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Secondary Sources: Legal Encyclopedias, A.L.R.'s, Treatises, Restatements, Topical Services, Periodicals, and Everything Else

What are Legal Periodicals?

  • They are legal commentary published on a periodic basis;
  • They involve critical discussions with lots of footnotes;
  • There are four major types:
    • Academic law reviews;
    • Bar association journals;
    • Legal newsletters;
    • Legal newspapers;
  • Format: Print, Lexis, Westlaw and HeinOnline.

When do I use Legal Periodicals?

  • When you are doing research in a cutting edge issue.

Examples - Legal Periodicals

Covers of legal periodicals- Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review, the Yale Law Journal, Boston College Law Review, and the Harvard Law and Policy Review