Introduction
Reference books and sources are recommended when you need an introduction to a new topic, or to look up specific information. We hold a wide range of reference sources, both in print and online. These include handbooks, dictionaries, encyclopedias and directories.
In law, this also includes practitioner texts. Practitioner texts are written by experts in their field, regularly updated, and a valuable resource for students studying law. A selection of key titles are highlighted below.
- Lexis + UK This link opens in a new windowLexis+ is where you can find Halsbury's Laws of England, a comprehensive encyclopedia providing in depth analysis of English law. Lexis also has its own dictionary of judicial and statutory definitions, and the Encyclopedia of Forms and Precedents.
- Max Planck Encyclopedias of Public International Law This link opens in a new window
The Max Planck Encyclopaedias of Public International Law are a comprehensive online resource comprised of two modules (Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law and Max Planck Encyclopedia of International Procedural Law), and containing peer-reviewed articles on every aspect of public international law. Written and edited by a team of over 800 scholars and practitioners, the resource is published in partnership with the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law, and is updated throughout the year.
- Oxford Handbooks Online This link opens in a new window
Oxford Handbooks Online covers many different subject areas and the series contains in-depth, high-level articles by scholars at the top of their field. King's has access to all collections.
- Westlaw UK This link opens in a new windowWestlaw has an Index of Legal Terms, which includes Stroud's Judicial Dictionary of Words and Phrases, Jowitt's Dictionary of English Law, and Osborn's Concise Law Dictionary. Users can also click on their Topic of interest on the front page to discover an overview of the topic including relevant primary sources, and latest developments.
Recommended titles
These are just a few suggestions. To search across our collections, please use LibrarySearch.
The Art of Argument by
The Art of Argument guides readers through the process of developing, defending and presenting a compelling argument. Primarily aimed at students who are about to undertake or participate in an international mooting competition, The Art of Argument explains in a step-by-step process what to do when you first get the moot problem, how to begin researching the subject matter, the emotional highs and lows, why practice makes perfect, how to handle yourself at the competition, and most importantly to have fun. Through the process of mooting you learn how to construct analytical arguments, to present your point logically and soundly and to consider and address the queries and concerns of your opponent and the Moot Master. For a law student there is no greater skill than constructing a logical and compelling argument.
ISBN: 9780511816536Publication Date: 2012-06-05
How to Moot by
How to Moot is essential reading for student mooters at all levels. Written by lecturers with many years' experience of supporting students and judging at internal and national mooting competitions, you can be sure that this book contains everything you need to know about preparing for and participating in moots, plus numerous tips to help you stand out from the crowd. The book is written in a uniquely user-friendly style: it is divided into 100 QandAs and structured in short, accessible chapters, so you can find what you need quickly and easily. Chapter summaries allow you to check you have covered the key points in each area, and diagrams clearly set out the procedural aspects of mooting. There are example moot problems and an entire transcript of a moot, so you can see exactly what happens at each stage.Online Resource CentreAn Online Resource Centre accompanies the book, providing video clips of mooting, additional moot problems, usful web links, and details of inter-university mooting competitions.
ISBN: 9780199571673Publication Date: 2010-08-23
The Insider's Guide to Legal Skills by
Confused by cases? Stuck on statutes? Or just unsure where to start with writing, research or revision? The Insider's Guide to Legal Skills will show you what you need to succeed, applying skills in their real-world context and helping you get to grips with legal method and thinking. Making use of problem-based learning and examples throughout, the fully updated second edition of this practical and accessible guide will provide you with a clear guide to skills within the law degree, including online learning. It will show you how to make the most of these skills in assessment and also help you to see their importance to a future legal career. Designed for students who want a clear overview of what a law degree is all about, the book has been built on the skills curriculum, and is a suitable text for Legal Skills, Methods and Reasoning courses as well as a general introduction to law, or pre-reading for those considering a law degree. For more information, including Brexit: The Comic Strip, visit https://tldr.legal/resource/brexit-the-comic-strip.html
ISBN: 9781000834277Publication Date: 2023-02-21
Legal Writing by
Legal Writing guides students comprehensively through this vital legal skill and addresses a range of assessment methods from exam questions to final essays and problem answers. It considers how to deconstruct essay and problem questions and how to conduct and apply legal research to answer set questions. Lisa Webley explains how to reference others' work clearly and correctly, making this book a useful tool for students concerned about issues of plagiarism. It also focuses on how to develop critical thinking and communicate legal arguments, with both good and bad examples of written work considered and discussed in the text. Legal Writing is particularly useful for undergraduate students, especially at the beginning of degree studies, and for GDL and CPE students too. This fully revised fourth edition includes: Guidance on the avoidance of plagiarism including examples of poor practice and best practice. Worked examples throughout the text, including guidance on deciphering essay questions in exams and coursework, along with additional examples from across the legal curriculum on the companion website. An improved companion website with increased guidance for revision to allow students to test their progress and further engage with the topics in the book. Clearly written and easy to use, Legal Writing enables students to fully engage with essay and exam writing as a vital foundation to their undergraduate degree.
