University Library: Law: Getting Started

This guide is designed to support the University of Notre Dame Australia community identify essential legal research resources.

When starting legal research, it can be useful to begin with secondary resources. This includes encyclopedias and dictionaries, books, journal articles and commentaries. These will point you to relevant primary resources including case law and legislation.

Summary of Legal Research

University of Notre Dame Australia School of Law has generally adopted the IRAC (Issue, Rule, Application and Conclusion) approach for legal analysis & hypothetical legal problems.

Read the question: Use IRAC to identify
- Issue(s): What happened? Who did it happen to? Where did it happen? What is the area of law?
- Rules/Relevant Law: Identify relevant case law and legislation, focusing on legal principles.
- Application: Apply the law to the facts and develop legal arguments
- Conclusion: Stand back and play 'judge', choose the argument that you think is strongest and justify why

Clear and Precise Writing Skills for Today's Lawyers by Tan & Morris.
ISBN: 9780455245034
Publication Date: 2021
Effective legal writing by Nicola Corbett-Jarvis and Brendan Grigg
ISBN: 9780409351491
Publication Date: 2021
A Guide to Writing in Law School by Steven Tudor and Stephanie Falconer
ISBN: 9780645838800
Publication Date: 2024
This book aims to help students improve their writing by presenting various pieces of advice, tips, warnings and encouragement. It contains general chapters on planning, clear writing, and acknowledging your sources, as well as dedicated chapters on some of the specific writing tasks that law students undertake.
Laying down the law by Robin Creyke
ISBN: 9780409357592
Publication Date: 2023
Legal research skills: An Australian law guide
Publication Date: 2024
Created by Australian law library staff, this guide is designed to support students undertaking legal studies and contribute to developing research skills in Australian law schools.
Nemes & Coss' effective legal research by Graeme Cross; Irene Nemes
ISBN: 9780409348101
Publication Date: 2018
A practical guide to legal research by Jay Sanderson; Kim Kelly
ISBN: 9780455237923
Publication Date: 2017

Lexis+ This link opens in a new window
Law reports, journals, commentaries and news from Australia, US and many other jurisdictions.
Westlaw AU This link opens in a new window
Australian case law, KeyCite citator, legal journals, encyclopaedia and commentaries.
Westlaw Classic This link opens in a new window
An extensive collection of full text primary and secondary legal materials and news sources from jurisdictions around the world.
JADE This link opens in a new window
Open access Australian legal research platform containing case law and legislation. Students can sign up to JADE Professional for free to access enhanced tools that make it easier to navigate the law.

AustLII : Australasian Legal Information Institute
Publishes primary legal materials (legislation, treaties and decisions of courts and tribunals) and secondary legal materials.
Federal Register of Legislation
Australian Government official source for legislation.
NSW legislation
NSW Government's official legislation website from the Parliamentary Counsel's Office.
Western Australian Legislation (Parliamentary Counsel's Office)
Official publisher of Western Australian legislation and statutory information.

Westlaw Webinar

Getting started with Westlaw - UNDA student drop in session.

Recording available on request.

Westlaw database training schedule