united states – Know How, the blog of the Great Library

Treatise Finders (US Legal Research)

For Canadian legal practitioners, the need to research American law arises for a variety of reasons: client problems may involve U.S. business or real estate transactions, cross-border litigation, enforcement of judgments, or child custody and access. Researchers may also be looking for persuasive precedents on legal issues which have not been litigated in Canadian courts.

Keeping Track of American Law Societies and State Bars

American attorneys are regulated at the state level. State Bar membership is mandatory in some jurisdictions and voluntary in others. Regulation of the legal profession is carried out through a state regulatory agency, a discipline commission, or a discipline committee. In many states, lawyer discipline is the responsibility of the state’s court system rather than the bar association.

When thinking of American bar associations and disciplinary bodies, there’s a lot to keep track of. American attorneys are regulated at the state level. State Bar membership is mandatory in some jurisdictions and voluntary in others. Regulation of the legal profession is carried out through a state regulatory agency, a discipline commission, or a discipline committee. In many states, lawyer discipline is the responsibility of the state’s court system rather than the bar association.

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American Law Guides for Beginners (and Canadian legal researchers)

At the Great Library, we’re always looking for simple, accessible resources that can provide our users with a good starting point for their U.S. legal research. So we were happy to discover that the Law Library of Congress has produced a series of beginner’s guides to American law topics.