ISBN: 9781138840683Publication Date: 2016-03-23
Studying Law by
Studying Law introduces students to the fundamental legal skills that they will need to successfully study the subject, such as case analysis, legislative interpretation, problem solving and essay writing, and to the core Law subjects themselves and the distinctions between them.
ISBN: 9781137412683Publication Date: 2014-07-23
These are just a few suggestions. To search across our collections, please use LibrarySearch.
Advocacy by
Lord Pannick celebrates advocacy: that controversial legal issues are decided in court after reasoned argument in which the participants refrain (usually) from shouting, personal insults or threats, and the points on each side of the debate are tested for their relevance, their accuracy, and their strength. The book seeks to identify the central characteristics of good and bad advocacy with the aid of examples from courtrooms in the UK and abroad. Lord Pannick also examines the morality of advocacy - that the advocate sets out views to which he does not necessarily subscribe, on behalf of clients for whom she may feel admiration, indifference, or contempt. Lord Pannick seeks to answer the question he is often asked - more by friends than by judges - 'How can you act for such terrible people?'. Finally, he addresses the future of advocacy, arguing it should and will survive pressures for efficiency and technological developments.
ISBN: 9781009338103Publication Date: 2023-03-02
The Articulate Advocate by
Unlike other trial advocacy books that teach what to say and do in the courtroom, this reference teaches how to say and do it. Based on 25 years of experience from coaching practitioners, this handbook reveals techniques-incorporating cutting-edge discoveries in linguistics, neuroscience, and sports psychology-to help litigators look, sound, and feel natural and polished in the courtroom. Questions that lawyers face daily, such as What do I do with my hands? Aren't gestures distracting? How do I remember everything? and I tend to talk so fast-how can I slow down? are among the questions addressed in this handbook.
ISBN: 0979689554Publication Date: 2009-04-01
Lawyering Skills and the Legal Process by
Lawyering Skills and the Legal Process bridges the gap between academic and practical law for students undertaking skills-based and clinical legal education courses at university. It develops oral and written communication, group working, problem solving and conflict resolution skills in a range of legal contexts: client interviewing, drafting, managing cases, legal negotiation and advocacy. The book is designed specifically to help students to practise and develop skills that will be essential in a range of occupations; develop a deeper understanding of the English legal process and the lawyer's role in that process; enhance their understanding of the relationship between legal skills and ethics; and understand how they learn and how they can make their learning more effective. This book provides a stimulating, accessible and challenging approach to understanding the problems and uncertainties of practising law that goes beyond the standard approaches to lawyers' skills.
ISBN: 9781139168441Publication Date: 2012-06-05
Modern Legal Drafting by
Modern Legal Drafting provides a comprehensive, authoritative guide to drafting legal documents in effective, plain English. Peter Butt, a leading expert in the field, has fully revised and updated the text for this new edition. It combines a practical focus with the legal principles that underpin the use of plain language in law. This dual practical and academic approach distinguishes it from other books in the field. It includes expanded material on the techniques for achieving a style that is both clear and legally sound. It also includes new material on the challenges and merits of drafting in plain language, and provides many before-and-after examples to help both practising lawyers and students develop their skills. It takes an international approach, drawing upon case law and statutes from England, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Ireland, India, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.
