-212-min>.

Overseas legal encyclopedias

Lexis Advance includes Halsbury's Laws of England.

Use Thomson Reuters Westlaw to access other legal encyclopedias from overseas jurisdictions such as:

• American Jurisprudence 2d
• Canadian Encyclopedic Digest
• Corpus Juris Secundum (USA)