ISBN: 9781107282148Publication Date: 2018-08-06
A Practical Guide to Lawyering Skills by
　 Legal skills are an important and increasing part of undergraduate law degrees as well as postgraduate vocational law courses. This fully updated fourth edition continues to bring together the theory and practice of these skills in an accessible and practical context. The authors draw on their experience of teaching and of law in practice to develop the core skills taught on both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Skills covered include: * written communication; * mediation; * opinion writing; * drafting; * advocacy; * interviewing; * negotiation; * legal research. The text also considers the professional and ethical context of legal practice, provides an insight into the legal services landscape as well as offering valuable careers advice. Diagrams and flow charts help to explain and develop each skill and each chapter ends with suggestions for further reading. A Practical Guide to Lawyering Skills is essential reading for all undergraduate and vocational law students seeking to develop the necessary skills to work successfully with law in the twenty-first century. vice. Diagrams and flow charts help to explain and develop each skill and each chapter ends with suggestions for further reading. A Practical Guide to Lawyering Skills is essential reading for all undergraduate and vocational law students seeking to develop the necessary skills to work successfully with law in the twenty-first century.
ISBN: 9780815347040Publication Date: 2019-07-15
The Concentrate Questions and Answers series are a result of a collaboration involving hundreds of law students and lecturers from universities across the UK. We have access to the full range of Concentrate titles through LawTrove. A selection are highlighted below.
Concentrate Questions and Answers Land Law by
Concentrate QandA Land Law is part of the Concentrate QandA series, the result of a collaboration involving hundreds of law students and lecturers from universities across the UK. Each book in this series offers you better support and a greater chance to succeed on your law course than any of the competitors.Also available as an e-book with functionality, navigation features and links that offer extra learning support: www.oxfordtextbooks.co.uk/ebooks
ISBN: 9780198853206Publication Date: 2020-10-01
Concentrate Questions and Answers Family Law by
Concentrate QandA Family Law guides you through how to structure a successful answer to a legal problem. Whether you are preparing for a seminar, completing assessed work, or in exam conditions, each guide shows you how to break down each question, take your learning further, and score extra marks.The Concentrate QandA series has been developed in collaboration with hundreds of law students and lecturers across the UK. Each book in this series offers you better support and a greater chance to succeed on your law course than any other QandA guide.'A sure-fire way to get a 1st class result' - Naomi M, Coventry University'I can't think of better revision support for my study' - Quynh Anh Thi Le, University of Warwick'My grades have dramatically improved since I started using the OUP QandA guides' - Glen Sylvester, Bournemouth University'My fellow students rave about this book' - Octavia Knapper, Lancaster University'These first class answers will transform you into a first class student' - Ali Mohamed, University of Hertfordshire'The best QandA books that I've read; the content is exceptional' - Wendy Chinenye Akaigwe, London Metropolitan UniversityTake it online: The 3rd edition is available in paperback, or e-book. Visit www.oup.com/lawrevision/ http://www.oup.com/lawrevision/ for multimedia resources to help you with revision and assessment.
ISBN: 9780192897220Publication Date: 2022-11-18
Concentrate Questions and Answers Tort Law by
Concentrate QandA Tort Law guides you through how to structure a successful answer to a legal problem. Whether you are preparing for a seminar, completing assessed work, or in exam conditions, each guide shows you how to break down each question, take your learning further, and score extra marks.The Concentrate QandA series has been developed in collaboration with hundreds of law students and lecturers across the UK. Each book in this series offers you better support and a greater chance to succeed on your law course than any other QandA guide.'A sure-fire way to get a 1st class result' - Naomi M, Coventry University'I can't think of better revision support for my study' - Quynh Anh Thi Le, University of Warwick'My grades have dramatically improved since I started using the OUP QandA guides' - Glen Sylvester, Bournemouth University'My fellow students rave about this book' - Octavia Knapper, Lancaster University'These first class answers will transform you into a first class student' - Ali Mohamed, University of Hertfordshire'The best QandA books that I've read; the content is exceptional' - Wendy Chinenye Akaigwe, London Metropolitan UniversityTake it online: The 2nd edition is available in paperback, or e-book. Visit www.oup.com/lawrevision/ for multimedia resources to help you with revision and assessment.
ISBN: 9780192865656Publication Date: 2022-11-05
Concentrate Questions and Answers Employment Law by
Concentrate QandA Employment Law guides you through how to structure a successful answer to a legal problem. Whether you are preparing for a seminar, completing assessed work, or revising for an exam, this guide shows you how to break down each question, take your learning further, and score extra marks.The Concentrate QandA series has been developed in collaboration with hundreds of law students and lecturers across the UK. Each book in this series offers you better support and a greater chance to succeed on your law course than any other QandA guide.Digital formats and resourcesThe 2nd edition is available for students and institutions to purchase in a variety of formats, and is supported by extensive online resources to take your learning further (www.oup.com/lawrevision/).The e-book offers a mobile experience and convenient access along with functionality tools, navigation features, and links that offer extra learning support: www.oxfordtextbooks.co.uk/ebooks/.The online resources include additional questions with answer guidance and advice on revision and exam technique from experienced examiner Nigel Foster.
ISBN: 9780198856757Publication Date: 2022-02-03
Concentrate Questions and Answers Equity and Trusts by
Concentrate QandA Equity and Trusts is part of the Concentrate QandA series, the result of a collaboration involving hundreds of law students and lecturers from universities across the UK. The series offers you better support and a greater chance to succeed on your law course than any of the competitors.Also available as an e-book with functionality, navigation features and links that offer extra learning support: www.oxfordtextbooks.co.uk/ebooks
ISBN: 9780198853213Publication Date: 2020-10-03
A Dictionary of Law by
The bestselling title in the Oxford Quick Reference series, A Dictionary of Law is an essential reference work, described by leading university lecturers as 'the best law dictionary' and favoured by law students and legal professionals alike. The tenth edition features over 4,900 clear and concise definitions on major terms, concepts, and processes within the English legal system, and is a useful source of information for any of the many countries that base their legal system on English law. It includes more than 120 new entries, including acid attacks, lasers, Nightingale Courts, Northern Ireland Protocol, and retained EU Law. Many of the new and revised entries reflect changes brought about by Brexit and the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020. There have also been significant increases of coverage in the areas of constitutional law, medical law, and employment law and professional regulation.Updated web links complement the text and lead to a dedicated companion website for further reading materials. The dictionary also contains a guide to legal writing, and a citation guide drawn from the Oxford Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA).
ISBN: 9780192897497Publication Date: 2022-06-17
Parry and Grant Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law by
entries For nearly thirty-five years, the international legal community has relied on one ambitious yet humble volume as a starting point for legal questions. This classic red volume is a one-of-a-kind reference tool that brings together both terminology and pertinent descriptive information on international law. This book will also be available online as an e-reference on the Oxford University Press Digital Reference Shelf.Now in its third edition, The Parry and Grant Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law is completely updated and expanded to include increased coverage in growing areas of international law including diplomatic law, criminal law, human rights, and more. Over 2,500 entries (an over 20% increase in content over the previous edition) provides the reader with copious references for further research including cases, treaties, journal articles, and websites.Its alphabetically arranged entries allow the reader to form a deeper understanding than a mere definition could supply and offer concise but substantial information on such essentials of international law as:* Legal terms as used in international law* Significant doctrines* Prominent cases, decisions and arbitration* Important incidents* Judicial and literary figures* Treaties and conventions* Organizations and institutions* Acronyms
ISBN: 9780195389777Publication Date: 2009-10-02
Dictionary of Environmental and Climate Change Law by
This state-of-the-art Dictionarydefines terms employed in international agreements, national legislation and scholarly legal studies related to comparative and international environmental law and the emerging law of climate change. In acknowledgement of China's growing role in this arena, each term also includes its pinyin translation in order to facilitate access to the Mandarin variants. The international community is developing increasingly complex environmental provisions and participating in a number of international treaties and agreements related to environmental law and regulation. The complicated and highly specific nature of environmental law has led to the development of localized terminology that is not easily understood outside its country of origin. Jointly prepared by scholars in China and the US, the Dictionaryprovides a linguistic bridge between English and Chinese speakers as well as an essential reference for those interpreting and applying international environmental law, multilateral environmental agreements, and domestic laws that implement these treaties. Students, scholars and practitioners in the area of environmental law will find this groundbreaking Dictionaryan invaluable addition to their libraries.
ISBN: 9780857935779Publication Date: 2013-05-31
Dictionary of International Human Rights Law by
This one-of-a-kind dictionary provides a comprehensive breakdown of terms employed in the discussion of international human rights law. In addition to a list of definitions, this innovative volume also includes an appendix featuring descriptions of major treaties, documents, and other important human rights instruments, along with references on how to locate them. Students and professors of international, human rights and humanitarian law will find this volume an indispensable resource, as will government officials and other practitioners working with human rights issues. Contents: Acknowledgements Guide to the Dictionary List of Abbreviations Definitions Appendix
ISBN: 9781849803779Publication Date: 2013-05-31
